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Last update - 17:06 17/06/2009
Demilitarized Palestine? Just sign this non-aggression pact first
By Aliyana Traison
Tags: Bibi speech, palestinian 

It will go down in history, along with the Oslo Accord and the Camp David treaty, another historic speech of vague validations and vows to break. Cowering to U.S. pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said just about nothing in his much awaited foreign policy speech at Bar Ilan University on Sunday evening, when he called for immediate peace talks without preconditions and a Palestinian state stripped of military capabilities.

No preconditions from the Palestinians, Netanyahu meant to say. Israel, on the other hand, is free to scold its neighbor for starting this conflict and delaying a viable final settlement by refusing to recognize it as a Jewish state. No preconditions, but the Palestinian Authority must first topple Hamas or at least cut off all contact. No preconditions, except these conditions.

It is impossible to hold peace negotiations without preconditions. Such diplomacy is subversive procrastination. Both sides of this conflict have demands, but rather than open up negotiations with these conditions in mind, they deny their respective red lines and allow the peace process to roll in infinite still motion.
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Israel and the Palestinian Authority both have preconditions; they need to lay them down and abide by them to get the peace process started again.

The Palestinian Authority must concede to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and in return, Israel needs a concrete plan of withdrawal from parts of the West Bank. It wouldn't hurt to include the Golan Heights on a side draft either, to keep that track busy.

Israel should leave Fatah to engage with Hamas in reconciliation talks, but the Palestinian Authority must agree to hold off elections for a unity government until a final settlement is reached on the West Bank. These negotiations need to be worked out between Israel and a Palestinian Authority free from Hamas influence.

The Old City of Jerusalem (and then later with Syria, parts of the Golan Heights) must be divided appropriately, with free access to the citizens of both countries involved. West Jerusalem and the Jewish Quarter would remain under Israeli control, as its capital, and East Jerusalem and the Muslim Quarter would be Palestinian, as their capital. The rest would be annexed to international supervision, with United Nations troops standing guard.

Following these steps comes the creation of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu declared that he would endorse such an entity if the international community could guarantee its demilitarization. There are a handful of countries out there without an offensive army, Japan and Costa Rica, for instance; Palestine would not be the first.

Should a demilitarized Palestine be established, then Israel would have to compromise for denying a sovereign democracy the right of defense. Israel and Palestine must therefore sign and adhere to a pact of non-aggression as a concession for a demilitarized state.

The Palestinian Authority has thrown the ball into Barack Obama's court, lambasting Netanyahu for sabotaging the peace process. Well, the game has not even started yet because neither team is ready to play. Both Israel and the Palestinians need to get out there, spell the rules of the game, and let the referee blow the whistle.

