SECRETARY KERRY: ...Now, the Palestinian leadership made it absolutely clear they believe the settlements are illegal, they object to the settlements, and they are in no way condoning the settlements. But they knew that Israel would make some announcements. They knew it, but they don’t agree with it, and they don’t support it...We do not think you should be doing settlements. We, the United States, say the same thing. We do not believe the settlements are legitimate. We think they’re illegitimate. And we believe that the entire peace process would, in fact, be easier if these settlements were not taking place. Now, that’s our position. That is also the position – but we knew that there was not going to be a freeze. We didn’t negotiate a freeze. So there’s a difference here between knowing something may happen and objecting to it. The Palestinians profoundly object to it. The international community objects to it. The United States policy has always been that the settlements are illegitimate, and we believe this process would be much easier if we didn’t have the tension that is created by settlements.
Let me ask you something: How – if you say you’re working for peace and you want peace and a Palestine that is a whole Palestinian that belongs to the people who live there, how can you say we’re planning to build in the place that will eventually be Palestine? So it sends a message that somehow perhaps you’re not really serious. Now, we understand the pressures that exist, and we understand that within the government there are people who have a different view. So until you arrive at a peace agreement, that issue will not be settled. If you arrive at a peace agreement, everybody will understand where Israel is and everybody will understand where Palestine is.
The first is that if previously in 2009 I had hoped that the use of the term "illegitimate" was meant to distinguish American policy from that of the Arabs in that the question of legal, or not, was to be avoided because we Jews could make a very good case that we a quite legal, this seems to have dissipated.
The second is that Kerry supports apartheid. If we Jews can't construct communities and that they must be dismantled, then Jews can't live in a "Palestine that belongs to the people who live there". "Palestine" is to be Arab, Arab only.
Mr. Secretary, can Israel then be only Jewish?
The interview continued:
MR. SHALABI: Mr. Secretary, the message that the Palestinians receiving from building settlement, that the two-state solution question – it’s a big question mark on two-state solution...
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, there is no one-state solution. There’s no such thing as a one-state solution. You cannot have peace on any one side with the concept of a one-state solution. It just won’t happen. You can’t subsume other people into one state against their will. And it simply is not a reality. And anybody who’s talking about it doesn’t know really what – it’s just not possible. So you’ll have a perpetual state of conflict if somebody tries to achieve that...during the time that we are negotiating the planning will not translate into building and construction. So we will not have to upset the solution of two states. And the Prime Minister has said he will not affect the peace map with the construction that takes place. So our hope is that the two-state remains viable. I believe it is viable today.
MR. SHALABI: Well, Mr. Kerry, all my colleague hears that, I’m from the West Bank, I’m from Ramallah. Coming to Jerusalem here, it’s a big hassle.
SECRETARY KERRY: It’s a big hassle.
MR. SHALABI: ...there is no valid state, Palestinian state, without removing all these settlements.
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, this is obviously a topic that is right in the middle of the negotiations. This will be a subject of negotiation. And I believe it will be resolved in the negotiations. I am absolutely certain that there is a viable Palestinian state, and we will obviously have to deal with the issue of some of the settlements.
Mr. Secretary, there are almost two dozen Arab states ( UNESCO identifies 21 Arab states, while Wikipedia lists 23 Arab states. In addition the Arab League is a regional organization of these states that was formed in 1945. It currently has 22 members).
Why can't there be one Jewish state, with an Arab minority?
Or, why must Palestine by bereft of its Jews?
Oh, there's a third point. There are Arab communities:
"The Arab Peace Initiative, which has been restated by the entire Arab community, says that the day that Israel makes peace with Palestine, the day they sign that peace, all of the Arab communities – the 19, 20 that have not made peace with Israel – will make peace immediately."
And if you think they will make peace, you're more gullible than I thought.
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P.S.
Since one commenter raised a doubt about the legality of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, may I refer you all to here and also here?
Oh, and the EU does recognize illegally occupied territories.
^
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