Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., December 24, 2008 Kislev 27, 5769 | | Israel Time: 22:15 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 08:32 23/11/2008
Obama's Mideast peace platform is coming into focus
By Amir Oren, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Zbigniew Brzezinski 

Eight weeks before Barack Obama is sworn into office, signs have emerged over the weekend that point to what is turning out to be the new administration's plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is the conclusion that one reaches when considering the upcoming appointment of Hillary Clinton to the position of secretary of state; the reports that Obama could name retired general James Jones to the position of national security adviser; and the president-elect's reliance on the advice of Brent Scowcroft, who served as national security adviser in the administrations of Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. Obama and Scowcroft are said to have spoken at least twice since the election.

Despite the attention being paid to Clinton, no less important is the move made two days ago by Scowcroft and the man who succeeded him in office as national security adviser to Jimmy Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski. In an op-ed piece penned for the Washington Post, Scowcroft (whom John McCain considered naming as a special envoy to the Middle East) and Brzezinski (who was close to Obama during the initial stages of his candidacy for president) offered a kind of first draft of "The Obama Plan."

The former NSC chiefs - who represent a wide, bipartisan consensus by dint of their service to Democratic and Republican presidents - praise President Bush's peace efforts over the last year and call upon Obama to lend "priority attention" to the Israeli-Arab peace process. Even though they do not name names, one can clearly notice an effort to influence on the election results in Israel so as to favor moderate candidates - Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak - over Benjamin Netanyahu.
Advertisement
The crux of their plan to solve the conflict centers on four principles which they believe Obama ought to adopt and publicly declare as policy:
  • An Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines, with slight alterations that are to be mutually agreed upon.
  • Compensation for Palestinian refugees in lieu of exercising the right of return to pre-1948 Israel.
  • Jerusalem as a "real home" to two capitals.
  • A demilitarized Palestinian state.

    In order to allay Israel's security concerns over handing over territory to a Palestinian government that is incapable of combating terrorism, the two former national security advisers recommend stationing an international force, perhaps that of NATO, for peacekeeping purposes, securing Israel, and training Palestinian forces.

    Scowcroft and Brzezinski believe it is of urgent necessity for Obama to publicly declare his support of these principles. Doing so would go a long way towards Hamas moderating its positions and taking part in the process before the elections for the Knesset - "a complicating factor" - in February. In addition, the ex-NSC chiefs believe that such a declaration would create diplomatic momentum which "would provide the Israeli people a unique chance to register their views on the future of their country."

    Only after a presidential statement of support for such an initiative - and not the preparation for it - should Obama name a high-ranking envoy who would have a sweeping mandate to advance a settlement. In practice, Brzezinski and Scowcroft are calling on Obama to establish a diplomatic fact on the ground so as not to waste precious time (during the honeymoon period of Obama's first days in office) on learning the nuances, dipping his toes into the water, and attempting to bridge the gaps between both sides.

    The NSC chiefs' four-point plan overlap to a great extent though with some changes that have come over time (a Palestinian state in the territories rather than Jordan and Egypt) with some of the main diplomatic initiatives that have been proposed in the four decades since the Six-Day War: UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338; the Reagan Plan from September 1982; the Clinton outlines of December 2000; and the Bush initiative presented at Annapolis.

    They also resemble Arab proposals (the Fez Summit peace proposal and the King Fahd Plan of 1981 and the 2002 Saudi initiative as offered up by King Abdullah) though with one important exception: a solution to the refugee issue in line with Israel's demands.

    Earlier this year, Brzezinski published a similar four-point proposal which appeared on the pages of the Financial Times: 1) No return of refugees, which would be tantamount to "national suicide" for Israel. Instead, the international community would mobilize to provide compensation to the Palestinians; 2) "A real partnership" in Jerusalem, which would include a Palestinian capital in the Old City as well as the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with a special regime in place to oversee the holy sites and an arrangement that would leave the city undivided; 3) Agreed-upon moderations to the 1967 lines which would be based on proportional territorial swaps and would allow Israel to retain large settlement blocs while Israel agrees to a gradual evacuation of settlers. Palestinian refugees would be resettled in areas now inhabited by Israelis on the West Bank; 4) A demilitarized Palestinian state that would host an international security force, perhaps an American one which would be stationed along the length of the Jordan River and which would secure Israel's defense needs. American forces would relieve the need for IDF troops whose presence would represent the continuation of the occupation.

