New Palestinian strategy document will make it difficult for U.S. to oppose UN vote
More than 50 Palestinian officials, researchers and advisers have crafted a strategy for both before and after the UN vote.
By Akiva Eldar Tags: Palestinians West Bank Benjamin Netanyahu Shimon PeresPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is probably aware that when it comes to a media event, like a speech at the UN General Assembly, President Shimon Peres doesn’t have to be asked twice to sacrifice himself for the nation. Someone who has been watching the honorable president for decades once told me that Peres is blessed with a unique characteristic: He always knows how to adjust reality according to his needs at the time.
So Peres will easily be able to convince himself that the nation (if not the entire universe) is demanding that he travel to New York next month to represent the prime minister at the assembly declaring a Palestinian state. But this time Peres is expected to face opposition from close associates.
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| Photo by: Amos Biderman |
“How can Peres promise the world that Netanyahu has accepted the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders when he himself has long since lost his faith in Netanyahu’s intention of reaching such an agreement?” asked one of them. The source adds, “Can the president repeat the words he said in the spring of 2009 at the AIPAC conference in Washington, to the effect that Netanyahu wants to make history and peace is his primary interest?”
It’s true that Netanyahu is making history. On his watch the UN General Assembly is expected to recognize an independent Palestinian state by a huge majority. The wording of the draft, crafted in recent days by the Fatah leadership, is designed to enable even “problematic” countries such as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic to climb on board, or at least abstain.
This version will make it difficult for the United States and the Marshall Islands, and even for Israel, to explain their votes against the proposal. Instead of recognizing Palestine within the 1967 borders, it will state that the permanent borders will be determined in negotiations with Israel based on the borders of June 4, 1967. This approach made it possible to enlist the support of leading moderates in Hamas, who claim that recognition of the 1967 borders before the signing of a final-status deal means waiving the claim to the right of return.
Several of those people are signatories to a new strategic position paper, drafted by more than 50 Palestinian government officials, researchers and advisers − members of the Palestine Strategy Group. This is the forum that in 2008 composed a document recommending that the leadership transfer the conflict to the United Nations.
Historic workshops
The new document presents the Palestinian strategy both before and after the UN vote.
Among the participants in the group’s workshops over the past year in Jericho, Gaza and Istanbul were Omar Abdel Razek, the former finance minister in the Hamas government in the West Bank, and Nasser al-Shaer, that government’s education minister. Next to them sat senior Fatah officials including associates of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas − former Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and senior adviser Mohammad Shtayyeh. Other signatories are Naser al-Kidwa, a former Palestinian observer at the United Nations, Fatah Deputy Secretary General and Communications Minister Sabri Saydam, and former economics minister and businessman Mazen Sinokrot.
Already in the preface, the authors stress that “strategic unity,” now greatly enhanced by the reconciliation process, is a key condition for putting together an effective strategy. The document’s starting point: Given the Israeli government’s intransigence, the option of settling the conflict via bilateral negotiations − the path pursued by the Palestinian leadership for 20 years − is no longer available.
Most of the document’s authors support the option of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital and a fair arrangement that will fulfill the right of return and the compensation of the Palestinian refugees. The document rejects the possibility of continuing the status quo, maintaining that the endless negotiations provide cover for expanding the settlements and consolidating the occupation. The authors also erase from the agenda the option of a Palestinian state with temporary borders and limited sovereignty, under effective Israeli control.
If the strategy of a diplomatic struggle for Palestinian independence − including sanctions, turning to the International Criminal Court and nonviolent resistance as in Egypt and Tunisia − does not change the situation, the group recommends switching to what the document calls Plan B: dismantling the Palestinian Authority and restoring responsibility for the West Bank’s inhabitants to Israel. The authors are not ignoring the price their public would pay for that, but wonder what honorable option would remain.
If it turns out that this option is unattainable, the authors recommend working toward a model of a binational state or democratic state without distinction between Israel and Palestinian citizens. Another possibility is a confederation between Jordan and the Palestinian state.
