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The correct map
By Yehuda Ben Meir

The Knesset Education Committee has decided by a majority vote that the pre-Six-Day-War border, or the Green Line, no longer exists. The decision reminded me of Abba Eban's famous observation that if the Arab countries were to propose canceling the law of gravity in the United Nations, they would have a guaranteed 50 votes in favor of the proposal. And so, even if all 15 members of the Knesset Education Committee vote for the erasure of the Green Line, this will not cancel its existence as a legal, diplomatic and physical reality.

For the sake of due disclosure I would like to state that I belong to the majority of Israeli citizens who believe that we must not, under any conditions, agree to the Green Line becoming the permanent border of the state of Israel (this is also the official position of the United States). This opinion of mine is anchored in security considerations - which I learned from Yitzhak Rabin, who said numerous times that no chief of staff in the future should have to defend the state of Israel in those lines (i.e. the Green Line), from which he had to fight in the Six Day War - and in my belief that the Jewish people have a right to establish a state in the land of Israel. A return to the Green Line, therefore, is neither just nor right nor required.

A map should faithfully reflect the reality on the ground and not political positions or desires or dreams. Is it possible to deny the fact that the Green Line, including united Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, reflects, according to Israel's position, the border of the sovereign state of Israel? Is it possible to deny that Israeli law, justice and the judiciary prevail within the borders of the Green Line but not in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)? Is it possible to ignore the fact that no government in Israel, including those headed by Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, Benjamin Netanyahu and Ariel Sharon, ever even proposed annexing Judea and Samaria or imposing Israeli law there? Is it the role of the education system to teach things as they are or to engage in political indoctrination? The youth must not be presented with an imaginary map divorced from legal, diplomatic and physical reality.
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Judea and Samaria are an inalienable part of the land of Israel and a map of the land of Israel must include them. However, at issue is the map of the state of Israel, and the borders of the state are not - and will not - be congruent with the borders of the land of Israel.

That said, I believe with all my heart in the Jewish people's right to the whole land of Israel. But a right is one thing and reality another. Judea and Samaria are effectively under the control of the state of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces and their future will be decided in negotiations. However, today they are not part of the state of Israel. This fact should be taught to the students in Israeli schools, and should appear on the map.

At conferences abroad I meet many Palestinians. The serious ones among them acknowledge in private conversations that the Palestinians' tendency to deny and distort reality and to believe that words can change it is to their detriment and to a large extent responsible for the catastrophes that have befallen them.

The state of Israel cannot be found on Palestinian maps. Instead, "Palestine" appears in large letters. Can these maps somehow undermine Israel's existence or affect it? Even if they disseminate a million copies, will this change the reality in the Middle East? Do we want to learn from the Palestinians and do things their way? The students in the Israeli schools deserve to be shown a correct map.