    In a speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee this past June, Obama pledged to immediately act towards achieving Israeli-Arab peace if elected. He stressed a number of points: safeguarding Israel's security, which includes following through on an American commitment of military aid to the tune of $30 billion over the next decade; a "contiguous and cohesive" Palestinian state; defensible, secure, and recognized borders; and preserving Israel's "Jewish identity" (which hints at his ruling out a return of refugees); and Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.

    Obama later qualified his statements on Jerusalem. He also called on Israel to ease the day-to-day lives of the Palestinians, allow for greater freedom of movement in the territories, and halt settlement construction. Obama noted that he opposed Hamas participation in the Palestinian elections in 2006 but he did not reveal his position on the group's participation in future elections
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Knesset express
    Rightist party offers Jonathan Pollard top spot on Knesset list.
    Mahmoud's Gospel
    Ahmadinejad: If Jesus were alive, he would stand in opposition to U.S.
      1.   Maybe there is still some reason for hope....???? 14:10  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/08
      2.   Analysis - A non Starter 14:14  |  Roger 22/11/08
      3.   Obama`s Plan 14:18  |  Palestinian Brit 22/11/08
      4.   Shouldn`t Hebron be Split as well? 14:23  |  Awake 22/11/08
      5.   This is what I`ve been talking about 14:27  |  Natallie Durson 22/11/08
      6.   Brzenzinski and Scowcroft 14:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/11/08
      7.   Way too naive 15:11  |  Gary 22/11/08
      8.   # 1, SWISS (DINO) 15:23  |  indrajaya 22/11/08
      9.   There will NOT be an agreement on Israel 15:42  |  Petra 22/11/08
      10.   Major flaw in the plan ..... 15:42  |  Scott G 22/11/08
      11.   One thing is certain... 15:44  |  Esther 22/11/08
      12.   ....(continued)... 15:48  |  Scott G 22/11/08
      13.   What about Palestinian-occupied Hebron? 15:59  |  SystemF 22/11/08
      14.   Plans for Peace 16:02  |  The Equalizer 22/11/08
      15.   A sense of deja-vous 16:08  |  Joe 22/11/08
      16.   International forces do not work 16:11  |  Sanders 22/11/08
      17.   What utter Rubbish! 16:14  |  Dagma 22/11/08
      18.   Awake/hebron 16:14  |  Paul 22/11/08
      19.   Fly in the ointment 16:22  |  Nero 22/11/08
      20.   System #6... you should surely remember... 16:28  |  Esther 22/11/08
      21.   How about compensation for German refugees from Brzezinski`s Pola 16:29  |  Absolute Sweden 22/11/08
      22.   To achieve peace in the Middle East ! 16:40  |  ottomatik 22/11/08
      23.   Tha Plan 16:43  |  Shmuelshachor 22/11/08
      24.   Obama is not Bush 16:51  |  Walt 22/11/08
      25.   Bill Clinton & Ehud Barack 16:52  |  crlman 22/11/08
      26.   Indrajaya #6 17:10  |  Scott G 22/11/08
      27.   Hebron belongs to the Palestinians SystemF... 17:28  |  BBSNews 22/11/08
      28.   Poor Dagma... 17:34  |  BBSNews 22/11/08
      29.   Awake #4 is 100% alert and oriented!!! 17:36  |  LISA 22/11/08
      30.   Incorrect Nero, this falsehood has been debunked for years... 17:44  |  BBSNews 22/11/08
      31.   Peace Plan - Not as bad as it sounds 17:47  |  Reid 22/11/08
      32.   #4 Awake 17:51  |  Boycott 22/11/08
      33.   Looks good on paper 18:01  |  Realist 22/11/08
      34.   Occupation 18:07  |  Mark Bernadiner 22/11/08
      35.   Is Israel a Real Country? 18:14  |  Garry 22/11/08
