“”
–>

The key issue (apart from the refugees), in terms of the international consensus and in prior bilateral negotiations, has been the extent of the land swap along the border: Will Israel be allowed to annex the major settlement blocs and consequently abort a Palestinian state? But the debate has completely shifted, because annexing the settlement blocs is a done deal.

The framework agreement will probably just speak of land swaps in terms of percentages, and merely insinuate—as the Clinton Parameters did—Israel’s annexation of the major settlement blocs without divulging the precise details. But it is striking that in all of the discussion over the last several weeks, Ma’ale Adumim—i.e., the largest settlement bloc that effectively bisects the West Bank—has never even come up. Because it’s already been resolved, in Israel’s favour.

   Norman Finkelstein, Can the Kerry Juggernaut be Stopped?

   11 January 2014   

***

[Justice Minister Tzipi] Livni also contradicted statements made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Davos on Friday, in which he asserted that ”I do not intend to evacuate any settlements, I don’t intend to uproot any Israeli.”

“Most of the Israelis reside in settlement blocs which will be part of the state of Israel in the future, and they will remain in their homes,” she said. “Concerning the rest, we’re conducting a dialog.”

Tzipi Livni, Times of Israel

  25 January 2014