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A visit to the jungle
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Palestinian, settlements 

Click here for more articles by Akiva Eldar

Last week the prime minister congratulated Ariel College for being elevated by the Judea and Samaria Council of Higher Education to university status. Today, Ehud Olmert is traveling to Jericho, in order to hold talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, on an agreement of principles (and perhaps even "agreed-upon principles") for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

According to all maps, including those of our American friends, the land on which the new university sits is supposed to be an inalienable part of the new Palestinian state. How, then, should the common Palestinian citizen interpret the news about the upgrading of the large Israeli college in the very heart of the West Bank? What value could Olmert's promise to Abbas, that he will further a peace accord that will bring about an end to Israeli occupation, have in the Palestinians' eyes?
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It is conceivable that the prime minister had no ill intentions. Olmert, like most Israelis, has become accustomed over the past 40 years to living in a world of double meanings. Throughout history, Israeli governments have extended one hand "to peace with the Arabs" while the other hand lays further claim to the occupied territories. In order to maintain the industry of contradictions between what is said and what is done, legal experts constructed a splendid system of overpasses for the politicians. These allow the de facto annexation of Palestinian land, without the need to annex Palestinian residents.

The Council for Higher Education in Judea and Samaria is one of these inventions. It is meant to enable the establishment and development of an Israeli academic institution outside the sovereign territory of the State of Israel. On the one hand the Ministry of Education recognizes the degrees the council grants and the educational programs it approves. On the other hand, the education minister declared recently that the council's decision to upgrade the college is not valid.

The collapse of the Heftsiba construction company sheds light - more precisely, casts a heavy shadow - on the method that enables Israel to talk of peace while continuing to settle the territories. The system of planning and construction regulations was created in line with the requirements of dubious Jewish land salesmen, real estate companies owned by the settlers' leadership, and Palestinian front men who are ready to sell their homeland for a money. The petition to the High Court of Justice filed by the residents of the village of Bil'in and Peace Now stopped the construction in Matityahu East, a new neighborhood in the settlement of Modi'in Illit. The case brought to the fore a terrible phenomenon, in which the State Prosecutor's Office, the local authority and the Civil Administration cooperated - some of them actively and others by turning a blind eye - with a well-oiled system that stole and "laundered" Palestinian properties. Several dozen meters away, inside Israeli territory, no contractor would have gotten away with building hundreds of apartments without the necessary blueprints, building permits, and a basic examination of land ownership documents.

The politicians' mixed signals are complemented by the double standards of law enforcement that enable the settlers, the true rulers of the territories, to make talk of "a political settlement" appear ridiculous. Only there is it possible for a GOC Central Command to authorize a convicted murderer, someone like Menachem Livni, a member of the Jewish underground - convicted to life imprisonment but released after seven years - to carry an M-16 rifle. Only in this land of free-for-all can the vice president of the Magistrate's Court exonerate Livni, who shot at a Palestinian truck. In the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming Livni's conviction by the District Court, Justice Edmond Levy wrote that "this reality should not be accepted, even though it takes place far from the eyes of the general public, in areas beyond the Green Line, and where it is often regarded with unacceptable forgiveness. After all, no one would allow someone within the territory of the State of Israel to carry out such an act against his neighbors, irrespective of their national identity, and remain impervious to the law."

