18-03-2010, 10:18 AM
Israel Hits Back At Settlements Criticism
Quote:Israel Hits Back At Settlements Criticism
11:26pm UK, Wednesday March 17, 2010
Dominic Waghorn, Middle East correspondent
Israel has defiantly condemned international criticism of its settlements activity in Jerusalem.
Israel's foreign minister chose a press conference with one of the Jewish state's critics on the issue, Baroness Ashton, to launch his attack.
"This demand to forbid Jews from building in east Jerusalem is totally unreasonable," Avigdor Lieberman said of international calls for Israel to cancel plans for 1,600 homes in East Jerualem.
"I think that this demand, it comes, in many ways, as an opportunity for the international community to jump on Israel and apply pressure to Israel and to demand things that are unreasonable."
Baroness Ashton refused to be drawn into an exchange with her host on the matter but she smiled awkwardly during the comments.
Last week in Cairo, she issued an uncompromising criticism of Israel's announcement of 1,600 new homes in disputed East Jerusalem.
"We are absolutely clear that this kind of action prejudices the potential of the proximity talks and the opportunity to move further into negotiation. And we are very clear that we want to see this stopped".
In a joint press conference with Mr Lieberman, she called for both Israelis and Palestinians to do what they can to restart negotiations but did not repeat her criticisms.
Palestinians are refusing to renew even indirect negotiations until Israel withdraws the 1,600-home plan.
America says it wants concessions from Israel to defuse the crisis, which began during US Vice President Joe Biden's visit here last week.
But despite their differences, US President Barack Obama has insisted the row has not damaged his country's relations with Israel.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Carl Jung - Aion (1951). CW 9, Part II: P.14