Non sequitur

In a story that provides pathological liar Saeb Erekat with a soapbox to blame Israel for what has clearly been Palestinian intransigence in refusing to return to negotiations, Reuters correspondents Ali Sawafta and Tom Perry are oblivious to this non sequitur:

Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem have expanded steadily since the start of the peace process in the early 1990s. The Palestinians say the settlements, considered illegal by major world powers, will prevent the establishment of a viable state.

If Israeli "settlements" in the eastern part of Jerusalem and the "West Bank" (Judea and Samaria) "will prevent the establishment of a viable [Palestinian] state", why is it that the peace process has proceeded over the last 20 years in spite of them?  Israeli building in and around Jerusalem (which has been effectively quashed by the Netanyahu government) has never dissuaded the Palestinians from engaging in negotiations in the past.  Why now?

In the meantime, illegal Palestinian construction in and around Jerusalem continues apace.












Illegal Palestinian Arab construction in Qalandiya