This rare observation reminds us of Ehud Barak's cute metaphor, that Israel is a "villa in a jungle." Regarding the comparison to a villa, one can argue one way or the other, but so long as the defense minister and others in the defense, political and legal establishments continue to relate to the territories around Ariel as a jungle - the prime minister can save himself a trip to Jericho in the burning August heat.
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  1.   double-speak 09:41  |  truth 06/08/07
  2.   THIS MUST BE THE HAARETZ MOST STUPID ARTICLE OF THIS YEAR 09:44  |  paul harris 06/08/07
  3.   That is why there are boycotts 10:15  |  dana 06/08/07
  4.   PEACE SHOULD BE ACHIEVED LONG TIME AGO 10:26  |  indrajaya 06/08/07
  5.   The Unplanned Consequences of Private Agendas 10:26  |  Natallie Durson 06/08/07
  6.   #3 DANA AND THE LITTLE GREEN FAIRIES 10:37  |  paul harris 06/08/07
  7.   #2 Paul Harris 10:44  |  Hannah 06/08/07
  8.   Mixed Messages Fool No One 10:48  |  Tzfonit 06/08/07
  9.   We can work it out 10:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 06/08/07
  10.   dana #3 11:09  |  S 06/08/07
  11.   Yep, this article nails it 11:12  |  Johnboy 06/08/07
  12.   #3 Dana 11:19  |  bill 06/08/07
  13.   Dana #3 Barking up the wrong tree as usual 11:20  |  Tzfonit 06/08/07
  14.   ONE-STAET FOR ALL is the solution 11:35  |  KMS 06/08/07
  15.   During all the peace negotiations construction in WB was booming 12:00  |  A Bethlehemite 06/08/07
  16.   # 3 Dana 12:28  |  Nick Ferriman 06/08/07
  17.   #11 dear dear johnboy your tight pants are showing 12:30  |  victor hardman 06/08/07
  18.   #2 Paul Harris - I agree 12:58  |  ScotGuy 06/08/07
  19.   Akiva Eldar 13:04  |  Ralph 06/08/07
  20.   so true... 13:23  |  ravi 06/08/07
  21.   double talk 13:31  |  Aussie 06/08/07
  22.   Tzfonit, hi :) 13:52  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 06/08/07
  23.   Doubletalk is bad - settlements are good 13:54  |  Terminator 06/08/07
  24.   Tsfonit #13 13:55  |  S 06/08/07
  25.   During all peace negotiations Palestinian terrorism never stopped 13:57  |  Sam 06/08/07
  26.   Margie, Tzfonit can`t allow herself to be pleased 14:07  |  David Teich 06/08/07
  27.   11: Johnboy on the ignorant rampage again 14:11  |  David Teich 06/08/07
  28.   to # 2,7,18 14:42  |  Hunter 06/08/07
  29.   #25, Sam,every new settler house sends the message 14:48  |  newageblues 06/08/07
  30.   Hey Margie in Tel Aviv #22 14:50  |  Tzfonit 06/08/07
  31.   Eldar is a radical leftist selfhating Jew: Dangerous for Israel 14:57  |  Feiglin Supporter 06/08/07
  32.   Palesteens don`t need a state `cos they don`t exist 14:58  |  Feiglin Supporter 06/08/07
  33.   It`s really very transparent! 15:04  |  Wiktor 06/08/07
  34.   "Impotentim" 15:31  |  David Hoffman 06/08/07
  35.   To Sam #25 15:39  |  Harald 06/08/07
  36.   Haaretz theory is wrong 15:54  |  Sam 06/08/07
  37.   Mixed Signals 15:56  |  Ronnie Wolman 06/08/07
  38.   How should the Palestinians interpret..." Make some concessions 16:19  |  McQueen 06/08/07
  39.   Everyone here will be dead and buried 16:32  |  Rachel Corrie 06/08/07
  40.   #17 victor hardman, poster child for zionism 16:35  |  Johnboy 06/08/07
  41.   "2" Paul Harris 17:23  |  Labhras 06/08/07
  42.   Quadruple Speak 17:37  |  Ronnie Wolman 06/08/07
  43.   Ronnie, I MEANT deftly,...sorry. 17:57  |  Akiva Patysh 06/08/07
  44.   Settlers # 2, 7, 19, 23 18:09  |  Hunter 06/08/07
  45.   transcending boundaries 18:15  |  akiva P 06/08/07
  46.   #17 Hardmann 18:20  |  Don Camillo 06/08/07
  47.   Margie #22 18:21  |  GABE1 06/08/07
  48.   #2 - HARRIS 18:21  |  Don Camillo 06/08/07
  49.   326 MORE COMPLIMENTS FROM LABARSE THE IRISH TINKER 18:25  |  paul harris 06/08/07
  50.   S #10 - academic responsibility 18:25  |  dana 06/08/07
  51.   TZFONIT #8 18:35  |  GABE1 06/08/07
  52.   Gabe 18:35  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 06/08/07
  53.   #29camillo and history are again remote 18:35  |  victor hardman 06/08/07
  54.   Bill #12 18:37  |  dana 06/08/07
  55.   Property Rights 21st Century 18:41  |  Myra Khatib 06/08/07
  56.   Margie in Tel Aviv #22 2nd try 18:42  |  Tzfonit 06/08/07
  57.   "30"Don Camillo Re Hardman 18:53  |  Labhras 06/08/07
  58.   A visit to the Jungle 19:29  |  Cyasher 06/08/07
  59.   Tzfonit: Chicken and Eggs and Gaza 19:35  |  Ronnie Wolman 06/08/07
  60.   dana #34 second try 19:41  |  S 06/08/07
  61.   Seems To Bother No One At All 19:45  |  Yaakov Sullivan 06/08/07
  62.   Bush`s wisdom on Slowman`s education 20:00  |  Akiva Eldar 06/08/07
  63.   #44 stop evading my questions and answer them. 20:02  |  Don Camillo 06/08/07
  64.   32 Labhras,greetings! you recall that shortly after the June take 20:06  |  lakshmi 06/08/07
  65.   What would please me Ronnie Wolman # 49 20:20  |  Tzfonit 06/08/07
  66.   #48 Viktor your popularity seems to be declining . 20:35  |  Don Camillo 06/08/07
  67.   Margie in Tel Aviv #44 20:43  |  GABE1 06/08/07
  68.   Hunter the nice human being 21:10  |  Terminator 06/08/07
  69.   Ronnie Wolman #65 21:23  |  GABE1 06/08/07
  70.   Pretending that Peace with the Jihad Next Door is Possible 21:43  |  Efox 06/08/07
  71.   "|64" Lakshmi 21:44  |  Labhras 06/08/07
  72.   #68 Terminator - hypocricy and your double standards 21:57  |  Don Camillo 06/08/07
  73.   Tzfonit: Friend and Faux 22:02  |  Ronnie Wolman 06/08/07
  74.   My Dearest Fellow Jews 22:11  |  Danite 06/08/07
  75.   #57&66 wher two idiots combine to make no sense 22:16  |  victor hardman 06/08/07
  76.   Who can tell me about Ariel College? 22:17  |  Pssd Off American 06/08/07
  77.   FALSE HANNAH ALERT! #7 22:25  |  Hannah 06/08/07
  78.   "Is our children learning?",`Akiva Eldar` 22:26  |  Akiva Patysh 06/08/07
  79.   Doublethink: An old technique of Likud 22:49  |  Tosefta 06/08/07
  80.   #76 poa appears not to understand israel is ajewish country ? 22:51  |  victor hardman 06/08/07
  81.   Danite are you an anti semite???? 23:02  |  Ronnie Wolman 06/08/07
  82.   # 13 tzfonit, talk about barking up the wrong tree 23:08  |  eric 06/08/07
  83.   This is your President Bush talking, hammerhead (Akiva Patish#78) 23:13  |  Akiva Eldar 06/08/07
  84.   # 68 Terminator 23:18  |  Hunter 06/08/07
  85.   Don Camillo....another Humanist 23:20  |  Terminator 06/08/07
  86.   #80 ok eric when are you going to speak out about muslims 23:22  |  victor hardman 06/08/07
  87.   # 56 to tzfonit; yes indeed 23:31  |  eric 06/08/07
  88.   Danite you are wrong 23:32  |  Terminator 06/08/07
  89.   #79, Ronnie Wolman 23:56  |  Hannah 06/08/07
  90.   To #76 -- Pssd of American 00:03  |  Josh 07/08/07
  91.   S #60 - me distorting facts? never... 00:08  |  dana 07/08/07
  92.   a TRUTHFUL asessment of what is going on. 00:10  |  Freddy 07/08/07
  93.   Double-talk 00:14  |  will.I.am 07/08/07
  94.   Can`t the PMs see that the more they build there(territories) 00:16  |  Harrison 07/08/07
  95.   How Feiglin can become "Melech Israel" (Feiglin supporter #31) 00:20  |  Moshiach 07/08/07
  96.   Danite Do Freakish Anarchists Change #74 00:22  |  GABE1 07/08/07
  97.   Ronnie Wolman #73 - on history, hysterics and hystrionics 00:27  |  dana 07/08/07
  98.   Doublethink: An old technique of Likud 00:29  |  Tosefta 07/08/07
  99.   Tzfonit #13, israelis do not do enough, indeed 00:41  |  dana 07/08/07
  100.   eric #82 re Tsfonit #13 - on not barking enough 00:55  |  dana 07/08/07
  101.   ME Nuclear balance? What is wrong with the Jew haters?? 01:06  |  Terminator 07/08/07
  102.   margie in Tel Aviv #22 - student population 01:12  |  dana 07/08/07
  103.   Ronnie Wolman #73 01:19  |  GABE1 07/08/07
  104.   The Wild East 01:20  |  sh 07/08/07
  105.   Dana: The ONLY Occupation 01:21  |  Ronnie Wolman 07/08/07
  106.   Eldar-Don`t Like the Heat?Get Out of the Kitchen 01:33  |  Jane 07/08/07
  107.   #35, Harald, not hardly 01:56  |  newageblues 07/08/07
  108.   "Facts on the ground" is becoming a Bi-National nightmare 01:59  |  David 07/08/07
  109.   hammerhead,( blockof wood)@#83 02:00  |  Akiva Patysh 07/08/07
  110.   #32, Pal hater, dream on, you disgrace to the Jews 02:04  |  newageblues 07/08/07
  111.   #97 Dana, and 60 years of occupation 02:22  |  newageblues 07/08/07
  112.   Bingo Johnboy! (11) 02:37  |  Marlene N. 07/08/07
  113.   DANA #91 03:26  |  GABE1 07/08/07
  114.   Terminator Hello 03:56  |  Danite 07/08/07
  115.   Palestinian state 04:20  |  H Popell 07/08/07
  116.   Chinese wisdom for Slowman 04:23  |  Akiva Eldar 07/08/07
  117.   New Improved Bush wisdom on Slowman`s education 06:39  |  Akiva Eldar 07/08/07
  118.   Bravo newageblues #101 08:33  |  S 07/08/07
  119.   dana #91 08:38  |  S 07/08/07
  120.   eric #82 re Tsfonit #13 - on not barking enough 2nd TRY 09:11  |  dana 07/08/07
  121.   Margie in Tel Aviv #22 - student population - 2nd TRY 09:27  |  dana 07/08/07
  122.   Dana and her hearing 10:05  |  sh 07/08/07
  123.   #3 Indra 10:16  |  Terror Watch 07/08/07
  124.   # 101 to newageblues 10:18  |  eric 07/08/07
  125.   # 120 to duhhh `sh` 10:34  |  eric 07/08/07
  126.   eric #124 10:50  |  S 07/08/07
  127.   Eric 10:58  |  sh 07/08/07
  128.   dana and nick ferriman 11:45  |  scallywag 07/08/07
  129.   S #119 re responsibilities of academics and artists 11:55  |  dana 07/08/07
  130.   3105 Ronnie Wolman, 3111 newageblues - Freudian slip 12:04  |  dana 07/08/07
  131.   sh #122 - perhaps you are blessed with more sensitive 12:16  |  dana 07/08/07
  132.   121: Dana, perhaps you can tell us 11:39  |  David Teich 08/08/07
  133.   # 126 to "S" 12:22  |  eric 08/08/07
  134.   133: Eric, Off base as usual 22:22  |  David Teich 08/08/07
  135.   Israeli double standards are sickening.... 02:36  |  Dutch 11/08/07
  136.   135: But not as bad as Dutch`s lies and hatred 10:46  |  David Teich 11/08/07
  137.   Yeah, Dana, I didn`t think so... (end) 10:47  |  David Teich 11/08/07
  138.   David, Your facts 22:53  |  Dutch 12/08/07
  139.   Akiva, Olmert Needs to get with it... 00:03  |  Dutch 13/08/07
  140.   138: Dutch, when are you going to admit facts matter? (3rd try) 21:04  |  David Teich 14/08/07
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