No armed struggle
The authors recommend explaining to the Israelis that they must forget the plan for unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank, with restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, and the dream of annexing Gaza to Egypt and the West Bank to Jordan.
They hope their neighbors will understand that the realistic alternatives to a genuine negotiated settlement will be far worse for Israel’s security.
Most participants in the workshops rejected an armed struggle against a foreign occupation and especially the use of violence against civilians. But the authors warn that a change in strategy from an attempt to achieve political independence to a conflict like the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa will play into the hands of extremists in the region.
“Should this happen, not just Israel’s legitimacy will be under threat, but its very existence, ” they conclude. “And this will have been brought about by Israel itself.”
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First, there are NO 1967 "Borders". It's an Armistice Line. 2nd, recognizing or negotiating in regards to those Lines are the same things. 3rd, even a faux Muslim like Obama isn't going to find it "hard" to veto such a program: if he wants to be reelected. 4th, I'm not fond of Netanyahu either but blaming him for the intransigence of the Muslims is unfair as well as not true. 5th, I think its clear to all that putting Muslims on the heights above T.A., Ben Gurion, etc. as well as surrendering the water pumps which supply 80% of the water is doubtful. Finally, there is NO "Security concern(s)" which will be "worse" than doing any of those things.
Most US citizens oppose being connected with the UN in any capacity. Most all vote against us most of the time...Still we say get the US out of the UN and get the UN out of the US..thank you...
Nothing has changed with the goals or purpose of the PLO since it's days of hijacking and bombing civilian airplanes. The leadership is still the same, the ideals, the corruption and the threat of terror. This latest plan of the PLO is not any different accept that it attempt to manipulate the public before the latest wave of Arab terror. When will we collectively agree to ban the PLO and all similar terror organizations and focus on possibilities of peace?
The world body for the sake of islamic oil do not criticise hamas or hisbollah for their terrorist activities against israel. The uno does not criticise china for occupying tibet or for threatening the south china sea based countries for oil. With this sort of useless world body what sort of justice can the jews expect. Turkey was called as the sick man of europe and still it occupies northern cyprus. So the uno must ask all the colonial powers to leave cyprus before asking israel to leave east jerusalem. Israel needs time to leave west bank because of security concern. So in the admission stage itself usa must prevent the plo terrorists to attend the uno session.
An increasing number of diaspora Jews would prefer that you respect their decision to quietly walk away from Israel.
and which obama arms length "friends'advisors" have been quietly "advising" the palestinian advisors? malley? power? khalidi?
Seeing Saddam Hussein pulled out of a hole in the ground has been the greatest stimulus to overthrowing the dictators and moving towards democracy. Way to go.
it won't matter - the US vetoed the Settlement Resolution even though it was written to be like stated US policy. Not only will they vote against Palestinian statehood but they will also encourage others to do so as well.
you will find US senate and congress takes its orders from Avigdor Lieberman - he is more revered in the US houses of congress and senate than in Israel
(1) it will state that the permanent borders will be determined in negotiations with Israel based on the borders of June 4, 1967. So, for now, the borders are temporary...but: (2) The authors also erase from the agenda the option of a Palestinian state with temporary borders Conclusion: one of these two phrases (at least) is wrong (or else...the document doesn't talk about a Palestinian state after all...???)
(1) gives the Palestinians "real" borders (i.e. the 1967 Lines = the borders), and these can only be changed by mutual agreement, and what that sentence is saying is that the Palestinians are signalling that they are perfectly willing to enter into such negotiations, but (2) gives the Palestinians borders-that-aren't-borders, which means that if the negotiations are fruitless then the Palestinians face the prospect of having their "real" borders dictated to them by Israel. Which, obviously, is unacceptable to them.
The PLO does not support its people and lives on donations from Christain countries, just as Hamas lives on donations from Iran. And when will be the next elections - if ever?
occupiers Arabs in Judea and Samaria? I think this arab occupation must end now - Arabs not loyale to the Jewish State of Israel should return to Jordan or Egypt the countries they originate from.
...what's your point?
