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No one to give them back to
By Aluf Benn

The demonstrators and writers of articles commemorating 40 years of Israeli occupation of the territories this month can save their placards and high-brow expressions for repeated use - they will need them in the coming years.

There is a growing consensus in Israel that a withdrawal from the West Bank is no longer possible. It may be possible to hide the Palestinians behind a separation fence, but it is impossible to relinquish control over them.

Everyone shares this conclusion, in all the camps and across the political spectrum. Only the reasons differ. The ideologically motivated right considers the settlements a religious decree. Benjamin Netanyahu is talking about the "defensive wall" of the mountains of Judea and Samaria. Ehud Olmert, who promised to withdraw from the West Bank and evacuate most of the settlements, turned his back on the idea following the Second Lebanon War and the Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. They are no longer talking about a permanent settlement even in Meretz, only about a theoretical agreement which will grant Israel international legitimacy, out of recognition that Mahmoud Abbas will not be able to carry it out.
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What is shared by these views, on the left and the right, is that they all perpetuate the existing situation of dozens of settlements, hundreds of roadblocks and thousands of soldiers who are deployed over the fence.

They used to say in Israel that "there is no one to talk to" on the other side. Now they say that there is no one to whom we can return the territories. No one said it better than president-elect and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shimon Peres. "It is unclear when we will pull out entirely from the territories," Peres wrote in last weekend's Yedioth Aharonoth. "Even if we are ready to pull out, we have no one to hand them over to at this stage, because of the Palestinian inability to establish a single army, and a single state that will assert their control over the territories. In the meantime, Israel is unable to ignore its responsibility for the territories, whether it is a responsibility by choice or lack of choice."

It is hard to believe that only a year ago Peres was part of a government that was commited to the disengagement, and the evacuation of settlers from the West Bank was at the core of political debate. In the current public discourse, any talk of withdrawing from the territories is perceived as a dangerous illusion.

The reason is obvious: Israel has grown accustomed to living, even unwillingly, with a daily barrage of Qassam rockets on Sderot. It has also managed to go through five weeks of rocket attacks in the north. But it does not want Qassam rockets against Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Most Israelis assume, in view of the experience from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, that any territory that will be evacuated will become a launching pad for rocket attacks against Israel. It is not surprising that the army and the Shin Bet are opposed to the lifting of a single roadblock in the West Bank, out of fear of attacks. The political leadership heeds their advice.

In this atmosphere, it is clear that any talk about a "two-state solution" and the prime minister's declarations at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit about "new opportunities" and "accelerating the process toward a Palestinian state" are bogus. This diplomatic lip service, disassociated from reality and real expectations, is meant to assuage the Americans and the Europeans and deflect pressure on Israel.

The international community is participating in the show, and gradually is losing interest in the conflict. The postponment of the speech of President George W. Bush, meant to commemorate five years since he presented his "vision" and to offer new ideas for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement, suggests that he has nothing to say. As it winds down its tenure, the Bush administration in Washington is toying with fake charms: like the "shelf agreement," proposed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, or the appointment of Tony Blair as the Quartet representative "to build Palestinian institutions." Does anyone remember his predecessor in that job, James Wolfensohn?