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  1.   REvisionism 12:14  |  Yaron 09/01/07
  2.   The Correct Map Puts Our Border At The Jordan 12:20  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  3.   Another Israeli long term disease 12:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/01/07
  4.   Yishai kohen 12:40  |  Yaron 09/01/07
  5.   Dino- is it illegal for any Swiss to live in Austria or Germany? 12:42  |  Dani 09/01/07
  6.   A simple fact of life 12:44  |  Joshua O`reilly 09/01/07
  7.   Yaron: It`s Dangerous For Jews To Live In Spain 12:52  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  8.   Israeli Law Judea 13:03  |  Josef 09/01/07
  9.   #4 Yishai 13:07  |  Archangel 09/01/07
  10.   # 5 Dani 13:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/01/07
  11.   Yishai Kohen 13:13  |  Yaron 09/01/07
  12.   Dino- flawed, very flawed 13:25  |  Dani 09/01/07
  13.   Yishai kohen, settle or colonize? 13:25  |  dana 09/01/07
  14.   Josef - a citizen of Palestine 13:32  |  dana 09/01/07
  15.   UNITED PALISRAEL 13:36  |  MAN 09/01/07
  16.   Dani, you are mad 13:43  |  Marilyn 09/01/07
  17.   Neither Dana: Only To Return To OUR Land 13:44  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  18.   TO ALL JEWS PLEASE READ 13:48  |  VIPER 09/01/07
  19.   #12,DANI you make me laugh 13:55  |  VIPER 09/01/07
  20.   yishai 13:56  |  doesn`t matter 09/01/07
  21.   # 12 Dani 14:02  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/01/07
  22.   ERETZ YISRAEL IS G-D`S INHERITANCE FOR JEWISH PEOPLE ?? 14:03  |  Bill. 09/01/07
  23.   doesn`t matter: What DOES Matter Is This 14:03  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  24.   academic discussion of a Kafka subject 14:04  |  Ernst 09/01/07
  25.   And there`s a reason! 14:14  |  Axel 09/01/07
  26.   #22 Bill 14:19  |  Baal 09/01/07
  27.   Please, Mr. Ben Meir 14:21  |  Axel 09/01/07
  28.   Marylin and Dino 14:22  |  Dani 09/01/07
  29.   It was considerate of Yehuda to acknowledge that reality exists 14:29  |  Apartheid 09/01/07
  30.   re to dana, "fairy tale book" 14:43  |  mouse 09/01/07
  31.   In Response to Ben Meir`s Questions 14:43  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/01/07
  32.   Dani you are back to front 14:50  |  Marilyn 09/01/07
  33.   Geohistorical, uncensored truth to be taught in schools. 15:01  |  H.H.M 09/01/07
  34.   No nation recognizes the WB as part of Israel 15:11  |  A Bethlehemite 09/01/07
  35.   Marilyn: There are no Jews-only roads- there are Arab-only roads 15:16  |  Dani 09/01/07
  36.   VIPER #18 Been there done that and you are wrong, wrong, wrong. 15:18  |  albert amato 09/01/07
  37.   Bethlehemite: YOUR People Don`t Recognize It As Yours 15:20  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  38.   Israelis are brainwashed 15:38  |  Tim 09/01/07
  39.   # 28 Dani (2nd try) 15:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/01/07
  40.   Israeli education means inevitable conflict 15:47  |  Tim 09/01/07
  41.   Dana #13 15:47  |  Gabe1 09/01/07
  42.   # 33 15:52  |  Avi Yerushalmi 09/01/07
  43.   # 39 Dino (2nd try) 16:00  |  Dani 09/01/07
  44.   Education in Israel 16:00  |  Julio 09/01/07
  45.   Strange Green Line 16:59  |  Tosefta 09/01/07
  46.   To Yishai Kohen #2 17:00  |  Choni Davidowitz 09/01/07
  47.   #32 marylin WHO ARE THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS 17:05  |  paul harris 09/01/07