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      1.   What nonsense 22:58  |  JW 15/06/09
      2.   "...spell the rule of the game." 23:15  |  Maureen Ann 15/06/09
      3.   Aggression 23:30  |  Col [Res] Cohen 15/06/09
      4.   How about treating the Palestinians like adults and letting them 23:33  |  Jordan 15/06/09
      5.   The moment the "jewish" state get recognized, ties will break 23:37  |  Kris Lazar 15/06/09
      6.   Jordan is unhappy 23:44  |  Col [Res] Cohen 15/06/09
      7.   "with united nations troops standing guard" 23:49  |  dan 15/06/09
      8.   Signs 00:03  |  John 16/06/09
      9.   Aliyana, your suggestions could get you a cabinet post in Hamas 00:11  |  Amnon 16/06/09
      10.   Who would Then Protect Palestine from Israeli Agression? 00:14  |  Monitor 16/06/09
      11.   Demilitarized Japan? How Many F16 Fighters They Have? 00:15  |  Monitor 16/06/09
      12.   non-aggression pact 00:19  |  bobo 16/06/09
      13.   I applaud your plan, however... 00:23  |  Jim 16/06/09
      14.   Better yet . . . 00:42  |  Grif 16/06/09
      15.   When terror stops, the Pals should rethink their position. 01:50  |  petra 16/06/09
      16.   Recognition of Israel is enough 02:09  |  fritz t. 16/06/09
      17.   Natural History 02:17  |  Jasper 16/06/09
      18.   Indeed. 02:29  |  Colin Wright 16/06/09
      19.   Why? 02:32  |  Colin Wright 16/06/09
      20.   Very true, and the opposite too 03:00  |  Mark Sparrow 16/06/09
      21.   But He Said NOTHING Really Well 03:11  |  Mark of Lewiston 16/06/09
      22.   Why do the Pals need an Army? 03:25  |  Wile E Coyote 16/06/09
      23.   Divided Jerusalem 05:25  |  E 16/06/09
      24.   Wrong way round 05:39  |  john 16/06/09
      25.   response to wile and to e 07:03  |  mike 16/06/09
      26.   right on! 07:15  |  bashar 16/06/09
      27.   Non aggression, recognition, withdrawal 07:23  |  Tzfonit 16/06/09
      28.   sensible except in Israel 09:06  |  outsider 16/06/09
      29.   Ghetto Palestine 09:17  |  Clickfool 16/06/09
      30.   Re: Non-agression pact 09:19  |  Molotov 16/06/09
      31.   #23 Yeah, sure, right, Wile E Coyote 09:27  |  Johnboy 16/06/09
      32.   can`t trust Pals 09:41  |  As`ad (Angry Arab) 16/06/09
      33.   Israel Character is an internal issue for Israeli people 09:49  |  GaileeHero 16/06/09
      34.   Fool or Liar? 09:52  |  JS 16/06/09
      35.   Demelitarization is not an issue for Palestinians 09:54  |  GaileeHero 16/06/09
      36.   If Jews bear arms Arabs should too! 09:55  |  Basal 16/06/09
      37.   MONITOR A UN force to seperate&protect both.sides.No more Qssams 09:57  |  PETER SM 16/06/09
      38.   responce to #8 09:59  |  Sharona 16/06/09
      39.   SIGN WHAT? 09:59  |  indrajaya 16/06/09
      40.   To Molotov 10:08  |  Yoni 16/06/09
      41.   simply DEMILITARIZED OCCUPATION 10:11  |  Hanna 16/06/09
      42.   To E/ Jerusalem divided? 10:15  |  Anne 16/06/09
      43.   Peter SM 11:06  |  Anne 16/06/09
      44.   Demilitarize Palestine - Great idea! 11:15  |  Rod 16/06/09
      45.   Demilitarization is not a long term solution 11:22  |  Peter Williams 16/06/09
      46.   What an insane plan you have 11:39  |  Baruch Gold 16/06/09
      47.   Solution is not Bad If.................. 11:47  |  Neil 16/06/09
      48.   ANNE.UN sure to get killed when Arabs set up firing bases right 11:56  |  PETER SM 16/06/09
      49.   Demilitarized history of the Ruhr in 1930 brought Hitler to power 12:11  |  john Spear 16/06/09
      50.   ROD Better idea demilitarise ALL Israels enemies 12:31  |  PETER SM 16/06/09
      51.   A simple clear message - Just Do It!!!!! 12:32  |  lily 16/06/09
      52.   #31 johnboygives an argument for de-militarising palestine 12:47  |  duncan 16/06/09
      53.   PETER SM - Should not War Crimes be Halted? 13:09  |  Martin 16/06/09
      54.   Grif - Moral relativism without any historical context is garbage 13:13  |  Paul 16/06/09
      55.   a gift 13:22  |  Bar kochva 16/06/09
      56.   One problem 13:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/06/09
