The Americans believe that the kind of rude surprise that occurred when Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was visiting here earlier this month — an Israeli announcement of 1,600 units of Jewish housing in a part of Jerusalem conquered by Israel in 1967 and claimed by the Palestinians — is not likely to be repeated in the coming months. That was one of Ms. Clinton’s central demands of Mr. Netanyahu: no more acts that disturb the atmosphere as indirect talks with the Palestinians get under way.
There's so much wrong with Ethan Bronner's "news analysis" quoted above it's hard to know where to begin. Of course he fails to mention that under international law East Jerusalem is occupied territory and Israel's annexation and colonization are illegal. But the NYT has been obscuring and covering that up for years.
What really struck me was Bronner's phrase "...a part of Jerusalem conquered by Israel in 1967 and claimed by the Palestinians." It is as if the Israelis are the ones physically present (albeit through "conquest") and the Palestinians are merely putting forward a claim. You would never know of the actual physical presence of Palestinians who are being pushed out of Jerusalem bit by bit every day as the direct consequence of a planned campaign of 'judaization.'
Bronner has to pretend not to see this big picture. That this isn't just about a "housing project" here or there, or about disrupting "peace talks," it is a story about one group of people using force to expel -- to ethnically cleanse -- another group of people from Jerusalem. It's a story he refuses to see or tell.
Later in his article, Bronner spends time fretting about "confused" Israeli public opinion. As usual the story is all about Israelis and their feelings. It never occurs to him to ask about Palestinian public opinion. What do the people whose land is being stolen think? It is as if they don't exist.