Our troops are not in Israel. Israel has their own troops
for their own self-defense. They don't rely on the U.S. for that.

Our troops are not dying for Israel.

Israel has always supported the US in diplomatic initiatives,
economic cooperation, science and medical education and training,
agricultural collaborations - you name it. Primarily because we
share all the common values I listed above.

If our troops pulled completely out of the Middle East... what then?

That they are not there in support of Israel.... is... B.S.

Okay, bring them all home.

All of them.

See what happens.

I never said they were "in" Israel. They are there "for" Israel.

They are ready to come to defense of Israel... and they are closer to Israel than they are to America.

If American was invaded.... where are our troops? How long would it take them to come to our defense?

Even our National Guard people are over there in the Middle East.
They are supposed to be guarding OUR shore.

Bring our troops home!!!

True. They also, arguably I'm sure, have the best trained troops in the world and military service is mandatory for citizenship ... 3 years for men, 2 for women. Unless they are excused from military service for any reason, Israelis who haven't served cannot vote or participate at all in politics ... they also cannot work.



False.

Those countries and militant groups in the region that hate us? Primarily because of our support to Israel. Its the biggest reason Iraq has turned out as the fiasco its been.



Not necessarily true. Israel's beaten the $#it out of anyone they've come in conflict with and it takes the UN saying "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down! You can't just take land like that." I think they'll be ok if we stop the hefty donations. I'm fine giving them our outdated systems that we're replacing, but more than that is really unnecessary.

If Obama opposes Israeli settlement activity, why did US veto UN vote?



In its first United Nations veto, the Obama administration on Friday voted against a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "illegal."

As one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the US used its power to overrule the other 14 Security Council members, all of whom voted for the resolution.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2011/0218/If-Obama-opposes-Israeli-settlement-activity-why-did-US-veto-UN-vote
So much for democracy.


I think the UN should have a simple majority to get a reselution passed.

We vetoed it because it was BS, one-sided and would not advance
the goal of achieving peace in a meaningful and fair way.

Here is what the vetoed resolution said:

The US-vetoed resolution, which had been sponsored by 130 countries, "reaffirms that the Israeli settlements established in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, are illegal and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace."

It also reiterated its “demand that Israel, the occupying power, immediately and completely ceases all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory."

This is obviously a gigantic load of bat guano.



It asserts that the correct borders are the indefensible ones of
1967 and also asserts that Israel give up part of it's capital city
of Jerusalem. Both non-starters. It was just another hateful
one-sided UN resolution crammed through by huge Muslim states
and theocracies to bash Israel so it couldn't be a reasonable stepping
stone to peace. It also was an attempt for these countries to
coerce the US and it backfired and just irritated those of us in
the US and our allies who wish to see progress to a true and
lasting peace. Israel needs to have secure and defensible borders
free from the prospect of terrorist attacks. So this resolution
was bad for the Palestinians, bad for Israel, bad for the US and
all other peace loving nations.

It had to be vetoed. The whole episode was counterproductive.



The US favors instead a compromise measure that includes a call for a freeze on settlements, a visit to the region by a UN Security Council delegation, and a statement by the “Mideast Quartet” (the US, the European Union, the UN, and Russia) referring to 1967 borders in reference to a Palestinian state.

But this idea was irrationally rejected by the Muslim states in
favor of the backward and inflammatory veto-bait.



What a bunch of hateful ignoramuses in the UN. It's a joke.

see: After Jewish dog cartoon, UN’s Richard Falk apologizes — to Jews, and animals

http://blog.unwatch.org/index.php/2011/07/07/after-jewish-dog-cartoon-uns-richard-falk-apologizes-to-jews-and-animals/



see also:

UN, Israel & Anti-Semitism

For an updated chart of 2007-2008 General Assembly resolutions on Israel, click here.
For an updated chart of all Human Rights Council resolutions on Israel, click here.
For more analysis see The United Nations and Anti-Semitism, 2004-2007 Report Card.

Demonization of Israel: "Zionism is Racism"

An alien observing the United Nations' debates, reading its resolutions, and walking its halls could well conclude that a principal purpose of the world body is to censure a tiny country called Israel.