The Palestinians cannot deliver to their people what they promissed, a Judenrein palestine from the Jordan to the sea. It cannot deliver real jobs and opportunity. Real healthcare and clean water. All the tens of billions poured into to the PA and Hamas has gone for salaries for make work government parasites. The minute they are a state and the gifts stop coming they will sink into the typical islamo third world poverty cycle as Egypt and Syria. And for the dimwits who talk about aid to israel being equivalent to that to the PA, Israel gets aid only for military support since the IDF supplies a long arm for the free world in this area, including key intelligence and state of the art technologies. Israel's economy is one of the strongest in the west and the per capita productivity of its citizens is on par with the Eruopeans (and that after having to carry its Haredi and Arab parasitic no tax paying non working populations). So all you Islamo-fascists out there, you can bark all day but under your propaganda and infantile lies and mythological history of yourselves you are stuck with who and what your societies are. Backward, primitive, totalitarian fundamentalistic mysoginist, homophobic 2nd rate countries who contribute almost nothing but oil and terror to the general world civilization.
yes!
Obama will do what his massa Netanyahu tells him to do.
Wrong branch of government...the branch of which you speak is the legislative...Congress is the culprit, not the White House!!!
Don't speculate on something you don't now, it's seems like an advice from a phalse prophet .
That ultimately there WILL BE WAR..Hve said it time and again,and wish Akiva to wake up from his slumber and aknowledge the TRUTH without any DEVIATION OR PROCASTINATION on what will INEVITABLY will come to PASS.No point in any dissembling here.. We are at war even as we speak.. Akiva needs to refresh his memory before the TRUTH is manifested when he takes a DEEP BREATH ...At least I hope he will. (kathleen)
The USA needs to carefully assess it's historic positions for the sake of longer term strategic objectives in the Middle East. Change is occurring in the Arab world, and the USA needs to be a positive part of that. Old alliances that have proven to be unreliable should not be allowed to damage the USA.
Aparently we already have assessed our positions and have stabbed every friend we had in the back! Those who cannot see Obama's handiwork in setting up the new Caliphate and the destruction of Israel are blind. Israel need not worry, but America should.
Once it is declared all Palestinians are now in the care of Palestine. Welfare programs, medical, education, industry and unemployment and employment ventures. This could only be good for Israel. A State has obligations to it;s citizens and needs to provide for them, it can not also live on UN and international aid handouts but needs to provide industry and jobs. This will mean austerity for the Palestinians but such is normal for anything new born, it took Israel several decades to become financially capable and life was austere for the first few decades. Gaza is another matter all together, with their theological and military war against Israel, it can never expect open borders with it's neighbour.
some of those billions given to israel every year free of charge, should then be given to the palestinians or perhapps stop that donation and use that money here to help feed our school children and to help pay for the medicine our retired peope need.
It will better spent in america than in the hands of the arabs, but JO is right about that the pals wont be able of living only on int. aid, they will have to build their country by themself.
Have you considered what you are saying. The money the Us government gives to Israel is not a gift, it is more of a bribe to keep Israel buying US products, the money is used to pay interest on the purchases(mainly military). If US stops this grants Israel is free to purchase anywhere in the world. If Israel does that thousands of US jobs will be lost. The US government also gives grants to other countries such as GB, France, Pakistan, etc. for the same purpose although there is less leftist and Arab propoganda on that part
You make out that Israel's economy would be unstable without US aid. If you did your homework, you would know that US aid to Israel makes up 3% of Israel's GDP. Compare that to the 20%+ that the Palestinians get, and it should re-arrange your blinkers.
And give thanks to G-d !
What about all those rockets and suicide attacks? As always, they'll have the political branch claiming - "we come in peace" and the rest of the organizations shooting people, as always.
Thought so.
Regrettably the Palestinians are making the same mistake that they have done for the last 63 years. Never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity. With the Middle East situation as fluid as it has ever been in the last 100 years , the Palestinian drafting experts continue to miss the one unavoidable point which is the non recognition of Israel as an Independent democratic constitutionally Jewish state and presumably an Islamic Palestinian state achieved by negotiations is a prerequisite to any solution. Declarations of borders etc are meaningless unless the populace are in favor . Todays events across the Maghreb and Middle East do not suggest any movement in the Palestinian and wider Middle Easts current major powers rejection of Israel and so realistically places all these international manoeuvrings like a mirage rather than serious face to face negotiations. Neither declarations or external imposition will bring proper peace to fruition.
