US should rein in Israel on colonies

For how long will the United States continue to allow Israel to get away with flagrantly illegal acts — the latest being approving the construction of 900 new units in the Gilo Jewish colony in Occupied East Jerusalem.

At this point, it is simply not enough for the US to be ‘dismayed' by Israel's decision to expand the Gilo colony, an illegal act the current US administration has stood against. President Barack Obama is being outmanoeuvred by the Israelis as he continues to pay lip service to the peace process without real steps on the ground.

If he were serious about helping to bring about peace, Obama can for starters pressure Israel by suspending the over-the-top aid as well as loan guarantees Tel Aviv gets from Washington — after all, Israel is the largest recipient of US foreign aid. The Obama administration can also reconsider its automatic blind support for Israel at the United Nations, which could prove very crucial when the Goldstone report on Israel's brutal war on Gaza comes to the Security Council.

Israel's recent actions under the current right-wing Netanyahu government have left no hope for peace and negotiations have broken down completely.