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Jonathan Tobin Gets the Facts Wrong on Pre-Obama U.S. policy on J'lem Settlements

In a piece published last week in Commentary, Jonathan Tobin confidently asserts that:

"While no American government has ever recognized Israeli sovereignty over any part of the ancient capital, it is equally true never before had an American president made an issue of the building of homes in the existing Jewish neighborhoods begun in the immediate aftermath of the reunification of the city in 1967. Though settlement building in the West Bank has been a constant source of tension, and projects such as the one at Har Homa outside these Jewish sections of the city (although it was on vacant, Jewish-owned land) were disputed by Washington, housing in places like Ramat Sharon had never been a bone of contention."(emphasis added)

You'd think before anyone would make such a categorical assertion in print (or even online), he'd first bother to check the facts.  Because the facts are easy to check.
 
Like these facts, that I uncovered in the course of an entire 10 minutes of research online (granted, I knew what I was looking for, since I clearly remember this happening.  Perhaps Tobin is suffering from some unconscious selective memory...).

 "...US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Jewish settlement building was having a 'negative effect' on efforts to forge a Middle East peace deal. Ms Rice was referring to Israeli plans to build 1,300 new homes in Ramat Shlomo, an area of the West Bank that Israel considers part of Jerusalem..." (BBC, June 15, 2008, "Rice warns on Israel settlements")

"...The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, yesterday accused Israel of undermining peace talks as Israel announced plans to build thousands more homes in settlements in east Jerusalem.  Upon arrival in Jerusalem to help the faltering peace talks, Rice expressed her frustration at the Israeli housing ministry announcement of plans to build 1,300 more homes in Ramat Shlomo, a settlement on Palestinian land in east Jerusalem which was captured in the 1967 war.  'I do believe that the actions and announcements that are taking place are having a negative effect on the atmosphere for negotiations," Rice said in a joint news conference with Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas. 'We should be encouraging confidence, not undermining it. No party should be taking steps that could prejudice the outcome.'" (The Guardian, June 16, 2008, "Rice attacks Israel over new settlements plans")

 "The Housing Ministry on Friday announced approval for construction of 1,300 housing units in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Jerusalem. Ramat Shlomo, a Haredi neighborhood which currently has 2,000 housing units, borders the Arab Beit Hanina neighborhood of the city, on land liberated in the 1967 Six Day War. United Nations Security Council will discuss a resolution proposed by Arab states against continued Jewish building in Judea and Samaria. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who is set to visit the region again this week, criticized the announcement." (Arutz Sheva (settlers' media outlet), June 14, 2008, "New Housing Project in Ramat Shlomo")

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, including on questions related to settlements, Jerusalem, and the Obama Administration's Middle East policies.  But the facts are what they are.  And presenting something as fact that is demonstrably not fact is evidence of either shoddy research or a readiness or even a desire to mislead.