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MK Benny Elon. (Tomer Appelbaum)
Last update - 14:32 06/01/2008
Rightist MK calls for dissolving PA, promoting Arab emigration
By The Associated Press
Tags: Peace process, Benny Elon 

On the eve of U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to Israel, a hardline member of Israel's parliament is trying to drum up support for a new peace initiative - granting Jordanian passports to all Palestinians, dismantling the Palestinian Authority and abandoning any notions of an independent Palestinian state.

The plan, drafted by lawmaker Benny Elon of the National Union Party and
touted on billboards, Internet ads and YouTube, directly clashes with Bush's agenda for his coming visit - promoting a peace agreement that would see the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The Palestinians, Israel and Jordan all reject Elon's concept.
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"In his way, (Bush) is leading us to catastrophe," warned Elon, a resident of a West Bank settlement and a representative of Israel's religious settlers.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Elon said he respected Bush's stand against Islamic extremists, but criticized him for being disconnected from the reality in Israel.

Bush arrives Wednesday for a three-day visit in Israel and the Palestinian territories, hoping to help Israeli and Palestinian leaders move ahead with fledgling peace talks.

Elon's plan calls for giving Palestinian refugees financial incentives to
emigrate, granting Jordanian citizenship to the remaining Palestinians, and allowing Israel to retain full sovereignty over the West Bank. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank would remain in place, and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' government would be shut down.

Such an arrangement would essentially allow Israel to keep Palestinian
territories while turning responsibility for the Palestinians themselves over to Jordan.

The plan contradicts the formula for peace that has been accepted
internationally as well as by the Israeli and Palestinian governments, which would see two sovereign states existing beside each other.

Elon's initiative was dismissed by Jordan when it was first proposed in
October. Jordan ruled the West Bank from 1948 to 1967, when it lost the
territory to Israel. In 1988, Jordan renounced its claim, saying Palestinians should decide their own destiny.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called Elon an extremist, denouncing his plans as racist ideas.

"Denying the Palestinians' existence has only added to the complexities," Erekat told The Associated Press.

Undaunted, Elon is now seeking new followers from a younger audience. Using a professionally produced mock movie trailer titled The Last Fanatic, which Elon's representatives are posting on YouTube, Elon hopes to garner international awareness of his plan.

The clip features Muslim extremists chanting slogans against Israel and the U.S. and a would-be suicide bomber videotaping his final manifesto. Elon's plan changes their minds: The fanatics abandon their impassioned leader, the suicide bomber reconsiders and removes his belt of explosives, and all of them presumably decide to live their lives in peace and prosperity.

Elon has close ties to evangelical Christians in the U.S., and his plan was endorsed by Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, a figure identified with the conservative Christian right. Elon said no financial support for his costly campaign was coming from the Christian right, and that only Jews in Israel and the U.S. were funding it.

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      1.   logic 12:35  |  fred 06/01/08
      2.   A non-painful solution 12:42  |  Joe 06/01/08
      3.   Everyone should support this plan 12:44  |  JD 06/01/08
      4.   Jews like Elon help to promote anti-semitism 12:51  |  Danny 06/01/08
      5.   "granting Jordanian passports to all Palestinians" 13:08  |  Axel 06/01/08
      6.   The last fanatic: Benny Elon 13:10  |  Danny 06/01/08
      7.   How about dissolving Israel instead? 13:11  |  Jack 06/01/08
      8.   makes sense to me 13:12  |  zion 06/01/08
      9.   Misleading 13:13  |  Ben 06/01/08
      10.   the last sane man in Israel 13:13  |  eddie 06/01/08
      11.   He`s the Jewish equivalent to Hamas 13:18  |  Iz Ray Leigh 06/01/08
      12.   It is shocking that anyone supports this plan 13:23  |  Tarik 06/01/08
      13.   racist?PA, Jordan etc have DEATH PENALTY for selling land to Jews 13:27  |  Moshe 06/01/08
      14.   far fetched but realistic 13:32  |  eb 06/01/08
      15.   Rape Israel Shouts Haaretz Editor , 13:35  |  Joseph E . 06/01/08
      16.   MK is right 13:38  |  Hilda 06/01/08
      17.   Kach Reborn Baruch Hashem 13:47  |  Choni Davidowitz 06/01/08
      18.   Non-Painful says Joe 14:11  |  Ray 06/01/08
      19.   "granting Jordanian passports to all Palestinians" 14:14  |  Ray 06/01/08
      20.   5. Jack 14:16  |  Ray 06/01/08
      21.   Would a Palestinian state be a viable one, even if and when it 14:22  |  Yardenah 06/01/08
      22.   The overwhelming Majoritry of pals want to Leave 14:46  |  Joseph E . 06/01/08
      23.   AP portray as Hardline directly clashes with Arab Agenda to Leave 14:52  |  Joseph E . 06/01/08
      24.   The Left Denying Arabs to Leave Only adds to the Complexities 14:54  |  Joseph E . 06/01/08
      25.   Arabs Are Sick and Tired of the Left Manipulations 14:59  |  Joseph E . 06/01/08
      26.   # 9 ben 15:01  |  Axel 06/01/08
      27.   we must return all land to arabs and return to dispora 15:03  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 06/01/08
      28.   The Road Map is made with a view to enhance 15:13  |  Joseph E . 06/01/08
      29.   promoting Arab emigration 15:18  |  Joseph 06/01/08
      30.   great idea from a right wing screwball 15:21  |  dav zee 06/01/08
      31.   Hamas supporters created this party 15:26  |  Iz Ray Leigh 06/01/08
      32.   # 27 are you NUTS? 15:30  |  Petra 06/01/08
      33.   They All HAd Jordanian Citizenship Until 1988 15:32  |  JM 06/01/08
      34.   jordan is arab palestine why is there a problem ? 15:36  |  victor hardman 06/01/08
      35.   I love MK Elon 15:46  |  Dave 06/01/08
      36.   Good idea ...... 16:25  |  Williams 06/01/08
      37.   give the west bank back to jordan 16:32  |  sst 06/01/08
      38.   dissolving pa 16:55  |  Shmuelshachor 06/01/08
      39.   best solution: return settlers to point of origin 16:58  |  nobodysacred 06/01/08
      40.   Dissove whom?! 17:35  |  Esther 06/01/08
      41.   MK Elon should be held accountable 17:43  |  Giorgio S. Frankel 06/01/08
      42.   The ulterior motives of the west 18:10  |  Holy Moses 06/01/08
      43.   this guy gets stupider and stupider 18:12  |  Merle 06/01/08
      44.   A voice of reason 18:15  |  Jack 06/01/08
      45.   MK calls for dissolving PA 18:21  |  Ralph 06/01/08
      46.   How to make the Elon plan cheaper 18:22  |  Tosefta 06/01/08
      47.   # 21 yardenah 18:25  |  Axel 06/01/08
      48.   Esther 18:33  |  Mahmoud El Tizzi 06/01/08
      49.   If only we had Pals peace seekers, we could shut their mouth 18:38  |  Alain 06/01/08
      50.   Toe Septa @46 18:44  |  GABE1 06/01/08
      51.   #16 Hilda and racism 18:58  |  Boycott 06/01/08
      52.   # 16 hilda 19:12  |  Axel 06/01/08
      53.   Where`s Netanyahu? 19:33  |  ZADOK 06/01/08
      54.   Please explain 19:33  |  Judith 06/01/08
      55.   Pal State May not Happen 19:40  |  Ron 06/01/08
      56.   The position of the Jewish Elon mirrors the Arab position 19:44  |  Sam 06/01/08
      57.   To 51 & 52. Boycott/Axel. Hilda & What is racism ? 19:49  |  Altalena 06/01/08
      58.   dissolve PA-arab emigration 19:52  |  bear 06/01/08
      59.   #53 ZADOCK 20:03  |  Chris Linthwaite 06/01/08
      60.   #34 VictorPaul Harrisman lacking in Israeli 20:18  |  Labhras 06/01/08
      61.   AXEL: WHO are these Arabs the MK refers to? 20:22  |  AliciaYasmeen 06/01/08
      62.   Scary 20:28  |  Israeli 06/01/08
      63.   pals lost all moral right 20:29  |  zody 06/01/08
      64.   "16 Hilda 20:30  |  Labhras 06/01/08
      65.   I wonder 20:40  |  Danite 06/01/08
      66.   # 61 alicia 20:41  |  Axel 06/01/08
      67.   To #64 Labhras. Symmetry or not ? 20:59  |  Altalena 06/01/08
      68.   #60 labarse of arabia and treaties he ignores 20:59  |  victor hardman 06/01/08
      69.   #67 Altalena did you read the article and Hilda,s 21:30  |  Labhras 06/01/08
      70.   #68 Victorpaul Harrisman 21:41  |  Labhras 06/01/08
      71.   And Israelis should also move to Bush Kingdom of America 21:43  |  Sam 06/01/08