1949: Israel admitted into the UN

Beginning in the late 1960's, the full weight of the UN was gradually but deliberately turned against the country it had conceived by General Assembly resolution a mere two decades earlier. The campaign to demonize and delegitimize Israel in every UN and international forum was initiated by the Arab states together with the Soviet Union, and supported by what has become known as an "automatic majority" of Third World member states.

The campaign reached new strength in wake of the Arab oil embargo of 1973, when many African states were pressured into severing relations with Israel. In 1975, following a steady drumbeat of anti-Israel declarations pushed through the International Women's Year Conference in Mexico and then the Organization of African Unity, the majority of the General Assembly adopted the "Zionism is Racism" resolution. At the same time, it instituted a series of related measures that together installed an infrastructure of anti-Israel propaganda throughout the UN. Years later, after strenuous efforts by democratic forces, the infamous resolution was repealed.

Legacy of 1975: Anti-Israel Infrastructure Remains

However, the legacy of 1975 remains fully intact: UN committees, annual UN resolutions, an entire UN bureaucratic division, permanent UN exhibits in New York and Geneva headquarters -- all dedicated to a relentless and virulent propaganda war against the Jewish state. Together, they have made the UN into Ground Zero for today's new anti-Semitism, which is the irrational scapegoating of Israel with the true intended target being Jews. Not only do these anti-Israel measures incite hatred against Israelis and Jews everywhere, but they have done not a thing to help the Palestinian situation. On the contrary: they give strength and succor to extremists.

Paradoxically, one of the greatest violators of the UN Charter's equality guarantee has been the UN body charged with establishing and enforcing international human rights, the Human Rights Council. (For more on the bias of this body, formerly known as the Commission on Human Rights, click here.)

http://www.unwatch.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=bdKKISNqEmG&b=1314451&ct=1766305

The anti-Israel apparatus within the UN, therefore, is of considerable magnitude. Here the focus will be on a small part of this large canvas, the UN Commission on Human Rights. The story of the Commission's anti-Israel bias reflects the situation in the UN as a whole.

The Commission on Human Rights as a Case Study

The Commission on Human Rights, comprised of a rotating membership of fifty-three member states, typically singles out Israel for discriminatory treatment in at least seven different ways:

1. The Commission's agenda devotes a special item to censuring Israel.

2. The Commission's debates disproportionately focus on condemning Israel.

3. The Commission's resolutions against Israel equal the combined total of country-specific resolutions adopted against all other countries in the world.

4. The Commission's independent experts subject Israel to irrational scrutiny and criticism.

5. The Commission bars Israel from participation in the regional group system, and thereby from membership in the Commission itself.

6. The Commission's emergency special sessions and special sittings are disproportionately dedicated to condemning Israel.

7. The Commission's NGO panel events single out Israel for special condemnation.

1. The Commission Devotes an Exclusive Agenda Item to Censuring Israel

The six-week session of the Commission proceeds according to an agenda approved annually by its fifty-three member states. There are twenty-one items on the agenda, treating matters such as self-determination, racism, civil and political rights, women's rights, and children's rights. Only two items expressly treat violations of human rights. Agenda Item 9 addresses human rights violations "in any part of the world," meaning violations occurring in all 191 UN member states. Agenda Item 8, meanwhile, is designed to treat human rights violations in one state alone -- Israel — and is entitled, "Question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine."

The establishment each year of a special agenda item to scrutinize Israel constitutes a blatant violation of Israel's right to be treated equally compared to every other state, as guaranteed under the UN Charter and reaffirmed at the recent 2005 World Summit.6

A few states, particularly the United States and Australia, have objected to the institutionalized, ab initio discrimination of Agenda Item 8, where Israel is denied equal treatment under the law before the proceedings even begin. During the past session in 2005, for example, Ambassador Rudy Boschwitz, head of the U.S. delegation, stated before the plenary:

We have further noted in the past and do so again today the inappropriateness and the genuine unfairness of the presence on the Agenda of this Commission an item -- Item No. 8 -- that deals solely with a single UN member, Israel, while another agenda item - Item No. 9 - suffices for the misdeeds of all the other 190 members of the UN.7 Australia's ambassador Mike Smith stated:

Australia opposes the maintenance of Agenda Item 8. Australia is concerned that this stand-alone agenda item allows for unbalanced criticism of Israel. The singling out of one country for criticism under a unique agenda item is anomalous when there is an existing, separate agenda item for the consideration of human rights issues in all other countries.8

Most UN member states, however, including the European and other democracies, have failed to speak out against this form of prejudice by the Commission. (See below for a discussion of UN Watch's innovative 2004 address under Item 8.)

