President Obama recently ordered that Israel stop its settlements from the West Bank, but this has caused considerable tension between the U.S. and Israel. Palestine, however, refuses to negotiate or carry out peace talks unless Israel has met this demand.
History of the West Bank
The West Bank is situated in the West of Jordan in the Middle East. It has been an area of contention between Palestine and Israel because Israeli people continued to settle there, while Palestine claimed that Israel was invading their territory. In 1993, Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization agreed to meet and come up with peaceful solutions to the problems. They agreed on a set of principles that is known as the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements. This tranferred the authority of the West Bank and the Gaza strip from Israel to Palestinian Authority. Israel and Palestine signed a series of agreements between 1993 and 1999 that transferred security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian occupied areas of the West Bank and the Gaza strip.
In 2000, an Intifada broke out that killed over 5,000 Palestinians and 1,100 Israelis. In September 2005, Israel removed settlers and soldiers from the Gaza strip and the West Bank. In 2006, HAMAS took over the governing of Israel and it refused to accept the previous peace accords between Palestine and Israel. In February 2007, Mahmud Abbas, the president of Palestinian Authority, and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief Mishal signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in a Palestinian National Unity Government headed by HAMAS member Haniya. In June 2007, Hamas militants took over the military and Government insititutions in the Gaza strip. In November 2007, Abbas and Olmert, Israel's Prime Minister, agreed to resume peace talks.
Building of a WallA controversial wall is being built by Israel within the West Bank along the Armistice Line between Israel and Jordan. The project is supposed to be completed by 2010. The aim of the Israeili government is to protect its people from the suicide bombings qnd increased violence in the area, but Palestinians argue that this wall violates the International Law and restricts Palestinian movement within the West Bank.
U. S. EffortsDefense Secretary Robert Gates visited Israel on 27th July, along with George Mitchell, a special envoy, to continue negotiating and talking with Israel. Mitchell will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel's President Shimon face-to-face. U.S. National Security Advisor James Jones and Special Mideast Adviser Dennis Ross will arrive at Israel on Wednesday to continue the talks. This is expected to rev up the process of the Palestinian-Israel peace talks once again.
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