In an interview with the United Church Observer in its February 2017 edition, Globe and Mail contributor Michael Bell said Israeli settlements "with over half a million nationalist Israelis in them — are a growing and cancerous obstacle."
Michael Bell is a former Canadian Ambassador to Jordan, Egypt and Israel, and has been appointed as one of 14 international affairs advisers who were part of a key foreign policy team to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"The options for a viable solution, one leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state, have greatly diminished since my time in Israel," Bell said. "The current Israeli government is right wing and expansionist, meaning that it wants to extend the Jewish presence in the West Bank by means of the so-called settlements. This precludes the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
"There are shortcomings on the Palestinian side as well."
Though Israel has always been willing to negotiate a two-state solution, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas refuses to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu until certain preconditions are met.
"The last real opportunity for an agreement was during Ehud Olmert's term as Prime Minister in 2008," Bell continued. "After Olmert left, current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office and dismissed previous discussions, insisting on starting all over again... Distrust has grown on both sides, particularly among the Palestinians."
"Years ago, there was a decent chance for a viable two-state solution, but now the settlements — with over half a million nationalist Israelis in them — are a growing and cancerous obstacle.
"I’m not sure, in fact, whether the conflict is resolvable at all... Occupation practices, including collective punishment, can be brutal and are the subject of considerable criticism from Israeli human rights and center-left groups."
Israel's army, is, in fact, the most humane army in the world. However, the UN has told Israel explicitly to stop shooting terrorists. In January, IDF soldier Elor Azariya was convicted of manslaughter after he shot a terrorist suspected of wearing an explosive vest.
"If I were an Israeli on the moderate left, and I know many, I would be very discouraged," Bell said. "The current circumstances in much of the Arab world have fueled a sense of siege, and with reason."
Israeli Arabs have all the rights and freedoms valued in the Western World, yet insist on committing terror attacks on innocent civilians - even if they have good jobs, salaries, and are friendly with the local Jews.