2. Commission Debates Focus on Condemning Israel

etc. etc. etc. etc.
more Islamic state sponsored Israel bashing...

Seriously, what a joke. Stolen land by a highly subsidized military machine. Illegal by all definition, expansionist government with US approval.

I guess America hasn't learn the lesson just yet. They should let these animals fend for themselves in the middle east. JMHO

"The establishment each year of a special agenda item to scrutinize Israel constitutes a blatant violation of Israel's right to be treated equally compared to every other state, as guaranteed under the UN Charter and reaffirmed at the recent 2005 World Summit."



And you wonder why? Here's a list....



~Broken U.N. Resolutions

Here's a list of U.N. Resolutions issued against, or ignored by, Israel. At the end are some of the human rights, issued by the Geneva Convention, that Israel has also violated.
All of this infomation was compiled by Jews Against the Occupation, and is available on their website.

Palestinian Refugees have the right to return to their homes in Israel.
General Assembly Resolution 194, Dec. 11, 1948
"Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible."

Israel's occupation of Palestine is Illegal.
Security Council Resolution 242, Nov. 22, 1967
Calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories occupied in the war that year and "the acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."

Israel's settlements in Palestine are Illegal.
Security Council Resolution 446, March 22, 1979
"Determines that the policy and practices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967 have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

Palestinian have the right to Self-Determination.
General Assembly Resolution 3236, November 22, 1974
Affirms "the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in Palestine...to self-determination without external interference" and "to national independence and sovereignty."

Reaffirmation of a Palestinian State
Security Council Resolution 1397, March 12, 2002
Affirms "a vision of a region where two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognized borders."

More UN Resolutions on Israel, 1955-1992
Resolution 106: condemns Israel for Gaza raid.
Resolution 111: condemns Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people.
Resolution 127: recommends Israel suspend its no-man's zone' in Jerusalem.
Resolution 162: urges Israel to comply with UN decisions.
Resolution 171: determines flagrant violations by Israel in its attack on Syria.
Resolution 228: censures Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control.
Resolution 237: urges Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees.
Resolution 248: condemns Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan.
Resolution 250: calls on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem.
Resolution 251: deeply deplores Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250.
Resolution 252: declares invalid Israel's acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital.
Resolution 256: condemns Israeli raids on Jordan as flagrant violation.
Resolution 259: deplores Israel's refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation.
Resolution 262: condemns Israel for attack on Beirut airport.
Resolution 265: condemns Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan.
Resolution 267: censures Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem.
Resolution 270: condemns Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon.
Resolution 271: condemns Israel's failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem.
Resolution 279: demands withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.
Resolution 280: condemns Israeli's attacks against Lebanon.
Resolution 285: demands immediate Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
Resolution 298: deplores Israel's changing of the status of Jerusalem.
Resolution 313: demands that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon.
Resolution 316: condemns Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon.
Resolution 317: deplores Israel's refusal to release.
Resolution 332: condemns Israel's repeated attacks against Lebanon.
Resolution 337: condemns Israel for violating Lebanon's sovereignty.
Resolution 347: condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Resolution 425: calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.
Resolution 427: calls on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
Resolution 444: deplores Israel's lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces.
Resolution 446: determines that Israeli settlements are a serious obstruction to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention
Resolution 450: calls on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon.
Resolution 452: calls on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories.
Resolution 465: deplores Israel's settlements and asks all member states not to assist its settlements program.
Resolution 467: strongly deplores Israel's military intervention in Lebanon.
Resolution 468: calls on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return.
Resolution 469: strongly deplores Israel's failure to observe the council's order not to deport Palestinians.
Resolution 471: expresses deep concern at Israel's failure to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Resolution 476: reiterates that Israel's claim to Jerusalem are null and void.
Resolution 478: censures (Israel) in the strongest terms for its claim to Jerusalem in its Basic Law.
Resolution 484: declares it imperative that Israel re-admit two deported Palestinian mayors.
Resolution 487: strongly condemns Israel for its attack on Iraq's nuclear facility.
Resolution 497: decides that Israel's annexation of Syria's Golan Heights
is null and void and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith.
Resolution 498: calls on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon.
Resolution 501: calls on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops.
Resolution 509: demands that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon.
Resolution 515: demands that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and allow food supplies to be brought in.
Resolution 517: censures Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon.
Resolution 518: demands that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon.
Resolution 520: condemns Israel's attack into West Beirut.
Resolution 573: condemns Israel vigorously for bombing Tunisia in attack on PLO headquarters.
Resolution 587: takes note of previous calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw.
Resolution 592: strongly deplores the killing of Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops.
Resolution 605: strongly deplores Israel's policies and practices denying the human rights of Palestinians.
Resolution 607: calls on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Resolution 608: deeply regrets that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians.
Resolution 636: deeply regrets Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
Resolution 641: deplores Israel's continuing deportation of Palestinians.
Resolution 672: condemns Israel for violence against Palestinians at the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
Resolution 673: deplores Israel's refusal to cooperate with the United Nations.
Resolution 681: deplores Israel's resumption of the deportation of Palestinians.
Resolution 694: deplores Israel's deportation of Palestinians and calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
Resolution 726: strongly condemns Israel's deportation of Palestinians.
Resolution 799: strongly condemns Israel's deportation of 413 Palestinians and calls for their immediate return.

The Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) is a cornerstone of international humanitarian law that ensures minimum protections for civilians in armed conflict and occupation. It forbids, among other things: the construction of settlements on occupied land1, unilateral annexation2, willful killing of civilians3, collective punishment4, torture5, and the destruction of property without a compelling military reason6. It also requires judicial accountability for those who commit war crimes (defined as “grave breaches” listed in Article 147 of the Convention). The Convention fully takes into account military necessity and cannot be violated for “security” reasons.


EDIT* Worth repeating

The Convention fully takes into account military necessity and cannot be violated for “security” reasons.

U.S. Vetoes of UN Resolutions Critical of Israel

Vetoes: 1972-1982

Subject
Date & Meeting
U.S. Rep Casting Veto
Vote
Palestine: Syrian-Lebanese Complaint. 3 power draft resolution 2/10784
9/10/1972 Bush 13-1, 1
Palestine: Examination of Middle East Situation. 8-power draft resolution (S/10974)
7/2/1973 Scali 13-1, 0 (China not partic.)
Palestine: Egyptian-Lebanese Complaint. 5-power draft power resolution (S/11898)
12/8/1975 Moynihan 13-1, 1
Palestine: Middle East Problem, including Palestinian question. 6-power draft resolution (S/11940)
1/26/1976 Moynihan 9-1,3 (China & Libya not partic.)
Palestine: Situation in Occupied Arab Territories. 5-power draft resolution (S/12022)
3/25/1976 Scranton 14-1,0
Palestine: Report on Committee on Rights of Palestinian People. 4-power draft resolution (S/121119)
6/29/1976 Sherer 10-1,4
Palestine: Palestinian Rights. Tunisian draft resolution. (S/13911)
4/30/1980 McHenry 10-1,4
Palestine: Golan Heights. Jordan draft resolution. (S/14832/Rev. 2)
1/20/1982 Kirkpatrick 9-1,5
Palestine: Situation in Occupied Territories, Jordan draft resolution (S/14943)
4/2/1982 Lichenstein 13-1,1
Palestine: Incident at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. 4-power draft resolution
4/20/1982 Kirpatrick 14-1, 0
Palestine: Conflict in Lebanon. Spain draft resolution. (S/15185)
6/8/1982 Kirpatrick 14-1,0
Palestine: Conflict in Lebanon. France draft resolution. (S/15255/Rev. 2)
6/26/1982 Lichenstein 14-1
Palestine: Conflict in Lebanon. USSR draft resolution. (S/15347/Rev. 1, as orally amended)
8/6/1982 Lichenstein 11-1,3
Palestine: Situation in Occupied Territories, 20-power draft resolution (S/15895)
8/2/1983 Lichenstein 13-1,1


