Netanyahu not concerned about world opinion: Analyst

Press TV has interviewed Maidhc Ó Cathail, an author and political commentator in Galway, Ireland, to discuss a new report revealing that Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank has doubled this year.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: We are looking at another record year for ..., well start of another record year for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, two times serving prime minister seems like settlements, house demolitions, all the other actions on the occupied Palestinian territories is being broken by this prime minster. Is that a coincidence or is there a particular drive that Netanyahu sees that he has to exercise such as the demolition of homes?

Ó Cathail: I do not think it is a coincidence. I think it shows that Netanyahu feels empowered and that he is not concerned about world opinion at this stage.

Press TV: What about when we look at the way that Netanyahu has announced the settlements this particular year vis-à-vis the way the US has acted which obviously they represent themselves as a neutral mediator but we have seen that they have done nothing to say the least in terms of at least the peace process which at this point is a so-called process because it is pretty much defunct. Do you view the role of the US as being constructive or destructive when it comes to Israel and Palestine?

Ó Cathail: Well I think America likes to consider itself a neutral mediator but because of the influence of the Israel lobby on US policy it is unable to act as a neutral mediator between the Palestinians and the Israelis and America does officially condemn the demolition of Palestinian homes and the construction of settlements but it is unable to enforce its will upon Israel because, as I said, because of the influence of the Israel lobby.  

Press TV: December of 2015 there was a lawsuit that was filed at the US district court in Maryland and this was by three people who have said that over the past decades Israel has received via these non-profits from the US about 200 billion dollars in funds which it is used partly to construct settlements and partly for it to come through and support the Israeli army. Don’t you see there to be a destructive motion coming from the US such as these non-profits in supporting Israel and what it is doing in the occupied territories?

Ó Cathail: Well I am not familiar with the details but I assume that those are Israel lobby groups such as the friends of the Israeli defense forces and major Jewish donors to the settlement project. So America ..., it should of course ..., these should be taxable and maybe even they should be banned because they are in contradiction of official American policy and so America’s policy is being undermined by allowing these NGOs, the so-called NGOs to perform and to support the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes and the continued settlement construction.

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