      57.   who needs an army! 13:42  |  patriot 16/06/09
      58.   #39 to Yoni 13:51  |  Molotov 16/06/09
      59.   Colin Wright - Aside from the 22 Arab states?? 13:51  |  Paul 16/06/09
      60.   To Patriot - Not Enough 14:23  |  Richard 16/06/09
      61.   Oh please PETER SM (the perpetual screamer) #48 14:28  |  Rod 16/06/09
      62.   wrong 14:32  |  Axel 16/06/09
      63.   Chris Linthwaite, kindly remind us... 14:36  |  Tzfonit 16/06/09
      64.   MARTIN Absolutely! No more Qassams or terror attacks 14:41  |  PETER SM 16/06/09
      65.   The double standard there..... 14:45  |  Dutch 16/06/09
      66.   Duncan # 50 14:57  |  American in NY 16/06/09
      67.   Demilitarized Israel is a better idea. By UN supervision 15:39  |  Ivar 16/06/09
      68.   #50 Pardon me, Duncan? 15:44  |  Johnboy 16/06/09
      69.   there is a basic pre-condition 15:57  |  bob 16/06/09
      70.   To Petra/67 to Hanna 16:00  |  Anne 16/06/09
      71.   The talmud and land 16:07  |  liza 16/06/09
      72.   #59 Rod re psm---dont waste your time there 16:24  |  Mitchum 16/06/09
      73.   Well Said, Aliyana 16:27  |  Aaron 16/06/09
      74.   history 17:09  |  ehud 16/06/09
      75.   The funny side of this discussion 17:10  |  Axel 16/06/09
      76.   No return of Golan 17:12  |  Brian 16/06/09
      77.   Would I lie?? TRUST ME !! 17:29  |  Witness 16/06/09
      78.   What is with the "Airspace Control"? 17:39  |  Jasper 16/06/09
      79.   #63, PETER SM to Martin. Are you having one of those bad days? 17:46  |  zmogus 16/06/09
      80.   Richard in Canada 17:49  |  Jasper 16/06/09
      81.   Axel 17:54  |  Jasper 16/06/09
      82.   this is not haggling in a shuk 17:57  |  David J 16/06/09
      83.   I wish for a single day 18:02  |  Woody 16/06/09
      84.   Full removal of all illegal settlements should be precondition 18:06  |  jens 16/06/09
      85.   Terrorism? Whose terrorism? 18:11  |  AT 16/06/09
      86.   dutch 18:23  |  patriot 16/06/09
      87.   JW: A bantustan, not a state 18:24  |  AT 16/06/09
      88.   Col Cohen , could not have said it better 18:26  |  jj 16/06/09
      89.   Palestinins have the right to have their Army 18:39  |  Tony Silver 16/06/09
      90.   Demilitarized Palestine?? 19:06  |  Ricardo 16/06/09
      91.   tony silver 19:06  |  danish 16/06/09
      92.   jens 19:15  |  danish 16/06/09
      93.   # 91 danish 19:33  |  Axel 16/06/09
      94.   two states 19:53  |  ismail 16/06/09
      95.   Demilitarize Israel too: just count! 20:01  |  David 16/06/09
      96.   axel 20:27  |  danish 16/06/09
      97.   I Am Trying To See It As Opening Only 20:45  |  Jane 16/06/09
      98.   you missunderstand! 20:46  |  ben 16/06/09
      99.   re ILLEGAL settlements. I agree 21:22  |  ronnbo 16/06/09
      100.   axel to danish@93 What are you talking about man? 02:02  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/06/09
      101.   To both your responses Col [Res] Cohen MY THOUGHTS PRECISELYWHICH 02:16  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/06/09
      102.   80 Jasper 03:03  |  Space 17/06/09
      103.   the useless UN 04:33  |  Jed 17/06/09
      104.   #25 Mike 05:05  |  E 17/06/09
      105.   44 07:14  |  zionist forever 17/06/09
      106.   Pals need an army like Iran needs nuclear power 08:06  |  Jason 17/06/09
      107.   ZMOGUS.Details of Safed pogrom in 1834.Predated"Zionist"excuse 08:34  |  PETER SM 17/06/09
      108.   To Jesper - Milwaukee 10:15  |  Richard 17/06/09
      109.   ZMOGUS Here are the details of the pogrom in Safed in 1834. 15:08  |  PETER SM 17/06/09
      110.   To Wile E Coyote@22 Why do pals need an Army? REPLY: 16:39  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/06/09
      111.   ehud I sent you a response yesterday.not out.BUT! 17:56  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/06/09
      112.   Re: Natural law and 200 Arab states 04:40  |  Siba 27/06/09
      113.   john #8 09:41  |  Jew 19/08/09
      114.   bargaining in Jerusalem VS Tel Aviv 13:24  |  Jew 19/08/09
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