Security Council Vetoes/Negative voting 1983-present

Subject
Date
Vote
Occupied Arab Territories: Wholesale condemnation of Israeli settlement policies - not adopted
1983
S. Lebanon: Condemns Israeli action in southern Lebanon. S/16732
9/6/1984 Vetoed: 13-1 (U.S.), with 1 abstention (UK)
Occupied Territories: Deplores "repressive measures" by Israel against Arab population. S/19459.
9/13/1985 Vetoed: 10-1 (U.S.), with 4 abstentions (Australia, Denmark, UK, France)
Lebanon: Condemns Israeli practices against civilians in southern Lebanon. S/17000.
3/12/1985 Vetoed: 11-1 (U.S.), with 3 abstentions (Australia, Denmark, UK)
Occupied Territories: Calls upon Israel to respect Muslim holy places. S/17769/Rev. 1
1/30/1986 Vetoed: 13-1 (US), with one abstention (Thailand)
Lebanon: Condemns Israeli practices against civilians in southern Lebanon. S/17730/Rev. 2.
1/17/1986 Vetoed: 11-1 (U.S.), with 3 abstentions (Australia, Denmark, UK)
Libya/Israel: Condemns Israeli interception of Libyan plane. S/17796/Rev. 1.
2/6/1986 Vetoed: 10 -1 (US), with 4 abstentions (Australia, Denmark, France, UK)
Lebanon: Draft strongly deplored repeated Israeli attacks against Lebanese territory and other measures and practices against the civilian population; (S/19434)
1/18/1988 Vetoed 13-1 (US), with 1 abstention (UK)
Lebanon: Draft condemned recent invasion by Israeli forces of Southern Lebanon and repeated a call for the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Lebanese territory; (S/19868)
5/10/1988 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Lebanon: Draft strongly deplored the recent Israeli attack against Lebanese territory on 9 December 1988; (S/20322)
12/14/1988 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Occupied territories: Draft called on Israel to accept de jure applicability of the 4th Geneva Convention; (S/19466)
1988 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Occupied territories: Draft urged Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention, rescind the order to deport Palestinian civilians, and condemned policies and practices of Israel that violate the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories; (S/19780)
1988 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Occupied territories: Strongly deplored Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territories, and strongly deplored also Israel's continued disregard of relevant Security Council decisions.
2/17/1989 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Occupied territories: Condemned Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territories.
6/9/1989 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Occupied territories: Deplored Israel's policies and practices in the occupied territories.
11/7/1989 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Occupied territories: NAM draft resolution to create a commission and send three security council members to Rishon Lezion, where an Israeli gunmen shot down seven Palestinian workers.
5/31/1990 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Middle East: Confirms that the expropriation of land by Israel in East Jerusalem is invalid and in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions and provisions of the Fourth Geneva convention; expresses support of peace process, including the Declaration of Principles of 9/13/1993
5/17/1995 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Middle East: Calls upon Israeli authorities to refrain from all actions or measures, including settlement activities.
3/7/1997 Vetoed 14-1 (US)
Middle East: Demands that Israel cease construction of the settlement in east Jerusalem (called Jabal Abu Ghneim by the Palestinians and Har Homa by Israel), as well as all the other Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories

3/21/1997 Vetoed 13-1,1 (US)
Call for UN Observers Force in West Bank, Gaza
3/27/2001 Vetoed 9-1 (US),
with four abstentions
(Britain, France, Ireland and Norway)
Condemned acts of terror, demanded an end to violence and the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to bring in observers.
12/14/2001 Vetoed 12-1 (US)
with two abstentions
(Britain and Norway)
On the killing by Israeli forces of several UN employees and the destruction of the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse

12/19/2002
12-1 (US)
with two abstentions
(Bulgaria and Cameroon)

Demand that Israel halt threats to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
9/16/2003 Vetoed 11-1 (US)
with three abstentions
(Britain, Germany and Bulgaria)
Seeks to bar Israel from extending security fence
10/14/2003 Vetoed 10-1 with four absentations (Britain, Germany, Bulgaria and Cameroon)
Condemns Israel for killing Ahmed Yassin
3/25/2004 Vetoed 11-1 (US)
with three absentations
(Britain, Germany, Romania)
Calls For Israel To Halt Gaza Operation
10/05/2004 Vetoed 11-1 (US)
with three absentations
(Britain, Germany, Romania)
Calls For Israel To Halt Gaza Operation
7/13/2006 Vetoed 10-1 (US)
with four absentations
(Britain, Peru, Denmark and Slovakia)
Calls For Israel To Halt Gaza Operation
11/11/2006 Vetoed 10-1 (US)
with four absentations
(Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia)
Condemns all Israeli settlements established since 1967 as illegal and calls for an immediate halt to all settlement building
2/18/2011 Vetoed 14-1 (US)

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

(New York) - The US veto of a proposed United Nations Security Council Resolution calling upon Israel to end illegal policies that promote settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, undermines enforcement of international law, Human Rights Watch said today. The Geneva Conventions, to which Israel is a party, prohibit the transfer of a country's civilian population into territory it occupies.

"President Obama wants to tell the Arab world in his speeches that he opposes settlements, but he won't let the Security Council tell Israel to stop them in a legally binding way," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

The Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 explicitly prohibits an occupying power from transferring its civilian population into occupied territory. Notwithstanding this ban, almost half-a-million Jewish Israelis with Israeli government support have moved into settlements it has constructed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and formally annexed occupied territory in East Jerusalem, a move not recognized by any other government in the world.
The International Court of Justice in a 2004 advisory opinion noted the widely-accepted view that the Geneva Conventions not only prohibit forced population transfers, "but also any measures taken by an occupying Power in order to organize or encourage transfers of parts of its own population into the occupied territory."
Israeli settlement policies also violate international human rights prohibitions against discrimination. Human Rights Watch recently documented Israel's two-tier system for the Palestinian and Israeli Jewish populations in the 60 percent of West Bank area that Israel controls and in East Jerusalem. Israeli policies deliberately withhold basic services from Palestinians, causing tremendous hardships by preventing and punishing the construction of homes and infrastructure for their communities, while providing generous financial benefits and infrastructure for Jewish settlements. Such differential treatment lacks any security rationale, but is meted out on the prohibited basis of race, ethnicity, and national origin.
UN sources told Human Rights Watch that the US government attempted to persuade the Palestinian Authority to forgo a vote on the resolution by offering to support a statement from the Security Council president condemning settlements as "illegitimate," instead of clearly identifying them as "illegal," as provided in the resolution.
As a party to the Geneva Conventions, the United States is obligated "to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances."
"The US government's opposition to accurate language in the Security Council resolution erodes the unified international message that Israel should change its settlement policies," Whitson said. "What's needed from the Obama administration is a clear and consistent message that settlements on occupied territory are illegal and must be dismantled."

Thank you!

Does that sound like the kind of "free" country YOU would like to live in Slowhand? pppssssstt!

Sounds like fascism to me.

People hate America because America supports Israel.
It almost feels like we exist to support Israel.
This entire political system and the politicians are neo-con Zionist supporters.

Judeo-Christianity, Christian Zionists, the 700 club, all supporters of Israel. News flash.... Israel only cares about Israel. They treat Christians like crap in Israel.

It is all tied to the fake Abrahamic religions of Islam, Christianity and Judaism. All fake religions based on the contrived story of King David and Abraham. All fiction B.S. taught as history. People need to wake the hell up.

It's psychotic! We give other nations billions of dollars while our country turns a blind eye to the people in America who REALLY need it!

anyone with 1/2 a brain cell knows that the reason the US has a problem with muslim nations having WMDs is because the US feels they will use them on Israel.America is Israels sugardaddy,the whole entire planet knows this.

