This refers to the story, “Israeli orders Bedouins to leave West Bank area”(Jan. 3). Only a day after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Nov. 29, recognizing Palestine within the 1967 borders as a non-member observer state, the Israeli government defied the international community and announced a new settlement plan of constructing 3000 residential units in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. On Dec. 19, 14 out of 15 member countries of the UN Security Council condemned Israel for its intention to build the new settler homes on occupied land.
On Dec. 21, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a televised interview reacted by saying, “I don’t care what the UN says about.” The Israeli government’s audacious behavior and defiant attitude are the outcome of continuous “indulgence” given to it by its “patrons” in the West, especially the United States.
“Two-state” solution has been thrust upon the Palestinian Arabs, but Israel has been continuously grabbing Palestinian land by constructing settler homes for the Jews. — Naser Mullah, Riyadh
