Once again, we're hearing that awful word again in the context of the Middle East debate.
"Settlements."
That's what the conflict is all about, we're being told. That's why the Arabs
are mad at the Israelis. That's the root of the violence, the terrorism,
the hatred.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer raised the ugly specter of "settlement"
recently in a speech last week. Kurtzer, the former ambassador to Egypt and
one of the architects of the failed peace process, once again blamed Israel
as an obstacle to peace.
"Israeli settlement activity cripples chances for real peace," he said. He
also underlined with emphasis and a pregnant pause this conclusion: "Settlement
activity must stop."
What about these "settlements"? What are they? Why are they bad? Why should they be stopped?