Turning to the West Bank

Israel hasn't wasted much time following the successful -- successful in the sense that it went rather smoothly, with minimal violence or disruption -- withdrawal from Gaza. Already it's turning its sights to the West Bank, prepping moves that will solidify the apartheid wall's path around Jerusalem, while encasing and making more permanent settlements like Maale Adumim.

The US has uttered a peep of protest, but it's safe to assume, as usual, that such words will recede into the night with little effect.

Here it's worth noting a recent Christian Aid report, "Facts on the ground: The end of the two-state solution?," which argues forcefully that Israel is killing a viable Palestinian state with its continued expansion in the West Bank. Old news, yes, but it's pretty maddening to watch this stuff go by without any concerted action from the international community to stop it.