The common cause that Israel and America share is not "freedom" but the globalization of capitalism. Profit. Every country where this has been installed now have a huge gap between the very wealthy and the poor. The average middle class is disappearing. The poor have no health care, no schools and they live in shacks. They work for very low wages for large corporations who make more profit taking advantage of them. They work long hours. Children also. This is the type of "democracy" they are spreading across the globe, and it is the plan for the entire world.

It is happening in many countries. It will happen here too.

How many paychecks away from being homeless or foreclosure on your home are you? When the bank takes your home, who owns it then? Hint:(Its not the bank, and its not you.)

where do you get your information? on the back of a cereal box, Nazi Crisps?...and it was clinton and fannie mae that ruined the housing market, not the jews...you people are so far out there you can't even see whos batting anymore so you just make things up that seems to fit. but go ahead, show your ignorance and blame the poor jews for everything, someone has to be blamed, right?

I get my information from studying capitalism and globalization and how they are spreading across the globe.

And from studying what the FED is and how the world banking system works.

And from watching the news and history of certain small countries who get invaded and transformed into cooperating capitalist "free trade" systems under the guise of "spreading democracy" and is made part of the global economy where the rich get richer and the poor are made into slaves.

I did not mention "Jews" in any part of my post. But yes, now that you mention it, Jews are leading charge and Israel is certainly capitalist and greedy.

But this globalization movement is much bigger than Israel and their Zionist supporters.

So widen your view a lot and take a look around and get your head out of the past where all you can see are Nazi's. If you look around you will see a lot worse than that.

i think your right for the most part, but i won't blame any one nationality for it tho, except maybe america and england... or whoever started the euro-dollar nonsense...

Its worldwide. There is no nationality that can be blamed. It is a banking secret society of thugs and thieves.

The goal is to create a world banking system, put everyone in debt, steal their real wealth and replace it with useless paper "money."

Once they own everything, all will be at their mercy. They will control the energy, transportation, the food,--- everything.

Nonsense. Israel is not fascist because everybody must do military
service. They are just being fair. Everyone must do their part.

They have many political parties and a vibrant plural society.

I'd live there sure.

Christians, Muslims, Jews and all other religions are respected in
Israel and given religious freedom with tolerance for all observances.

There is nothing "fake" about Christianity, Judaism or Islam
just because the historical documentation is not detailed.
This does not invalidate the religions any more than the fact
that the Bhagavad Gita not being historically accurate would
invalidate Hinduism or the lack of sufficient documentation of
the life of Buddha invalidates Buddhism.

Good Grief.

Your other posts about blaming Zionism for being at the heart of
a world domination conspiracy and your support of Nazi
propaganda such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and your
denigration of the Israeli National movement is why people
are asking you if you have been overindulging in Nazi Crisps for
breakfast.

The entire freaking world isnt wrong

No damn wonder most the world hates us and I am sure it is a matter of time untill the world simply lines up against us and Israel and says enough is enough I hope this country has the sence to get on the right side of history.

Anti-Israel Bias in the UN System

The UN's discrimination against Israel is not a minor infraction, nor a parochial nuisance of interest solely to those concerned with equal rights of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. Instead, the world body's obsession with censuring Israel at every turn directly affects all citizens of the world, for it constitutes (a) a severe violation of the equality principles guaranteed by the UN Charter and underlying the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and (b) a significant obstacle to the UN's ability to carry out its proper mandate.

None of this means Israel should be above the law. Every country, including every democracy, commits human rights violations, and states should be held to account accordingly, both domestically and internationally. Yet Israel does have the right to be treated equally under the law. The UN Charter and the rules of natural justice demand no less. It is legitimate for UN bodies to criticize Israel, but not when they do do so unfairly, selectively, massively, sometimes exclusively, and always obsessively.

Likewise, it is perfectly legitimate to call attention to the rights of the Palestinian people and their often difficult conditions. But it is something else entirely to abuse their cause for the sole objective of scapegoating Israel and the Jewish people.

http://www.unwatch.org/site/c.bdKKISNqEmG/b.1359197/k.6748/UN_Israel__AntiSemitism.htm