Palestinians recognized Israel over 20 years ago. And to be a "constitutionally Jewish state" you need to have a constitution first. Stop making excuses and end the occupation once an for all.
It amazes me that Fiona thinks the only holding point on the Israeli side is recognition of Israel as a Jewish State....everyone knows the sticking point is giving up territory, dismantling settlements, sharing Jerusalem. THe Jewish State thing is a distraction. Israel has been recognized by the Palesitnains as a state for ALL its citizens. end of story.
You know full well the Palestinians do not accept a Jewish state next to theirs, so why lie about it? It's your kind that is the obstacle to peace. Idiot
Ibrahim; you are right but you fail to mention the key issue which is the right of return which in effect destroys the Jewish state which is not a distraction. Us 5m Jewish refugees and descendents from the Arab world are not keen to return to minority status again.
This idea makes the most sense with Gaza and the East Bank forming Jordan-Palestine and those who Arabs who are west of West Bank will be encourage to return home to the new nation on the East Bank. The suggestion of a "Bi-national" entity is simply code word for destroying Israel.
Your "solution" only shows that Zionists do not have any solution to offer.
They can have it tomorrow, even with Netanyahu, and they know it. All they need to do is commit to a binding and Total cessation of violence. Conversely they'll have to give up on the fantasy of having ALL of the west bank and the preposterous refugee claim.
The Palestinian leadership can't promise that ALL of it civilians will renounce violence any more than Israel can possibly hope to extract the same promise from their illegal settlers. Free will and all that...
Peres explaining to the world that Bibi believes what Bibi refuses to tell Israelis in Hebrew in the Knesset? Will Peres actually do such a thing? That sounds like Michelle Bachmann or Glenn Beck going to praise Obama for getting bin Laden.
These 3 things make perfect sense in regards to the expected UN vote for palestinian statehood in September; 1. The right of return is valid on the israeli side for jews for eternity, while all palestinians, including those born in the land of Palestine must forego the right of return forever 2. You can have a state without it having a capability of defending itself 3. You can have apartheid policies and call it the best form of democracy 4. When all else fails, you can always count on Uncle Sam (with 99.99% congress and senate members) to bail you out at the UN and on the battlefield
1. very few "refugees" were born in that land. 2 u cant have a state that cant defend itself. ill just get attacked. 3. have u been it israel? there is no apartied. there are people in the kanneset who are arab. 4. that what allies do
And not the right wing shura he has around him.
But I say don't trust the old cause he says one thing but always does another. Perez is even more sneaky then bibi
Remember the prophets....Ezekiel in particular when he prophesies to the mtns of Israel about those who claim its their possession....hint see chapter 36
LOL
The General Assembly can't even give them a virtual state if they are not defining what the borders of this state they want are and until its negotiated they can't seek UN membership. All they are going to get is a General Assembly resolution endorsing talks ( which for 3 years Abbas has refused to take part in ). If thats the case they won't even need to worry about how the US feels because its basically only calling for negotiation so there is no need to go to the Security Council where the US has a veto. At the General Assembly they could demand Israe will forcibly be turned into a binational state through UN military action if needed and they would get overwhelming support because the General Assembly loves the arabs and hates Israel. As for the idea of any resolution that even mentions the idea of a fair arrangement for right of return and compensation for refugees, stick that in their and the US will vote against it. Right of return is nothing but a fantasy based on a UN General Assembly resolution. if they deicide to demand a state within pre determined borders and UN membership it will go to the Security Council and the US will veto it which will hammer the final nail in the peace process coffin and lead to an intafada and Cast Lead 2.
Without a complete cessation of all Settlement construction, Israel has NO MOTIVATION to negotiate in good faith toward a solution that produces a viable Palestinian state. The UN can require this and set a deadline after which it will impose a solution.