From Israel's point of view, freezing the situation in the territories is the default option, freeing the government from internal disputes. But it comes at a cost - in growing calls for an academic and economic boycott of Israel, in perpetuating the conflict with the Arabs, and in a growing gap between declarations and actions. If the government considers control over the Palestinians as inevitable and not as a temporary situation, it must prepare accordingly: through the correct public relations abroad, through building task-specific security forces, and through fair treatment of the residents of the West Bank. The current approach - in which there is a surprise with every development, in which there are measures announced to ameliorate the lives of the Palestinians only to be withdrawn a day later, and mostly, in which we believe that time is in our favor - does not bode well.
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  1.   NO!! GUSH KATIF WILL NEVER BE REPEATED 09:43  |  paul harris 28/06/07
  2.   that basically means 09:50  |  cool 28/06/07
  3.   too late for Palestinian state..as settlers control 09:54  |  KMS 28/06/07
  4.   VERY POSSIBLE if Arab terror stops.What Arabs do to each other 10:07  |  PETER SM 28/06/07
  5.   The one state solution:Jordan plus Palestine 10:15  |  Daniel Leopold 28/06/07
  6.   The cost to Israel will be cataclysmic war 10:24  |  Clickfool 28/06/07
  7.   Time IS In Our Favor 10:30  |  Yishai Kohen 28/06/07
  8.   Why do Arabs think that a 1 state solution includes them? 10:33  |  Dani 28/06/07
  9.   Benn takes the cat out of the hat 10:36  |  ARA 28/06/07
  10.   KMS, open your eyes 10:42  |  ARA 28/06/07
  11.   A solution will come, but it may be ugly 10:55  |  Natallie Durson 28/06/07
  12.   # 9 ARA - What a lot of rubbish 11:03  |  Andrew Watson 28/06/07
  13.   More intelligent people have disappeared during the course of ... 11:07  |  Andreas 28/06/07
  14.   Kahane was right! 11:17  |  Choni Davidowitz 28/06/07
  15.   A WATSON Israelis on the West Bank are the cause of Arab terror? 11:20  |  PETER SM 28/06/07
  16.   6. Clickfool`s myopia. 11:25  |  Zardos 28/06/07
  17.   # 15 More of the same from PETER SM 11:27  |  Andrew Watson 28/06/07
  18.   THE ARABS HAVE DEFEATED US 11:31  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/06/07
  19.   Maybe the time has come for Israel to come clean with the world 11:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/06/07
  20.   #13, Andreas 11:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/06/07
  21.   Dino 11:54  |  JewishHeart 28/06/07
  22.   Aluf Benn and Oslo 11:56  |  JewishHeart 28/06/07
  23.   All Predicated On Qassam Epidemic 12:05  |  Rowan Berkeley 28/06/07
  24.   To # 10 Ara from Haifa 12:22  |  velvl shmerlson 28/06/07
  25.   A WATSON Hamas is part of theMoslem Brotherhood created cica 1910 12:22  |  PETER SM 28/06/07
  26.   two state solution 12:32  |  anon 28/06/07
  27.   A Watson the standard apologia.Hamas IS responsible for IT`S acts 12:35  |  PETER.SM 28/06/07
  28.   To # 18 Cipora Julianna Kohn 12:35  |  velvl shmerlson 28/06/07
  29.   The Apartheid bi-national state 12:37  |  Daniel 28/06/07
  30.   To ## 13 Andreas and 20 Cipora Julianna Kohn 12:46  |  velvl shmerlson 28/06/07
  31.   ONE STATE, ONLY 12:54  |  Jad 28/06/07
  32.   It`s high time to reverse Oslo and to get rid of the PA! 13:08  |  Uzi 28/06/07
  33.   I and P Inc:The Corporation and the Welfare State 13:52  |  Ronnie Wolman 28/06/07