      36.   Clearly this plan is just a conversation starter 18:15  |  Daniel 22/11/08
      37.   Is Israel a Real Country? (Part II) 18:17  |  G 22/11/08
      38.   As an Isralie Jew I can tell you we will not accept it. 18:18  |  Jew 22/11/08
      39.   Whoa Paul! Great response! 18:20  |  Awake 22/11/08
      40.   Zbignew Brezezinski`s advice 18:25  |  David Israel 22/11/08
      41.   # 6 indrajaya 19:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/08
      42.   New U.S. administration 19:01  |  Chrisona 22/11/08
      43.   DOA: How so? 19:10  |  Chrisona 22/11/08
      44.   To Dagma (#15) 20:01  |  Morris Valentine 22/11/08
      45.   Just a Few Thoughts 20:18  |  Mark of Lewiston 22/11/08
      46.   Obama will be a pragmatist 21:40  |  Jewboy 22/11/08
      47.   28 Yeah, yeah, yeah Jew at #28 21:55  |  janet 22/11/08
      48.   Nice try, Boycott 22:00  |  Awake 22/11/08
      49.   The Hope 22:03  |  Danite 22/11/08
      50.   What a joke 22:07  |  IW 22/11/08
      51.   Americans for peace 22:11  |  red Dog 22/11/08
      52.   One thing missing 22:11  |  Joe 22/11/08
      53.   BSNews doesn`t know what he`s talking about 22:14  |  SDHD 22/11/08
      54.   what`s missing? 22:15  |  Mel 22/11/08
      55.   Makes a lot of sense 22:19  |  Gordon 22/11/08
      56.   Compensation for Jewish Refugees from Arab State???? 23:30  |  EJF 22/11/08
      57.   Hangover. 23:51  |  Baz Mann 22/11/08
      58.   Israel will not be bullied 00:18  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/11/08
      59.   PipeDream 00:31  |  real vision 23/11/08
      60.   Where is the compensation for the 950,000 Jews forced out ... 00:42  |  Edward 23/11/08
      61.   What about Jewish refugees from Arab countries 00:46  |  judith 23/11/08
      62.   To CJK (#37): Bully beef 01:01  |  Morris Valentine 23/11/08
      63.   OBAMA`S 4 POINT PLAN IS ISRAEL ONLY HOPE FOR PEACE 01:07  |  Ed 23/11/08
      64.   Big headed warmongers 01:16  |  Louis 23/11/08
      65.   US Troops Will Not Be Seen as Occupation? 01:19  |  Ahmad 23/11/08
      66.   The Napaleon Jew #28 from Jerusalem 01:44  |  Mike McKenna 23/11/08
      67.   Specious Reasoning 01:47  |  David LG 23/11/08
      68.   This Plan Won`t Fly 01:52  |  Jeff Northridge 23/11/08
      69.   Since Brezinski is involved - You can forget about it 01:57  |  * BEN JABO 23/11/08
      70.   ha ha ha 02:04  |  jay 23/11/08
      71.   Defeatist Livni government has no backbone to stand up to Obama 02:30  |  Mark Tuchman 23/11/08
      72.   Welcomed ME platform, but don`t see major difference between.... 02:44  |  Smadar 23/11/08
      73.   #34, MV 02:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/11/08
      74.   giving up Jewish land to Arabs brings war. 03:17  |  Joseph.E 23/11/08
      75.   Ah Natallie: Why This Could be Great for Israel & not the Pals 03:17  |  Brad 23/11/08
      76.   Peace Plan has some holes 03:19  |  Jasper 23/11/08
      77.   Israel is in a good position, WITH A NEW LEADERSHIP, to overcome. 03:42  |  EL 23/11/08
      78.   Edward in New York - To Be Negotiate 03:57  |  Mark of Lewiston 23/11/08
      79.   Judith in New York - Trust Israel`s Government 04:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 23/11/08
      80.   Obama`s Pipe Dream 04:00  |  Marc 23/11/08
      81.   38 Cipora - An Opening Position 04:12  |  Mark of Lewiston 23/11/08
      82.   46 Ahmad - A Sticking Point 04:26  |  Mark of Lewiston 23/11/08
      83.   To CJK (#56): Dreams come true 04:55  |  Morris Valentine 23/11/08
