Israel's Response to Palestine's UNESCO Bid? More Settlements

Netanyahu announces the creation of 2,000 new homes in the West Bank and a halt to payments for the Palestinian Authority.

On Monday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation voted to allow Palestine in as a full member, prompting the U.S to threaten to pull funding form the body. And now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the move by saying he will resort to one of his favourite methods of ticking off Palestinians: creating new settlements throughout the West Bank. Netanyahu says a total of 2,000 homes in three settlements currently under construction will now be expedited. Israel will also temporarily stop the transfer of tax remittances paid to the Palestinian Authority to keep that government afoot. In addition, the VIP status that lets senior Palestinian officials cross into Israel without any hassle will be withdrawn, and Israel will no longer let UNESCO missions into the country. So, just add all that to the pile of grievances that the two sides will eventually have to some day figure out.