  48.   #34 WRONG IM AFRAID THE BORDERS REMAIN THE 1922 BORDERS 17:08  |  paul harris 09/01/07
  49.   Yishai Kohen - You have primitive attachment problems 17:18  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  50.   47, Paul, You missed recent Haaretz story about settlement land 17:19  |  Apartheid 09/01/07
  51.   Sounds like Maria Teresia 17:20  |  BP 09/01/07
  52.   Why don`t I read about this stuff in the western media? 17:29  |  Jens 09/01/07
  53.   The Buddhist and spiritual evolvement #49 17:38  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/01/07
  54.   Maryln Dani is not but you are fool 17:40  |  Aby 09/01/07
  55.   #52 read my no 48 jens and FIND OUT 17:56  |  paul harris 09/01/07
  56.   Indoctrination does change reality 18:00  |  Rubén Hintzpeter 09/01/07
  57.   Another fanatical Israeli wrapped up in real estate 18:04  |  Ibrahim 09/01/07
  58.   The imaginary 1922 borders again? 18:10  |  Stephen Connor 09/01/07
  59.   keeping jerusalem 18:11  |  chaim zlotopolsky 09/01/07
  60.   Yaakov Sullivan 18:48  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  61.   # 41 gabe1 19:04  |  Axel 09/01/07
  62.   # 34 Bethlehemite 19:17  |  Axel 09/01/07
  63.   to Jens 19:19  |  JC 09/01/07
  64.   This Topic Again? 19:20  |  Jeff Northridge 09/01/07
  65.   18 - The Romans renamed Israel Palestine 19:32  |  Bruriah Sarah 09/01/07
  66.   53 - Chosen for what? 19:38  |  Bruriah Sarah 09/01/07
  67.   50 - where is your evidence that the land was stolen? 19:41  |  Bruriah Sarah 09/01/07
  68.   # 64 Jeff Northridge 19:55  |  Axel 09/01/07
  69.   JC`s response to Jens #63 19:58  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/01/07
  70.   The world.... 20:04  |  Stephen 09/01/07
  71.   Bruriah Sarah-Precisely #66 20:18  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/01/07
  72.   Israel`s borders 20:23  |  Stephanie Kjaerbaek 09/01/07
  73.   Universal justice matters 20:24  |  Hal 09/01/07
  74.   The Buddhist # 49 Primitive Attachment Problems 20:31  |  Jeff Northridge 09/01/07
  75.   Green line versus Biblical Israël 20:38  |  Robert 09/01/07
  76.   Jeff Northridge 20:49  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  77.   Jeff Northridge.. 20:56  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  78.   VIPER WEST BANK ARAB LAND WRONG 21:03  |  YOEL 09/01/07
  79.   Jeff Northridge #64 21:08  |  TonyL 09/01/07
  80.   Mouse #13 - we do have separation of church and state; you don`t 21:12  |  dana 09/01/07
  81.   Eretz Israel (Jeff N #64; all Yidden) 21:13  |  Tosefta 09/01/07
  82.   Axel # 68 The Recognition Is Tentative 21:16  |  Jeff Northridge 09/01/07
  83.   Buddhist: Can You Answer This? 21:23  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  84.   No, Jeff Northridge...#74 on attachments 21:25  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/01/07
  85.   Maps are not important 21:27  |  Jonathan S 09/01/07
  86.   Howdy Jeff Northridge vs the Budhist 21:28  |  dana 09/01/07
  87.   Gabe1 #41, and Axel response #61 21:38  |  dana 09/01/07
  88.   The Buddhist 21:39  |  Danite 09/01/07
  89.   To the Author 21:49  |  Specialist 09/01/07
  90.   The correct map 21:50  |  YOEL 09/01/07
  91.   Jeff Northridge & Buddhist 21:57  |  driven by sansara 09/01/07
  92.   attachment and delusion 21:59  |  non-chosen one 09/01/07
  93.   Haaretz 22:03  |  Danite 09/01/07
  94.   #73 THER ARE NO 1967 BORDERS S TEPHANIE 22:07  |  paul harris 09/01/07