      84.   Mark of Lewiston 04:56  |  Danite 23/11/08
      85.   Cipora 04:58  |  Danite 23/11/08
      86.   TO OBAMA - DON`T FORGET COMPENSATION FOR 1 M EXPELLED JEWS 05:02  |  Expelled Jew 23/11/08
      87.   #8 Scott G. Speaking of major flaws 05:20  |  * BEN JABO 23/11/08
      88.   Westerners from Jupiter. Arabs from Saturn. 05:54  |  Sam 23/11/08
      89.   Jasper, do you read the whole articles? 06:17  |  BBSNews 23/11/08
      90.   Hello Danite 06:24  |  Mark of Lewiston 23/11/08
      91.   How Much was the Per Capital Compensation of German Jews? 06:36  |  Monitor 23/11/08
      92.   Misleading article 07:20  |  MichaelF 23/11/08
      93.   24 - BBSNews 07:23  |  MichaelF 23/11/08
      94.   #83 - Expelled Jew 07:26  |  MichaelF 23/11/08
      95.   seems that ZIONIST extremists DON`T like what they`re reading 07:40  |  eric 23/11/08
      96.   MONITOR How much for the 1 million Jews expelled by Arabs 07:55  |  PETER SM 23/11/08
      97.   Morality and politics. 08:22  |  Jean Van Daem 23/11/08
      98.   About rights and legitimacy. 08:24  |  Jean Van Daem 23/11/08
      99.   "contiguous and cohesive" ... uh huh 09:03  |  Gili 23/11/08
      100.   Swiss (Dino)-# 1 Hope for what? 09:08  |  Daniel Leopold 23/11/08
      101.   #95 eric dear, About what extremists won`t like 09:32  |  S 23/11/08
      102.   Obama`s people should get used to Netanyahu as PM 09:35  |  Yaakov K. 23/11/08
      103.   Obama`s peace plan 09:47  |  mike 23/11/08
      104.   # 100 Daniel Leupold 10:05  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/11/08
      105.   NO-BAMA - 10:30  |  David 23/11/08
      106.   104Dino`s elegant lies: When did Hamas agree to Peace? 11:00  |  Rob 23/11/08
      107.   # 106 Robbie, apart from the fact that people like..... 11:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/11/08
      108.   Perception is an amzing thing! 11:27  |  Gimpel the Fool 23/11/08
      109.   Obama`s Platform 11:40  |  Fredy Ross 23/11/08
      110.   #95 erics celebrations are immature as obama 12:19  |  victor hardman 23/11/08
      111.   what repulsive nonsense! 12:25  |  Raymond Deane 23/11/08
      112.   Right of Return 13:34  |  Fredy Ross 23/11/08
      113.   #11 raymonde how distressing for you 13:36  |  victor hardman 23/11/08
      114.   Already Planning to Sway the Israeli Election 14:12  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 23/11/08
      115.   Victor Paul Harris Hardman, still hoping it was a nightmare # 110 14:18  |  Clickfool 23/11/08
      116.   #113 Pal Harris aka Victor Hardman/Devalera 14:33  |  Labhras 23/11/08
      117.   Hi Mark of Lewiston 16:38  |  Danite 23/11/08
      118.   #65 Ahmad....well, there you go 16:57  |  Lynn 23/11/08
      119.   Obama`s peace plan 17:09  |  mark greenberg 23/11/08
      120.   #23 Shmuelsachor 17:18  |  janet 23/11/08
      121.   #29 Lisa, Jews don`t have to leave 17:22  |  janet 23/11/08
      122.   Some folks can`t imagine negotiations - Mark of Lewiston 17:23  |  Mark Lincoln 23/11/08
      123.   Hi Danite 17:26  |  Mark Lincoln 23/11/08
      124.   #111 Raymond Dean....well, the ethnic cleansing 17:47  |  Lynn 23/11/08
      125.   #69 Hey clueless Ben Jabo 17:55  |  ballistic 23/11/08
      126.   Eric, my man!!! 17:59  |  ballistic 23/11/08
      127.   #102 Yaakv, elect whomever you like 18:01  |  ballistic 23/11/08
      128.   #60 Say Edward 18:11  |  ballistic 23/11/08
      129.   #59 Cipora, "Israel will not be bullied" 18:21  |  ballistic 23/11/08
      130.   obamas plans for israel 18:47  |  elliot 23/11/08
      131.   Gutless Ballistic - I made an offier 18:56  |  * BEN JABO 23/11/08