  34.   #12 watson can you tell what treaty since 1917 created palestine 14:08  |  victor hardman 28/06/07
  35.   Why is this supposed to be the end of all possibilities? 14:37  |  J.M.Jordan 28/06/07
  36.   If what the Arabs wanted was actually their own state... 15:05  |  Olof 28/06/07
  37.   # 34 victor 15:07  |  Axel 28/06/07
  38.   yossi belin efforts to destroy Israel 15:12  |  sonia goldsmith 28/06/07
  39.   This Is A Carefully Constructed Policy 15:15  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/06/07
  40.   It never was. 15:31  |  Dr David I. Gross 28/06/07
  41.   @Dani #8 15:49  |  Sam 28/06/07
  42.   We need a Two State Solution 16:04  |  Hetzi Hetzi 28/06/07
  43.   No Cipora RE #18 16:18  |  G A B E ! 28/06/07
  44.   answer is no. jordan will take part israel rest pals lost out for 16:23  |  ralph 28/06/07
  45.   no withdrawal 16:27  |  Israel Zwick 28/06/07
  46.   Subcontract Jordan in West Bank 16:32  |  Tom S 28/06/07
  47.   Statecraft ala Ralph #46 16:55  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/06/07
  48.   Yes, but not now 17:16  |  Hunter 28/06/07
  49.   Swiss Dino, Jewish Heart and one state 17:24  |  Polybios 28/06/07
  50.   #37 axel puts his finger on it at last 17:57  |  victor hardman 28/06/07
  51.   Annexation of Judea and Samaria 18:00  |  peter 28/06/07
  52.   to Peter # 51 18:29  |  Hunter 28/06/07
  53.   # 21 JewishHeart (2nd try) 18:31  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/06/07
  54.   #18 Is that you Cipora???? 18:45  |  ballistic 28/06/07
  55.   # 49 Polybios 18:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/06/07
  56.   # 50 18:47  |  Axel 28/06/07
  57.   DINO#19. PEACE NEEDS A DIFFICULT CONCOMINTANT RECIPROCAL MOVE 18:49  |  MOSHEH 28/06/07
  58.   #6 Clickfool`s farsightedness 18:50  |  Ivar 28/06/07
  59.   Hunter 52 18:53  |  peter 28/06/07
  60.   Swiss (Dino) 19:20  |  Polybios 28/06/07
  61.   Finally, the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth 19:25  |  Michael N 28/06/07
  62.   # 57 MOSHE 19:36  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/06/07
  63.   Peter # 59 19:39  |  Hunter 28/06/07
  64.   IRAN MUST BE DEFEATED FIRST 19:45  |  DAVEED RUVEN 28/06/07
  65.   to Ivar # 56 19:46  |  Hunter 28/06/07
  66.   Hunter #65 20:02  |  peter 28/06/07
  67.   peter of Montreal #51 20:10  |  GABE1` 28/06/07
  68.   CLICKFOOL#6 FORGOT ONE ESSENTIAL POINT… 20:16  |  MOSHEH 28/06/07
  69.   #53 Swiss (Dino) - In respect to what you have said: (1) 20:21  |  Gil 28/06/07
  70.   #53 Swiss (Dino) - In respect to what you have said: (2) 20:22  |  Gil 28/06/07
  71.   The Pals are not your ordinary bad neighbor 20:33  |  Jason 28/06/07
  72.   Gabe1 #67 20:34  |  peter 28/06/07
  73.   Choni Davidowitz #14 20:35  |  GABE1 28/06/07
  74.   Withdrawal from all territory West of the Jordan 20:39  |  Amin Nusseibeh 28/06/07
  75.   Peter # 65 20:44  |  Hunter 28/06/07
  76.   Well duh! 20:46  |  Jon 28/06/07
  77.   #51 Peter 20:57  |  Boycott 28/06/07
  78.   Israel 21:17  |  angry Canadian 28/06/07
  79.   Aluf Benn, Israel has forfeited its right to have an opinion. 21:23  |  Leftfoot Combo 28/06/07
  80.   # 51 peter 21:37  |  Axel 28/06/07
  81.   UNILATERAL LEASE!!!!! 21:45  |  d.dor 28/06/07
  82.   Iran, the mesquito 21:52  |  d.dor 28/06/07
  83.   Aluf Benn, the Left was merely a device for assuaging guilt. 22:01  |  Leftfoot Combo 28/06/07
  84.   #68 I THINK ANGRY CANUCK YOU SHOULD STUDY THE SUBJECT 22:05  |  paul harris 28/06/07
  85.   Can`t believe I agree with clickfool! 22:06  |  tbart 28/06/07