In practice author hop to imposes solution on Israel which doom to fail if Israel deside turn security fence border leave scraps Palestinians what can they do nothing other maybe cry UN wast time anyway. PA wise accept temporal borders with might left same border just the same plan do those border how respond either build army or if just live them.
Read the Palestinian National Charter and the Hamas Covenant. As far as they are concerned, "Palestine, with the boundaries it had during the British Mandate, is an indivisible territorial unit." (Article 2 of the PNC). The Hamas Covenant supports genodice (Article 9); rejects any compromise of partition (Article 11) and rejects any negotiations (Article 13). As far as the Palestinians are concerned, ALL of the land, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, is "their land". How many times must Abbas repeat that Palestine will have no Jewish presence before you believe his intentions? How many times must Haniyeh state that "There's no room for the Jews between the river and the sea" before you understand that they mean exactly what they say?
so i guess there were no jews living there in peace with the arabs before UN took a big dump of Zionist crap all over Palestine
This despite the fact that UN resolution in the past said the 67 borders weren't final. The 67 borders fallacy means that PA gets the whole old city including the western wall and the jewish quarter in the old city where jordan burned synogagues and arafat and the PA say no synogague could face the western wall and now they want the whole old city including the jewish quarter. Anyone declaring PA gets the whole city and the western wall and all the jewish synogagues in the old city is a religious decree and a religious war against jews. Who the hell are they including obama to say PA gets the western wall and the jewish quarter. Who the hell are they to say the future is iran and hamas being in charge of the jewish quarter of the old city when hamas already had riots when a jewish synogague opened in the old city. The western left and islamists have declared a religious war against jews.
they are the israelis who signed the geneva accords= no land taken in war
There are no realistic negations to be had with Israel. They want to continue the occupation and expand settlements. They keep doing it (not just saying it), so why live in denial?
has conquered by the swrod most of the middle east, north africa, part of africa and asia and spain. Israel is like Poitier in 732 AD. The Jordan river is where arab expansion stops. Does the world really need ONE MORE arab state? And named after a roman mythological god to boot. Cannot be written or pronounced in arabic. They should call it nakba, a more fitting name.
And the correct name, since it is from Filistia, the ancient Canaanite land. It is Palestine that is a mispronunciation, made probably by the Greeks, as Herodotos is the first to record the version "Palaestina" in his Histories c. 440BC. The Greeks replaced the "f" phoneme with a "p" and the Romans used the Greek version, hence it is the Western version due to the Greco-Roman legacy. Most cannot pronounce Palestine, saying "Balestine," since the "b" phoneme does not exist in the language. But Falasteen is the name. And it does not come from a Roman god, you are historically unbalanced.
from Philistine ("land of invaders") Palestina Roman was the name given to Rome's new conquest, in honor of Pales (or Palaes), god of the east, guardian of shepards, both male and female, with the head of a donkey and a human body. There is no etymological,historical or geographical connection between Philistia (12th century BC) and Palestine(1st century AD). The PLO adopted Filasteen, for ease of pronunciation.
In our system, the President conducts foreign policy "with the advice and the consent of the Congress" (ref.: US Constitution).
The majority of the American people oppose Israel's policies in the occupied territories especially when it comes to the illegal settlements which is what they all are. However, AIPAC is a very strong lobby and few members of Congress have the spine to stand up to them. Obama himself is nothing more than Netanyahu's puppet. The majority of the Palestinian suffering is never really shown in the U.S. and this is not by accident.
Democracy is susceptible bribes and manipulation, not so the bill of rights.
NOT democracy, works...
But you knew this already, didn't you, so you're just trying to mislead people. Again.
Most Americans don't want to send billions to Israel to build illegal settlements. Washington has been bought.
Obama may be stupid enough to depend on Jew money for his bid for four more years in the whitehouse. But the American public will be the deciding factor. And their aren't that many Jews. And a great many people in America read about the actions of the(" Morral") IDF and Nutty-yahu. And aren't real happy with what they read. Don't depend on Obama. You could be run over by the bus.