  95.   NO JUSTICE NO PEACE. 22:18  |  Shadi 09/01/07
  96.   #68 AXEL BEGGING THE QUESTION AGAIN 22:20  |  paul harris 09/01/07
  97.   The Buddhist # 76 God 22:23  |  Jeff Northridge 09/01/07
  98.   Yishai Kohen -:) 22:25  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  99.   Danite 22:33  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  100.   Shadi; no peace and you get another naqba 22:33  |  Israeli 09/01/07
  101.   # 80 Jeff Northridge 22:34  |  Axel 09/01/07
  102.   Jeff Northridge - Great post 22:37  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  103.   # 80 Jeff Northridge - follow up 22:42  |  Axel 09/01/07
  104.   Buddhist: In Other Words, You Can`t Answer The Question 22:44  |  Yishai Kohen 09/01/07
  105.   #75 Robert tries to appear reasonable 22:48  |  Johnboy 09/01/07
  106.   Yishai Kohen 23:06  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  107.   The maps on the classroom wall 23:07  |  Tzfonit 09/01/07
  108.   # 80 Jeff Northridge - follow up 2 23:12  |  Axel 09/01/07
  109.   Yishai, you are so encrusted you dont eve understand the question 23:14  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/01/07
  110.   #105johnboy AND THE EVEN HAND of land 23:18  |  paul harris 09/01/07
  111.   paul harris 23:38  |  Axel 09/01/07
  112.   dana # 86 I Said Nothing Of The Sort 23:47  |  Jeff Northridge 09/01/07
  113.   The Buddhist says... 23:53  |  The Buddhist 09/01/07
  114.   Buddhism and religion cannot be discussed..it is on faith. 23:55  |  albert amato 09/01/07
  115.   The correct map of Israel international borders 00:01  |  n_erber 10/01/07
  116.   107. Tzfonit, thaks for a pleasant thought about classroom maps 00:51  |  Apartheid 10/01/07
  117.   The Buddhist 00:56  |  Danite 10/01/07
  118.   Two systems of law 01:00  |  Don 10/01/07
  119.   The Buddhist#98 01:02  |  Danite 10/01/07
  120.   To Jeff Northridge about borders 01:08  |  Jonathan S 10/01/07
  121.   Axel # 108 Who Said Anything Different? 01:24  |  Jeff Northridge 10/01/07
  122.   VIPER 01:34  |  ross 10/01/07
  123.   Yaakov - what is the basis of your attachment to Judaism? 01:40  |  Coz It Matters 10/01/07
  124.   BRACHA/TZFONIT #107 01:45  |  GABE1 10/01/07
  125.   Danite 01:46  |  The Buddhist 10/01/07
  126.   Danite 01:58  |  Ibrahim 10/01/07
  127.   # 120 Jonathan S 01:58  |  Axel 10/01/07
  128.   Dana #87 02:05  |  Gabe1 10/01/07
  129.   # 121 Jeff Northridge 02:16  |  Axel 10/01/07
  130.   #32 Marilyn 02:19  |  KT 10/01/07
  131.   Map issue is a good example of the pro-Israeli bias in US press 02:21  |  Apartheid 10/01/07
  132.   No, keep the idiots in the dark. 02:29  |  Ramon Guittierez 10/01/07
  133.   #72 Stephanie Kjaerbaek 02:38  |  KT 10/01/07
  134.   With every action 03:02  |  janice 10/01/07
  135.   Marilyn-#16 03:08  |  Daniel Leopold 10/01/07
  136.   #110 Paul Harris wants to start kicking people out 04:08  |  Johnboy 10/01/07
  137.   @#131: It`s not biased because they aren`t equal 04:24  |  A. M. R. 10/01/07
  138.   Aparteid: What is it about Terrorism you don`t understand? 04:56  |  Terrorism 10/01/07
  139.   135. "terrorism, terrorism, terrorism" 05:26  |  Apartheid 10/01/07
  140.   The Correct Map 05:35  |  CD Waller 10/01/07
  141.   Ibrahim Salaam 05:55  |  Danite 10/01/07
  142.   @#137: I am well aware of the power of mislabling.. 06:13  |  A. M. R. 10/01/07
  143.   You guys are the revisionists! 06:15  |  Gili 10/01/07
