Quote:
Originally Posted by AltaGuy
If you click on the "Peace Now" link I provide above, you can see a detailed map of the expansion of settlements in 2011. You are wrong about settlements being west of the security barrier, that they are in "confined areas". In particular the Ariel settlement and those East of Jerusalem.
As well, I disagree with your assertion that the Wall is primarily responsible for the peace from the WB - it is a reflection of a moderate PA. The Wall wouldn't prevent WB citizens from firing off hundreds of homemade rockets like Gaza is doing.
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Pelestinians wouldn't be able to fire off the rockets in the West Bank due to the checkpoints. Although I agree the West Bank is less radicalized than the Gaza Strip, there are still most certainly elements in the West Bank who want to attack Israel.
Also, I did look at your link. The only settlement of more than few hundred peopel where construction is going on that is also not directly adjacent to Jerusalem is Ariel. Ariel has a total population of just over 18,000. As I previously stated, there were many Jews in the West Bank historically and prior to 1949. I see no reason, why the entirety of the West Bank should be Jew free. Although, in a lasting deal, Ariel will most likely have to go. Construction in one settlement is hardly the total destruction of the West Bank you are making it out to be.
Currently a lot of settlements are being tolerated as they provide a key security role in the region. They stop the rockets from hitting cities like Tel Aviv. Israel despite building up settlemetns around Jerusalem has also taken down settlements in the outer areas of the West Bank:
The link you provided is also out of date. The Israeli government has frozen consruction in many of the outlying settlements. I haven't checked all of the examples in your link, but they list Brukhin as an example of an expanding settlement, when in fact all building there has been frozen:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19457337
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8061001.stm
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/israe...r-you-1.426321