The approval rating of the congress or more precisely the disapproval rating is 87%. This is the congress that dances to the tunes of the AIPAC. American constitution need to be amended to get rid of all lobbying power that affect decisions for US citizens. A fair congress; a tranparent system will lead to unbiased us consitituion. Most of those congress that leans towards Israel are jews congressmen whose first loyalty is to Israel then to their country.
The approval rating of the congress or more precisely the disapproval rating is 87%. This is the congress that dances to the tunes of the AIPAC. American constitution need to be amended to get rid of all lobbying power that affect decisions for US citizens. A fair congress; a tranparent system will lead to unbiased us consitituion. Most of those congress that leans towards Israel are jews congressmen whose first loyalty is to Israel then to their country.
Rule by Donor. No Donations = No Money = No TV Time = No Campaign = Not Elected Interesting that the airwaves are granted to private owners by the government who then use that monopoly to extract $$$ from candidates. Equal Air Time should be granted to all candidates in return for broadcasting license.
Bill, please post some proof of what you said here. Most americans do nNOT oppose Israels policies. Quite the contrary. We the people have spoken and our government has heard us so congress will not support a UN mandate. Next time, provide some evidence before you start spewing off your left wing BS.
This document seems to be well mapped out and covers most contingencies that might arise during the process of the establishment of the Palestinian State. Shimon Peres will need to marshal all of the tools of his undisputed masterful statesmanship, polished over decades of global use, in order to present Israel's case in front of the U.N, especially since that "case" lacks the basic merits of having utilized the means available in such nation-building enterprises: negotiations in good faith, collaboration and compromises. Netanyahu knows when to let someone else douse the fire that he started.
do remember akiva, as a practical matter, 2012 is right around the corner. obama is a purely political animal, so short term, he'll vetoe. After he wins 2012, I think you will see the real obama israel policy come to light....for now, he needs the american jews vote and money. The man is totally transparent.
38% approval and 27% of Dems want someone else.
The dilemma for Obama is pretty stark: if he veto's NOW then the Palestinians will not wait until 2012 before moving to Plan B i.e. vetoing NOW ensures that he loses control of this "peace process" well before 2012. Obama simply isn't going to be able to avoid the fact that Standing Aside And Letting This Pass is actually going to be a better option *for* *Israel* than Stomping On This Plan Now and then watching the PA dissolve itself.
Obama has made it absolutely clear he will never stand up to Netanyahu and will NEVER oppose anything Israel demands of him.
When Israel's foreign ministry decided to trash oldest relationships. If my memory serves me correctly in mid February of last Lieberman got baited like champ, and decided to respond to Syria's saber rattling at a college. Where he threatened that Israel would march to Euphrates and kill Assad along with his family during a future war. Syria responded by openly aligning themselves with Hezbollah. A month later they decided to humiliate Joe Biden by announcing 1,600 new settlements as he affirmed the Israel-US alliance. If that wasn't enough about four days after that the Deputy FM drug the Turkish ambassador on TV, sat him in a child's sized chair, and told the camera this was to humiliate him. Here's the thing, the Obama administration was trying open formal diplomatic ties with Assad as Lieberman made those statements. The US also has a longstanding strategic alliance with the Turks, and has to count on them for a lot of things. While you've forgotten those events happened in rapid succession Obama has not, but that doesn't make his administration exempt from the public duties of an alliance. Because the alliance is with the US, not a particular administration.
The Palestinian leadership MUST stress that if the USA insists on styming them in the UN then the Palestinians will **not** return to the status quo i.e. they must make the USA understand that the Plan B will be to dissolve the PA and throw the full responsibility (and the entire cost) for the occupation onto Netanyahu's shoulders. There are still some deluded souls in the USA who think that they can dictate the course of this "peace process", and so Abbas must make them understand that causing gridlock in the UN is going to produce a WORSE result for Israel than simply standing aside and letting that resolution pass.
Once you have eliminated all the impossible options, what is left must be the only logical outcome.
Isreal must choose, "The Dome and The Rocks" or the Arab Peace Initiative.
