Palestinian Poll reveals A Deep Divide Between Israelis And Palestinians

Palestinian Poll: Disturbing News for The ‘Peace Process’ -- Washington Post

I spent some time over the weekend going through a fascinating poll by the Democratic polling outfit Greenberg, Quinlan and Rosner that interviewed 1,009 Palestinian adults, 656 in the West Bank and 353 in Gaza. It is, to say the least, a mixed bag. I’d encourage readers to look through the entire poll, but I’ll highlight a few of the findings.

Large majorities favor the attempt to gain a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood by the United Nations. But interestingly, a plurality (44 percent) think it will make no difference in bringing about a Palestinian state.

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My Comment: The hate is too deeply ingrained in the culture .... it is going to take generations to even think of making a dent in this conflict.

Riots Break Out In Jerusalem Again

More Than 100 Injured In 'Day of Rage' Israeli-Palestinian Clashes -- L.A. Times

Palestinians fueled by anger over what they see as Israeli expansions into Palestinian-dominated areas clash with police in East Jerusalem.

Rising political and religious tensions in Jerusalem spilled into the streets Tuesday with a string of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police that left more than 100 people injured.

In scenes reminiscent of past uprisings, dozens of Palestinian youths, some with scarves masking their faces, pelted police with rocks, blocked roads and burned tires in half a dozen neighborhoods around East Jerusalem.

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More News On The Riots In Jerusalem

Jerusalem's flickering tinder-box -- BBC
Palestinians riot in Jerusalem over Israeli building plan -- Times Online
Palestinians and Israelis Clash in Jerusalem -- New York Times
Fatah's armed wing wants to resume struggle against Israel -- Ynet News
Can Israel tamp down Jerusalem clashes? -- Christian Science Monitor

Israeli - Palestinian Peace Talks Are Going Nowhere

Palestinians Snub Peace Talks Because Of Israeli Homes Expansion -- The Guardian

Mahmoud Abbas 'not ready to negotiate' after Israel announces 1,600 new homes for East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians pulled out of a new round of indirect peace talks last night, even before they had begun, as a protest at Israel's decision to announce approval for hundreds of new homes in a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem.

The decision to pull out, announced in Cairo by Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League, represents a major setback to months of diplomacy by the US administration and comes after the US vice-president, Joe Biden, delivered an unusually strong rebuke to Israel.

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More News On The Israeli - Palestinian Conflict

PA sources: Talks will happen -- Jerusalem Post
Arab League puts peace talks on the brink -- Times Online
Biden Warns Israel on Jerusalem Construction -- Wall Street Journal
Biden assures Palestinians of statehood backing -- Washington Times
Israel planning 50,000 housing units in East Jerusalem -- Haaretz
Netanyahu regrets 'timing' of E. J'lem housing announcement -- Haaretz
Biden: U.S. won't play favorites between Israelis, Palestinians -- CNN
US-Israel row highlights quandary over settlements -- AP
The Obama administration asked for the East Jerusalem fiasco -- Haaretz
The U.S. will no longer turn a blind eye to Israeli settlements -- Haaretz
Joe Biden and Obama 'humiliated' by Israel? Well, not exactly. -- Christian science Monitor

The Status Of Jerusalem Is Raising Tensions In The Area

Jerusalem: A Growing Powder Keg in Mideast Impasse -- Time Magazine

On the face of it, the project sounds innocent enough: Since the early 1990s, the Israeli organization Elad has been rehabilitating the City of David, a once neglected area nestled at the foot of the southern walls of Jerusalem's Old City. The site is believed to have been the seat of power of the kingdom of David, before King Solomon built his temple higher up on Mount Moriah. Until a few years ago, only a few thousand tourists a year visited the City of David, but Elad's efforts — digging tunnels, uncovering ruins and building a visitor's center — drew at least 460,000 people to the site last year. The organization hopes to make its project the flagship of a series of religious and historical theme parks in a loose ring around the Old City to boost its appeal as a tourist destination. But the enterprise also has a potentially explosive ideological purpose: to cement Israel's claim to all of Jerusalem — a claim that is hotly and often violently disputed by Palestinians and the wider Muslim world.

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My Comment: A growing powder keg ?!?!?!? .... this keg blew up a long time ago.