      132.   Peace plan 19:58  |  Larry 23/11/08
      133.   coming into focus 20:05  |  LGR 23/11/08
      134.   Ben Jabo 20:06  |  ballistic 23/11/08
      135.   Give the farm away? 20:33  |  Steven 23/11/08
      136.   # 110 to victor re: obama 22:28  |  eric 23/11/08
      137.   # 126 to ballistic re: peace 22:44  |  eric 23/11/08
      138.   NATO troops? Compensation for who? 22:49  |  Alan 23/11/08
      139.   # 101 to "S" re: what i left out 02:40  |  eric 24/11/08
      140.   Arab Jews should be allowed to go back to Arab countries. 04:42  |  Jassim 24/11/08
      141.   land for peace has not worked 06:34  |  DG 24/11/08
      142.   Ballistic - I don`t care what the other guy said 17:25  |  * BEN JABO 24/11/08
      143.   Ballistic - You`ve proven my point 17:52  |  * BEN JABO 24/11/08
      144.   #137 Hey there Eric 03:04  |  ballistic 25/11/08
      145.   Bible coming to pass 15:35  |  Charles Emelogu 25/11/08
      146.   #143 BJ 17:21  |  ballistic 25/11/08
      147.   mideast peace process 05:16  |  cdiew 01/12/08
      148.   Obama`s mideast peace platform 05:44  |  cissy diew 01/12/08
      149.   Read #65 Ahmad`d opinion 06:01  |  Darren White 01/12/08
      150.   Middle east peace 06:29  |  cdiew 01/12/08
      151.   obama`s mideast peace platform 07:03  |  cissy diew 01/12/08
      152.   #140 Jews should be allowed back to Muslim countries 07:28  |  Daniel 01/12/08
      153.   Shouldn`t Hebron be Split as well? 19:18  |  history 01/12/08
      154.   Splitting cities in Israel 06:22  |  Iche Behr 02/12/08
      155.   The Ruination of Esther #11 06:34  |  Iche Behr 02/12/08
      156.   Isreali Peace Plans From Oct 91 til Now 21:10  |  Charles Coker 24/12/08
     Read & React
    Hamas: Thousands more Israelis will soon be within the range of our rockets
    Responses: 191
    U.S. tells Israel: Don't forsake Lebanon for peace with Syria
    Responses: 63
    Barak Ravid: International efforts against Iran are failing
    Responses: 37
    Ahmadinejad invited to 'counter' Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas message
    Responses: 31
    Eyal Benvenisti: The myth of the Palestinian right of return
    Responses: 84


    More Headlines
    20:56 IAF kills Hamas gunman in strike on Gaza rocket launchers
    17:17 Cabinet holds urgent session on responding to rocket fire
    21:56 Patients get other people's lab results in mass hospital mix-up
    15:11 Rightist party offers Jonathan Pollard top spot on Knesset list
    17:28 Ahmadinejad invited to 'counter' Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas message
    09:29 N.Y. investor kills himself after losing over $1 billion in alleged Madoff scam
    21:38 Australian arrested in Egypt for trying to smuggle animal mummies
    19:08 Security cabinet proscribes 35 global terrorist groups linked to al-Qaida
    19:37 Jewish DJ Adam Goldstein files lawsuit in South Carolina plane crash
    15:03 Netanyahu pledges to topple Hamas if elected prime minister
    13:49 U.S. Technion funder loses $72 million in alleged Madoff fraud
    14:21 Stormy weather sweeps across Israel, as rains fall from North to South
    18:31 WATCH: How do YOU celebrate Hanukkah?
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    SURF RAMBAM
    Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research.
    Summer Camp in Israel
    The best place for your children this summer
    Academic Studies in Israel
    All the Q & A at the IDC HERZLIYA Open House, January 9,2009
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved