U.S. sources: Many Arab states 'pledging' normal Israel ties

To Walid in Beirut ,what are you talking about.In Beirut you have Sunnis(Saad Hariri) Shiites (Nas- rallah)and Salafi,s(Syria) all trying to run the country.Does it work ,no,as they cannot stand each other ,just like the Gulf state Sunnis who couldn,t care about Palestinians or other rabble rousers in the Muslim world?

Mr. palestinian in DC, apartheid is not allowing Arab women to drive cars by themselves,forbidding females to wear slacks(Sudan),stopping and killing children for trying to get educated(Tali- ban style)and the wholesale slaughter of non-muslims in Darfur.Are you still confused ?

Lord Caradon (Hugh M. Foot) was the permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, 1964-1970, and chief drafter of Resolution 242. Much play has been made of the fact that we didn?t say ?the? territories or ?all the? territories. But that was deliberate. I myself knew very well the 1967 boundaries and if we had put in the ?the? or ?all the? that could only have meant that we wished to see the 1967 boundaries perpetuated in the form of a permanent frontier. This I was certainly not prepared to recommend. ? Journal of Palestine Studies, ?An Interview with Lord Caradon,? Spring - Summer 1976, pgs 144-45: WHAT do you know about the law that Lord Caradon did not know?

in Arab countries. In Lebanon Damour comes to mind as well the recent pulverising of the Pal village by the Lebanese army to get at their Islamists. Then there is the video by Briggitte Gabriel about what they got up to. Jordan Egypt Kuwait after Arafat sided with Sadaam ETC

The more I read the talkbacks and read about the current Israel politicians, the more I see the rise of the political heirs of the Roman period Zealots. Mark Lincoln may be right and these modern-day Zealots may bring down Israel. For them Rule of Law is for others. For them there is always an exception. "Dr" Brnd points to UNSC 242, but ignores the outlawing of the Right of Conquest, not only with the Nuremberg Trials, but also by Treaty that Israel signed. Apparently only he can read the secret codicil on the back that is written in special ink only a Zealot can read that says, "does not apply to Israel if Israel doesn't want it to apply." This is the Zealotry that brought the 10th Legion to Jerusalem and can easily lead to worse in modern times.

... that it deals with Israel's side only. The terror, the bombing by Syria, the Arab boycott and threats, the 3 NO's, all before 1967, were the other side's contribution. And the very last sentence: "There is no room for a decent, fair and equitable solution to the struggle" Applies of course to BOTH sides.

Ultimately, fairness between the Palestinians and the Jews canonly be achieved when the Palestinians receive fair compensation for their personal losses and the Jews om the Arab countries receive theirs. In all fairness though, it would seem to me that all the moneys that UNRWA has given to the Palestinians should be deducted and refunded to the various UN contributors.

The universal report of the rest of the world media (and from Mitchell himself) is that Mitchell has secured ZERO in the way of reciprocal concessions from ther Arab World. ZERO. Only HAARETZ's Ravid reports the opposite, and as usual, from anonymous sources that he "cannot name". Ravid has been blasted by other newspapers (including JPOST yesterday) for reporting fake stories seemingly intended to undermine Israel and favor Obama. And air routes for El Al?? Somebody needs to look at a map - El Al saves little mileage flying over southern Saudi Arabia and Oman en route to India, due to the need to avoid radical Yemen and Iran airspace by a wide margin, a fanticized "normalization" of no practical value. There are no other "air routes across Arab states", and the value (to very few) would be tiny in any case. Mitchell and Obama obtained NOTHING from the Arabs, so Bibi must give nothing. PA has made zero concessions in 15 years, not one, so "settlements" are irrelevant, obviously.

It is a fantasy that Israel must "trade" land inside pre-67 Israel for anything it retains of W. Bank or Gaza. UNSC#242 describes only "withdrawal FROM territories occupied...TO secure and recognized borders..", the unambiguous meaning being that not all land gained in the '67 war need be returned. There is no way to infer from this that Israel has to "swap" for anything. Further, Gush Eztion is a group of Jewish towns and farm communities purchased lawfully, some dating to the late 1800's, that Trans-Jordan illegally conquered and illegally annexed (so said repeated UN resolutions) in 1948, never recognized by anybody but UK and Pakistan. They were uninhabited and dormant until Israel TOOK THEM BACK in 1967. Israel owes nobody any "swaps" for this stolen and recovered real estate. The real villian, and the reason no PA state existed after 1948, is Jordan (reason for name change from "Trans-"). Let them "swap" land back to PA state from their territory to compensate for THEIR theft.

Your statement; "inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" means that the Jordanian presence in the West Bank from 1948 ubtil 1967 was illegal. Therefore, who had sovereignty of that land during those years? Not the Palestinians because they never declared a state. So who? According to the international law that you like to quote, this land was unassigned land of the Palestine Mandate which was previously assigned to Great Britain. Your statements: "a) it is not up to one party of the conflict to decide such changes, b) such changes are subject to a negotiated settlement." are absolutely correct and there have been negotiations going on in this regard for many years. For example, I am surprised that you have never heard of the Oslo Accords! So your statements make no sense!!

Your goal is a fair and equitable solution to the over 60 year old struggle between the Israelis and Palestinians. And there is no doubt many of each would welcome such a solution. Before 1967 what Israel desired was overwhelmingly clear, and denied it. Israel wanted normal, peaceful relations with all nations and to live peacefully within the green line. Then things changed. There was first those who saw the chance to place strategic enclaves in critical positions to hamper any future Jordanian, Egyptian or Syrian invasion. Then came the trauma of the Yom Kippur War, the rise of the extreme right, the old Reformist Zionists, who still harbored dreams of having ALL of the original Palestine Mandate. They were followed by the 'religious zionists.' Their religion is to take everything the Palestinians have. And they have some mysterious power over Israel which is baffling to sane men. There is no room for a decent, fair and equitable solution to the struggle.

I've scanned all US newspapers on line, and I have found no information whatsoever to substantiate this Haaretz report. Personally, I doubt any Arab State will agree to any closer ties or recognition of Israel as long as the Prime Minister will not back down on allowing continued construction of new settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It is sad to report that those in Israel who believe they can have their cake and eat it too are delusional. Hard compromises on both sides are going to be needed if any peace is to come out of negotiations. I'm not optimistic that there is credible leadership in either Israel or among Palestinian factions that they genuinely want peace.

it's a good theory for so coled "Palestinians" to go back where they ancestors came from, unfortunatly nobody in the Arab world wont's them including Jordan what is really a Palestine, and and we all know why.Who wont's in they country islamist who are train to murder from a baby....

as Sam Goldwyn used to say 'a verbal agreement aint worth the paper its written on'.

I was in the UAE last week and I can confirm that Israeli credit cards work in the UAE. I withdrew money from a local ATM. However, you cant call 972 country code ! Skype works though to 972 numbers....

How long til I can fly direct ? It would be so good if we can connect UAE with Israel. If Emirates start flying to Tel Aviv it will completely change the game with El Al !!! Interesting times ahead !

Obama will surely start to accept international law and ask Israel to do so. Unfortunately he will not do so for the USA and give back everything stolen from the Indians, from the African etc but only sell for free Israel to the Arabs. Jews and Israelis are stupid to believe him and his cronies. What normalization is he really offering? Nothing below what normal countries in Europe have now is acceptable!

Any gestures by the Arab states should be conditional on the Israeli settlement freeze (if it happens). If the freeze ends, the Arab concessions should also end.

Why this detour to "other Arab states"? What do they have to do with the settlements ? This is strictly between the Pal.s and the Israeli government. David

Good point about their inability to get along with each other. You can attribute the "hots" for Israel to 2 parts kissing up to the US and 1 part to going where they can make a buck. Palestinians are not part of the equation for any of them.

This story has evolved 6 ways from Sunday. It started with a normalization pledge from some Arab countries if there was a freeze and a second half of the story that there would be no freeze, but rather 500 more units shoved down Obama's throat. It identified where Israel had no intention whatsoever of giving back land taken, Ariel and Gush Etzion. My response is that if Israel intends to exercise some kind of right of conquest to keep Ariel & Gush Etzion, It has to give something up from pre-67 of equal value.

One must admire the Israeli government's persistence and good faith in the face the lack of any good faith as well as the lack of will on the part of the Palestinians (read Hamas)vis a vis any negotiations for peace (or for that matter negotiations re anything at all.

"what makes you think that negotiations are worthwhile even entering into, with Palestinian Arabs?" Address this question to the Israeli government which, though perhaps only in talking, constantly insists that it is ready to resume talks. What should I explain to you that even the Israeli government can't?

The Palestinians have indicated they see themselves as Palestinians. Why would they not like to be part of the new Palestinian state? Are they afraid of losing their health benefits? Remember when it looked like Jeruselem might actually be divided and the East Jeruselem Arabs rushed to get Israeli citizenship? Besides, what makes you think Jews would be able to live in a Palestinian state? Have you forgotten Hamas and the number of Arab states that do not allow anyone one with an Israel stamp on their passport to enter, much less allow Jews to live there?

The article of Barak Ravid doesn't have anything to do with your following: "How much land and accompanying water does Israel have to trade for Ariel and Gush Etzion? Do you really think a 1:1 land swap will involve open desert without resources? Do you really think a 1:1 land swap will involve open desert without resources? It ain`t sarcasm, it`s realism. You want something of value, it ain`t free." This is only your way of arguing a subject by jumping on something unrelated, that you like better. The subject is about a very preliminary "deal" between Bibi and Mitchell: some sort of a "freeze" (a la Bibi) for some sort of "normalization" by Arab states. But you, you come up with "Ariel", "Gush Etzion", "water", and "open desert"! I could counter with Americans killing tens of civilians in Afghanistan...Except I am American too...

...only after the Greater Israel dream came true. For the idiots and kleptomaniacs the excuse of 'no partner for negotiation' worked well enough for decades. Today the israeli generals openly declare that the State is uncapable of evacuating the hillposts and the PM declares being unable to help his hand clutching onto another new settlements.

If Hamas has not accepted "hundreds of Palestinian prisoners" in exchange for one Gilad Shalit, what makes you think that negotiations are worthwhile even entering into, with Palestinian Arabs?

What you refer to as Palestinian villages are part populated by Israeli citizens, just as Gush Etzion is populated by Israeli citizens. Their children and grand children will be Israeli and have the right to live anywhere and everywhere in Israel. Some may eventually want Palestine citizenship. Just as some Jews may want Palestine citizenship if they decide to stay in Palestine. It may be appropriate to force additional citizenship on residents. But would be completely inappropriate to forcibly strip citizenship from anybody or their descendants.

"Security Council resolution 242 called for Israel having secure borders in any final resolution of the dispute" Said resolution states "inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" (Why you avoid this statement is anybody's guess). This is unambiguous. Should "secure borders" require territorial changes, then a) it is not up to one party of the conflict to decide such changes, b) such changes are subject to a negotiated settlement.

It's inconceivable that the Arab and Persian governments will opt for peace. With a peaceful resolution of the conflict, whatever in the world would these governments use to distract their subjects' attentions away from reform in their own countries?

This exists only in fantasyland. It is time to come down to realityland. Former Professor of Quranic Interpretations at Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt declares that "There is no surah called 'Peace.' Jihad and killing are the head of Islam. If you take them out, you cut off the head of Islam." (p.24, "Islam and Terrorism" [2002] by Mark A. Gabriel, PhD)

The good old trick.We kill and steal and draw the borders,and then together we legalize the whole thing and forbid others from doing what we have done,and still doing(afghanistan iraq illegal invations and occupation). "was not yet against international law". What about Cyprus legal occupation?.

Normalization at this time is the kiss of death to any peace negotiations. You do not serve the desert before the main course.

Surely Israel is the aggressor and has been for quite some time. It has been more intent on taking and holding Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese land rather than on brokering peace. Religous extremism of the settlers has tarnished the goals of the founders of modern day Israel. Peace cannot occur as long as zealots control Israeli policy.

Arabs: Do NOT reward Israeli aggression. We have been talking peace for 100 years. That's your only and last card. Play it when Israel signs a peace treaty with Palestine. NO before. Don't fall for yet another trick or lie.

Frankly I don't know where in international law there is such a provision.When exactly did that change take place? Do you have some treaty to point to? Some international covenant? Frankly there is none,it's a fantasy in your mind.I seem to recall North Vietnam annexing South Vietnam at the end of that war.It seems that critics of Israel who post here all make vague references to violations of international law wihout any specific citations. So here's one for you: Security Council resolution 242 called for Israel having secure borders in any final resolution of the dispute.Further the so-called 1967 "borders" were only ceasefire lines from the the 1948-49 war.The Arab states refused to sign peace treaties & stated their intention to resume hostilities & as for the west bank & East Jerusalem that territory had been occupied at the war's end by Jordan's army & Jordan unilaterally annexed it in 1950 without anyone's approval.So do those Jordanian actions violate "International Law too"?

Supposing Israel trades the Palestinian villages in Israel for the settlements on the West bank? Nobody has to be uprooted from their homes, the Palestinians who define themselves as Palestinian, not Israeli, are happy, the settlers are happy, and it is all in accord with UNSC resolution 242 which calls for a negotiated border.

Americans are just trying to create a dynamic. Their Western ideas are totally unusable in the ME.

All of your analogies are off target, because none shows that territory was kept occupied over decades without any definitive settlement. And I need not even mention that all these cases are in the past when winning of territory by war was not yet against international law.

and no one has the right to dictate what Israel can do with her land. Does anyone really expect the arabs to recognize Israel? They've had their heads in the sand since one mans 'dreams' that are pure fantasy. Israel has become stronger than all nations as she won and kept what is hers. Stay strong Israel, it's your guarantee of a safer future for all.

You have your history wrong, very wrong. At the end of WW2 Germany's borders were changed and it lost territory to both Poland & Russia. Actually the US still occupies a portion of Okinowa.History shows that after each war the victor has taken territory from the looser.As a California resident you might recall that California was part of a vast territory the US took from Mexico at the end of the Mexican War.Britain & France stripped Germany of its colonies at the end of WW2.Korea was taken from Japan at the end of WW2 & granted independence.The list goes on & on.Actually it is you which is applying a different standard to Israel.

NORMALIZATION.yes, yes, nothing but YES. ( of course in the context of "RECIPROCITY/Bibi" and "It TAKES TWO TO TANGO/Barak"). Total Freeze = FULL NORMALIZATION. Partial Freeze = Partial NORMALIZATION. NO DOUBT whatsoever that the PM will see plenty of BENEFITS once Peace Negociation come to FRUITION. Totally Agree with Amr Moosa(Arab Leagues), " NO PLACE for NORMALIZATION without full Freeze of settlements on the West bank" Presently the BORDERS of the New Palestinian State is the most crucial ISSUE,this when FINALIZED / agreed upon, then B O T H GOVERNMENTS can build their HOUSING UNITS to thdeir hearts content, for ALL the """NATURAL GROWTH """of THEIR ISRAELIS/PALESTINIANS CITIZENS.

The Americans say they have pledges! Beware of what the Americans say and promise. Sometimes they LIE! (What a shock, but the truth nevertheless).

Mitchell?s efforts unfortunately without magic peace formula US especial envoy Mitchell is expected to come to the Jerusalem with a number of conditions Arab countries promised concerning their approach to factual existence of the State of Israel, by somewhat ??lowering?? their anti Israel position and to change into a limited practical mutual approach by contacts to defuse the acute belligerent Israel Palestine situation. No one should expect any political, positive upheaval by what is called ??building of confidence between fighting states??, a formula with very little practical / political consequences for any of the involve parties.- With all the believe in USA / President Obama?s efforts to reach an effective, real peace in a hatred, blood feud atmosphere a decreed peace will remain an illusion as long as no long term information, education and learning about the respective opponent / enemy has not taken place and of course could not show any basic change of the interrelationship.- Nevertheless one has also to try this ??confidence building?? with a time limit.

I cannot but agree with your post. Saudi business folk have been involved in many projects. Some in Israel. Through certain channels. Mostly in real estate. The return has shown positive. The difference is now they will go public. The other Arab States do have links to Israel through more open channels, mostly in the High Tech sector, which includes medical equipment. So, Walid, let me wish you a happy day.

'Israel has a legal right, based on the established laws of war, to retain any territory captured in a defensive war it deems necessary to ensure its security.' What a fascinating doctrine! That's why we still occupy Italy and Japan, Russia still occupies Eastern Germany, and El Salvador controls a good deal of Honduras. NOW I know why Paraguay ceased to exist a hundred and fifty years ago. It lost a war! Any other facts you might wish to appraise us of? Why don't you explain the enormous concession Israel is making with its latest offer? Yessir: building to be cut to only 100% of the previous pace -- but only for six months, and only if everyone rushes to give Israel lots of presents for being so nice.

The more Israel and her Arab neighbours improve relations the more it weakens extremists like Hamas, Hezbollah and al Qaeda. Normalization is a long process and we should try to get started.The real threat today is Iran's leadership.

How much land and accompanying water does Israel have to trade for Ariel and Gush Etzion? Do you really think a 1:1 land swap will involve open desert without resources? It ain't sarcasm, it's realism. You want something of value, it ain't free.

"and still others have offered to allow direct telephone connections between Israel and their countries" But wait a second. I just dialed SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency in Damascus Syrian +963 11 2129702 from my regular Israeli telephone and the connection was as good as a call to Tel Aviv. And this without any "gesture" from anyone. I then called the British Embassy in Teheran +98-21-64052000 and also no problem. All this without any "gesture".

"He (Obama) should stand by what he said and demand that all settlements be removed unconditionally per International Law." Obama understands, and accepts, and firmly supports, that Israel will continue to exist as the Jewish nation and most of the "settlements" will not be removed. Obama hasn't said anything about settlements being removed and you can bet that he won't. He is a good man, but sometimes naive, and now realizes a complete settlement freeze is unrealistic and will not happen. There will be some sort of limited "freeze". Look for it to be announced in the coming weeks or months. It will work for Abbas and the rest of the Arab states that are finally begining to get that Israel as a Jewish state is here to stay. They will absolutely have to accept the Jewish State if they are ever going to get a new Palestinian Arab state. Maybe you should too.

Mitchell surely can't do anything that's not approved by the President.

I thought you are better than that. Unfortunately, this latest sarcasm of yours defines you. You had it, you have it, and it will be forever with you.

The problem with Arab Countries Normalizing their ties is that all these things are temporary. God Forbid that an Israeli makes an awful (but innocent) mistake like printing a cartoon that somebody decides is offensive to Islam; within 5 minutes the "Normalization" will be over and they will again demand the death of the Jews. I wish the Arab World was stable enough that the term "Normalization" really had any value.

Why must they be resettled? are the jews of NYC or Paris or any other part of Russia or Europe being resettled to Israel now that the Christian west has created it? Have we told our jews that now they must leave to their people and their country and leave our native europe once and for all? Simon, you are simple - but if Israel is allowed to do this then we must be allowed to round up the global jewry and resettle them to Israel as the worlds international jewish ghetto.

that many of the arab states you speak of, those who would never ever make deals with a racist apartheid state like israel, impose a tax on ALL non-muslim citizens. israeli arabs are israeli. they vote. they govern. they dont pay an extra tax.

or any other country

Israel has given the Arab world not one good reason to normalize relations. A settlement freeze is not enough. A freeze can easily be unfrozen whenever Israel wants to grab more Palestinian land. Israel had a chance several years ago to normalize relations with all the Arab world but they turned down the Saudi plan which offered full normalization as soon as Israel returned to the 1967 border. If I were the Arab states I'd tell Israel to just forget about normalization until they pull lock, stock and barrel out of the illegally occupied territories. Israel has not earned normal ties with the Arab world and if it continues with unabated settlements it deserves to lose ties with some of the rest of the world.

C2, I most enjoyed the Israeli film 'The Band Visits." It is not about international relations, bureaucratic screw ups, incompetence or cultural hostility. It is about human awkwardness and how humans can find themselves in circumstances for which no prejudice or cultural illiteracy may prepare them. It is a movie without villains or heros. It is a very human experience. No nations were more opposed than Egypt and Israel. Few nations have lost so much of their area to another as Jordan did to Israel. Yet those nations have an awkward peace with Israel as it has an awkward peace with them. Thus peace, as the band did, may visit.

not with those crazy settlers roaming the land.

There is so much hate on this board with everyone giving there reason as to why Israel should keep building settlements, everyone can keep saying what they want, but the fact of the matter is Israel has no choice but to stop and they will because in the end we all know that Israel will not last for very long so they can enjoy it while they can because just like Gaza the settlements will go. Its all just a waste of our tax money and everyone is getting tired of the same story.

I can not believe it, for a temporary freeze of settellement, Israel is asking for something in exchange. Only ending occupation can leads to such thing. 42 years of occupation is not enough, the entire world finally reach the conclusion that this is just an appartheid state and only severe sanctions can solve the problem. I am just wondering till when the Israeli will continue to pay for supporting this illegal occupation. Recently I meet an israeli who quit the country to escape high level of taxe that he need to pay every year for his bisness, this is not good for Israeli economy.

Why not let them continue to build. These people will one day be living in the State of Palestine, paying taxes, bringing in much-needed income. Let them build. Let them stay. In Palestine - NOT Israel.

"Saudi Arabia, which Washington had hoped would be one of them, has thus far refused to offer anything to Israel..."(Haaretz) This is incorrect; Saudi Arabia has pledged 100 millions to shore up the PA security forces whose main objective is the protection of Israel; this is more of a gift to Israel than to the Palestinians. Also, last year, Saudi Prince al-Waleed announced (Haaretz) a future high-rise in TA in poartnership with an Israeli firm and he is already in partnership with another, Eldad in NYC's Plaza Hotel. As to the others, last year saw the opening of 2 outlets of a major Israeli high-end retailer in a Dubai mall and just about every Arab country is currently doing business with Israel in one form or another. Not very far to go to establish full ties. Regrettably, none of these establishing of ties resulted in any gains for the Palestinians.

If the cool relatons between Israel and Egypt and Jordan are any indication, normal ties are not possible in the mid East. True, the continued settlement is an irritaion to all Arabs, but on their side they have never shown a willingness to psychologically accept Israel in any normal sense. Every arrangement they want is turning back the clock, now yearning for 67. When Arabs acknowledge Israel they will have overcome their own psychogical obstacle and be ready for real dialogue and peace. Both sides need to change, til then they are all Nisht Normali.

also continue to implement our right as human beings and as Jews to settle throughout Eretz Israel (Land of Israel), in the Galil and the Golan, in the Negev and the Aravah, in Shomron and Jehudah. Because we don't have another country.

So let them deliver first. No one has responded for Israel keeping it's word and pulling out of Gaza for which we got nothing but rockets

Israel has a legal right, based on the established laws of war, to retain any territory captured in a defensive war it deems necessary to ensure its security. That's the way it's always been; the rules can't change just because Jews are the victors and Arabs the losers. "Peace for peace" and "reciprocity" should be the guiding principles.

It won't take long time for Israel to ruin these ties with Arab world, because Israelis think with their guns not with their heads like the rest of the world.

will pay a heavy price for sure. I don't think any Arab leader would be that stupid or naive to do such a stupid thing. The arab people will no longer stand by and allow clear treason to occur by their corrupt governments. The arab people will fight back hard and their governments will fall one by one. Obama must not budge one inch. He should stand by what he said and demand that all settlements be removed unconditionally per International Law.

"what steps toward normalization the Arab states have agreed to take in exchange for a partial freeze in West Bank settlements." To a PARTIAL freeze? Answer: None. "We've done our part," Nooooooooooooo, you haven't. Your "part" is a complete freeze including natural growth, consistent with the Mitchell Report. You still haven't done that, and Mitchell won't sign off on a "we've done our part" until you do.

The only offer that should be on the table is peace for peace. nobody in their right mind sjould give an inch of hard won territory for an arab peace. Israel is not the US who returned worthless islands to Japan after defeating it in WW II. by the way the US did keep a bunch of Ialands in the pacific for itself,as did Russia in keeping the Kurils and Sakhalin. The only reasonable peace is to keep all the land from the Jordan to the sea and have the Saudis, the EU and US pay for resettling the Palestinian arabs elsewhere in the vast extent of lands and states controlled by their co religionists. Keep on expanding ther settlements and removing the Moslems.

this story just makes me laugh. why do the states who pledge these ties choose to remain anonymous? what good does that do? I suppose that "normal" relations with Israel is equivalent to a permissable rocket attack or suicide bombing every few weeks. Get real.

And "your part" was to accelerate the settling on the WB? Strange, I tend to remember differently. - "but now we want to see that we will also get something in exchange." Indeed ... I wonder what that will be?

anybody with half a mind believe this? right...normal terror!

this is justified by the saudi financing of terror against jews. More importantly israel would not need "friends" for support. In controlling saudi oil israel would gain real independence which would enable it to wage unequivocal war on its enemies. Which country would attack israel if it is ensuring the supply of oil to the west. It is foreigners who man the saudi oilfields. Those who would attack are already at war with israel.

The US and many other countries have rejected the principle of the right of Conquest for territoty acquired after WWII. So Israel will probably be looking at trading land to keep settlements. So is Ariel worth giving up Be'er Sheva? Is Gush Etzion worth Ashkelon and Ashdod and Sderot?