Already Egypt and Lebanon are completely unable to hold their own lands clean of terrorists. Do you REALLY think Palestinians will be able to do so?... To me, and Arab peace initiative that only lasts 10 years is not worth sacrificing the temple mount.
Annex the 'West Bank'. Apply the terms specified under the Biblical passage of Ezekiel 47: 21-23. Make the land grants the exact size of the domiciles and businesse without making any concessions for 'farms' or 'public areas'. Extend this to the Arabs living in the areas of Judea and Samaria only. The dictum in Ezekiel requires only that the children of the foreigners be given land and made citizens. But, the parents of those children cannot be deported as is now the modus operandi for other foreign (contract) workers and thei children. One nation, one language, one school system, one government and by act of God, one people! Pre-empt the UN. Just do it!
An exercise in pointlessness. Nobody will recognize a unilateral annexation by an occupying power. Not even the USA. After all, it's now 40+ years since Israel took the "easy solution" of annexing all of Jerusalem, and the head-count of countries that recognize that Israeli declaration is exactly one: Israel.
That is brilliant. My respect. I wonder if an unilateral redrawal is really out of the question, leaving a bleeding border between Israel and a Palestinian-jordanian confederation. I wonder how long the king can keep his thrown? A comprehensive peace would be better, but to give up East Jerusalem is maybe too big a camel to swallow for any future Israeli government.
Israel controls the territory. Israel doesn't have to budge. Eldar is trying to frighten Israelis into withdrawing with ominous scenarios. The opposite will happen. Israel will continue to expand until the Palestinians accept that Israel will remain a Jewish state. Religious and nationalistic Jews know no other way.
If Israel refuses to budge then the Pals will move to Plan B: dissolve the Palestinian Authority and force Israel to pay for the entire cost of "not budging". Israel will have to pay the running costs for e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. and it simply does not have that money lying around,Sam.
akiva get pay from arabs as PR to do tht namly frighten Israelis the only reason
Israelis need to be frightened. The prolonging of the 40 year occupation of 3 million people and the denying of basic human rights to self-determination has cast a die that, unless Israel grows up, will not be good for Israel and her people.
Self-determination is not a basic human right. And Israel has never denied the Palestinians self-determination. By the way, do you know what "self-determination" means? It does not necessarily include statehood.
if israel does not have does not have that money lying around, then it will not be paid. and the impoverished palestinians will be scrabbling around for bread rather than missiles. bit of an own goal for abbas would you not say ?
Netanyahu has failed his people. Things are out of his control. The Palestinians played their cards very well, and certain consistency. They deserve to get their statehood, and no one should stand in their way.
....dismantling the PA and leaving Israel full control and full responsibility.
Dismantling the PA would not actually get Israel to exert full control. This threat requires the Israelis to take steps that they can choose to avoid.
That threat doesn't really hold any water any more. The US is broke. That means Israel won't get any either.
Would any country want, at this time, when the Palestinian People need all the help they can get, and Israel will continue to receive aid, not receive foreign aid Mr. zaider? Just out of malice?
If the USA concels foreign aid to the PA then Abbas will simply dissolve the PA. And once the PA dissolves then all the other foreign aid donations would also end, and that means the total bill for the West Bank (which will be in the $billions) will have to be born by the Occupying Power i.e. Israel will have to pay that bill.
and less freedom to move... Haven't seen any Israeli checkpoints in UK
Israel is the occupying power in the whole of the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan and Jerusalem. That is the opinion of the ICJ, the UN, and every UN member state. "17" is spitting into the wind.
The last time I was in London, traffic was gridlocked and there were inner city tariffs for driving private cars within the city. I think the Palestinians have more freedom of movement.
The last time I was in London, traffic was gridlocked and there were inner city tariffs for driving private cars within the city. I think the Palestinians have more freedom of movement.
That being the case, they don't qualify as a State since, in order to receive Statehood via the UNSC there are several qualifications: one of them being to be able to pay your own way.
More chestbeating from the arabs.
With the help of Egypt and Turkey.