  144.   @#138 - how so? 06:15  |  A. M. R. 10/01/07
  145.   do this and the kiss is still warm!!! 06:34  |  neutral-man 10/01/07
  146.   REsolution 181 06:40  |  Marilyn 10/01/07
  147.   Israel`s Map 08:03  |  Robbie 10/01/07
  148.   #111 AXEL IT IS NOW LONDONISTAN ARAB FREE HERE 08:15  |  paul harris 10/01/07
  149.   borders 08:16  |  goyim with the wind 10/01/07
  150.   #136 JOHNBOY THE COLONIST CHASTISES ISRAEL 08:18  |  paul harris 10/01/07
  151.   TO DANA 08:23  |  Robbie 10/01/07
  152.   To The Buddhist and all his various respondents 08:36  |  Hannah 10/01/07
  153.   146: Marily speaks of lies? 08:52  |  David Teich 10/01/07
  154.   #65, BRURIAH SARA 08:55  |  VIPER 10/01/07
  155.   #78 YOEL, DEAR OH DEAR 09:00  |  VIPER 10/01/07
  156.   #149 Paul Harris vents his spleen 09:08  |  Johnboy 10/01/07
  157.   #122, ROSS 09:08  |  VIPER 10/01/07
  158.   #138, terrorism 09:13  |  VIPER 10/01/07
  159.   The correct map? 09:17  |  Vital 10/01/07
  160.   To #3 Dino -Swiss. 09:30  |  Vital 10/01/07
  161.   gabe1 picking and choosing only facts which suit him 09:35  |  dana 10/01/07
  162.   To those who deny 09:37  |  Jamal 10/01/07
  163.   #148 nostradamus SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE 09:42  |  paul harris 10/01/07
  164.   Gabe 1 #128 - part II - lets talk logic for a change! 09:45  |  dana 10/01/07
  165.   Jeff Northridge #121 - caught in own circular logic 10:04  |  dana 10/01/07
  166.   Jeff Northridge #112 - No bone to pick on this issue 10:21  |  dana 10/01/07
  167.   #156 Johnboy - Great Post 10:49  |  dana 10/01/07
  168.   GERMANS IN EAST PRUSSIA 11:13  |  Aramis 10/01/07
  169.   #168 SO what about settlers? 11:39  |  MAN 10/01/07
  170.   #169 11:53  |  Aramis 10/01/07
  171.   # 179 Sense! 12:08  |  MAN 10/01/07
  172.   Aramis - palestine as a spoil of war 12:19  |  dana 10/01/07
  173.   # 168 aramis 12:52  |  Axel 10/01/07
  174.   #170 Aramis - you need to read more. 13:34  |  Johnboy 10/01/07
  175.   #157 Hello dana 13:50  |  Johnboy 10/01/07
  176.   @#173 - international law 13:51  |  A. M. R. 10/01/07
  177.   # 146 14:56  |  Axel 10/01/07
  178.   # 177 answers to # 176, sorry for the typo 15:09  |  Axel 10/01/07
  179.   177: Typo or not, Axel, you`re wrong 16:02  |  David Teich 10/01/07
  180.   To Dani in Tel Aviv 17:00  |  John 10/01/07
  181.   To Stephen Connor 17:16  |  John 10/01/07
  182.   # 179 David Teich 17:17  |  Axel 10/01/07
  183.   To Axel about new type of Nuremberg laws 19:06  |  Jonathan S 10/01/07
  184.   To Johnathan S about apples and pears 19:35  |  Axel 10/01/07
  185.   @#177 19:42  |  A. M. R. 10/01/07
  186.   #2 Yishi Kohen 19:45  |  Kevin 10/01/07
  187.   # 185 AMR 20:01  |  Axel 10/01/07
  188.   Green line 20:36  |  Robert 10/01/07
  189.   #179 No, David Teich, you are wrong 23:45  |  Johnboy 10/01/07
  190.   #176 A.M.R. wrong on both counts 01:01  |  Johnboy 11/01/07
  191.   #185 A.M.R. - you`re just making this all up as you go 03:40  |  Johnboy 11/01/07
  192.   @187 - obviously you don`t understand my nuance 04:05  |  A. M. R. 11/01/07
  193.   182: Axel, that`s a foolish idea of shooting (3rd try) 16:51  |  David Teich 13/01/07
  194.   176: JB, still dazed and confused (3rd try) 16:52  |  David Teich 13/01/07
  195.   to david teich 11:48  |  VIPER 21/01/07
  196.   Palestine 23:00  |  doug belot 15/02/09
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