  86.   #53 Swiss (Dino) - In respect to what you have said: (1) 22:34  |  Gil 28/06/07
  87.   Full And Complete Israeli Withdrawal is Imperrative for Peace 22:34  |  Mr. Knowitall 28/06/07
  88.   #53 Swiss (Dino) - In respect to what you have said: (2) 22:35  |  Gil 28/06/07
  89.   Axel #74 22:51  |  peter 28/06/07
  90.   #81 FROSTBITE AND LOGISTICS ARE STRANGERS 22:56  |  paul harris 28/06/07
  91.   Boycott #71 22:59  |  peter 28/06/07
  92.   Hunter #69 23:07  |  peter 28/06/07
  93.   #49, Polybios 23:16  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/06/07
  94.   more you stay, more you die 23:25  |  mehmet 28/06/07
  95.   Gil 23:29  |  Axel 28/06/07
  96.   Polybios 23:30  |  Danite 28/06/07
  97.   Wrong 23:33  |  Danite 28/06/07
  98.   # 86 / # 88 Gil 23:35  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/06/07
  99.   What we need here 23:36  |  Danite 28/06/07
  100.   #91 Peter 23:49  |  Boycott 28/06/07
  101.   I`m perplexed with this analysis by Aluf Benn... 00:05  |  Smadar 29/06/07
  102.   peter of Montreal #72 00:09  |  GABE1 29/06/07
  103.   no one to give back...... 00:40  |  donald chance 29/06/07
  104.   Andrew Watson, stop blaming Israel 00:46  |  ARA 29/06/07
  105.   # 57 MOSHE Bad luck !! 01:02  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/06/07
  106.   # 96 Danite 01:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/06/07
  107.   # 18 Cipora Julianna Kohn 01:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/06/07
  108.   With Olmert and his dady Bush everything is 01:27  |  ILSupporter 29/06/07
  109.   no peace partner 02:19  |  real vision 29/06/07
  110.   #93, Cipora opines on the one state solution 02:22  |  Thomas Jackson 29/06/07
  111.   Swiss Hello 03:16  |  Danite 29/06/07
  112.   #101: Smadar, we are all perplexed now. 03:54  |  Thomas Jackson 29/06/07
  113.   #18: Cipora Julianna Kohn in the throes of defeat 04:17  |  Thomas Jackson 29/06/07
  114.   Israel must learn from its mistakes to win the Prize. 06:14  |  Akram Zekaria 29/06/07
  115.   DEAL WITH TODAY 06:18  |  Joel Weltman 29/06/07
  116.   @113 JACKSON ISRAEL WAS PARTITIONED IN 1922 06:42  |  paul harris 29/06/07
  117.   everyone tired of throwing money. effort into a black hole 07:12  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 29/06/07
  118.   THOMAS JACKSON 07:17  |  Jon FEIGENBAUM 29/06/07
  119.   No one to give them back to 08:29  |  Abdi Yusuf 29/06/07
  120.   # 50 victor hardman 08:49  |  Andrew Watson 29/06/07
  121.   No one to give the back to 09:41  |  guido 29/06/07
  122.   "the correct public relations abroad" 09:57  |  Efox 29/06/07
  123.   110#112#113-Thomas Jackson:Be careful what you say. 13:46  |  Akram Zekaria 29/06/07
  124.   to Cipora 18# is just a lament.. 05:04  |  Akram Zekaria 30/06/07
  125.   No one to give them back to... 06:01  |  Silvienne 30/06/07
  126.   and should israel not; what then? 07:46  |  eric 30/06/07
  127.   # 1 pssst! hey paul, are we still friends? 09:01  |  eric 30/06/07
  128.   126# eric.No Ican`t respond but I hand you over to Lord Byron. 17:51  |  Akram Zekaria 30/06/07
  129.   # 128 the lord`s glance, touché akram 22:47  |  eric 30/06/07
  130.   18 CIPORA 00:20  |  Shöllen Hofer 01/07/07
  131.   to eric 129# 04:16  |  Akram Zekaria 01/07/07
  132.   # 124; re: #18, no akram, cipora mourns 08:49  |  eric 01/07/07
  133.   Zionism`s fatal flaw: Not enough Jews 18:07  |  Atlanta 29/07/09
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