(Updated Wednesday 9:30 AM) US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld yesterday questioned whether Israel should turn over any more Yesha land (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) to the Palestinian Authority because according to Rumsfeld, “There is no question that the Palestinian Authority has been involved in terrorist activities.” Speaking at a gathering of Pentagon officials, Rumsfeld acknowledged that Israel is not an occupying power in Yesha, but rather has a right to the land obtained in a defensive war of survival. "My feelings about the so-called occupied territories are that there was a war," said Rumsfeld referring to the 1967 Six-Day War. He added, "Israel urged neighboring countries not to get involved in it once it started. They all jumped in and they lost a lot of real estate to Israel because Israel prevailed in the conflict."
Rumsfeld also said that the “settlements” should not be the focus of Arab Israeli diplomacy but rather he said, “The real point is to find an effective interlocutor [on the Arab side].” Rumsfeld’s remarks come as a PA delegation lead by Saeb Erekat heads to Washington to meet with top level US officials.
Rumsfeld also said that the “settlements” should not be the focus of Arab Israeli diplomacy but rather he said, “The real point is to find an effective interlocutor [on the Arab side].” Rumsfeld’s remarks come as a PA delegation lead by Saeb Erekat heads to Washington to meet with top level US officials.