World War III threat.

[Dordrecht]

Dec 17

Controversy continues to swirl around the world over the Israeli government’s decision to build hundreds of new apartment units in several existing Jewish communities near Jerusalem. Government officials announced earlier this month they would seek building permits for new dwellings in Jewish communities northeast of the capital city, not far from the biblical Mount of Olives. Palestinian Authority leaders were joined by many countries, including the United States, France and Britain, in strongly opposing the move, saying it would further harm the prospects of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. During a subsequent visit to Germany, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued that the Palestinian Authority had already quashed the peace process by seeking and securing endorsement from the UN General Assembly for his unilateral statehood bid. He noted the 1993 Oslo peace accord had forbade either Israel or the Palestinians from carrying out any such one-sided action without the endorsement of the other peace partner. The radical Islamic Hamas movement called on its Palestinian Authority rival to join it in launching violent attacks upon the Jewish State instead of “wasting time” on the peace process.