Muqata Reader "Jerry" asked a very pointed (though valid) question:
Unfortunately, the world believes that the only "just" way for Israel to arrive at a peaceful solution is through territorial abandonment.
Heading off Olmert at the pass, MK Benny Elon is proposing an alternative peace plan; not based on relinquishing what little of a homeland we have left, not based on negotiating with terrorists, and not based an providing endless cash handouts to corrupt mafiosos who terrorize their own local population.
You may find it unrealistic, but since when has "practical" ever been a requirement for a peace deal with the Arabs? The right of Israel to "Hot Pursuit after Palestinian Terrorists" ensured in the Oslo Accords was never practical; even Yossi Beilin said that. Access to Kever Rachel, Kever Yosef, and the Shalom Al Yisrael shul in Yericho are not "practical", yet that never stopped Israel's leaders from including "impractical" details like those.
So MK Benny Elon has his plan:
"If the Jordanians would not treat the holy sites entrusted to them properly (albeit not as improperly as pre-1967 because we do have a peace deal with them and presumably there would be some Israeli recourse)- yet a deal that included their sovereignty would bring about true peace between Israel and the Palestinians, would you not approve of such a deal? Is that too big a price to pay if there can truly be peace?"My answer: Honestly? No. Not even for a promise of real peace. Why? We didn't fight for the existence of Israel to be dhimmi under the protectorate of the Arab world. If I would be willing to disown Jerusalem, I might as well accept the Uganda plan...or live in New Zealand.
Unfortunately, the world believes that the only "just" way for Israel to arrive at a peaceful solution is through territorial abandonment.
Heading off Olmert at the pass, MK Benny Elon is proposing an alternative peace plan; not based on relinquishing what little of a homeland we have left, not based on negotiating with terrorists, and not based an providing endless cash handouts to corrupt mafiosos who terrorize their own local population.
You may find it unrealistic, but since when has "practical" ever been a requirement for a peace deal with the Arabs? The right of Israel to "Hot Pursuit after Palestinian Terrorists" ensured in the Oslo Accords was never practical; even Yossi Beilin said that. Access to Kever Rachel, Kever Yosef, and the Shalom Al Yisrael shul in Yericho are not "practical", yet that never stopped Israel's leaders from including "impractical" details like those.
So MK Benny Elon has his plan:
"The political discourse in Israel consists of old-fashioned concepts and mistakes," Elon said. "The assumptions are that in order to achieve peace, we must relinquish territory; that the Palestinians are a partner; and that Israel is prohibited from dealing with the refugee problem. These conceptions have failed and brought us to the place we are today: No peace, terror, Hamas controls Gaza and is threatening to seize control of Judea and Samaria. We must reexamine all the underlying assumptions that brought us to this current situation, and think differently, 'outside the box.'"Including important issues like humanitarian relief for Palestinians and the dismantling of virulently the anti-Israel, anti-refugee solution organization like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency are important solutions that address the real issues.
According to the initiative, the West Bank would remain under Israeli sovereignty, but Palestinians would become Jordanian citizens. The plan is based on three main principles: the rehabilitation of refugees and the dismantling of the refugee camps; strategic cooperation with Jordan; and Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.
Elon said Israel must strive to find a humanitarian solution to the Palestinian refugee problem instead of a political one. He proposed dismantling the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, an organization that he said "perpetuated the refugee problem" and collaborated with the Palestinians to use the refugee issue as a political tool against Israel. Refugees would then be offered permanent housing, citizenship and generous rehabilitation grants.Of course Olmert won't be happy with such a proposal -- you don't win Nobel Peace Prizes without giving away Israel's homeland.
He cited surveys carried out among the Palestinians that testified that 30 to 50 percent of them were interested in a humanitarian solution in other countries. He said that Jordan and other moderate Arab countries had an interest in cooperating with Israel in implementing such a plan, because of the nuclearization of Iran, the Shi'ite takeover in Iraq and the Hamas coup in Gaza.
"For the first time, a new situation has been created in the Middle East that creates common interests between us, the moderate Arab countries and the international community and turns the plan into a possibility," Elon said. (Read it all here in the JPost)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael
What would he do about Gaza?
ReplyDeleteAnon: Israel's running away from Gaza has become a disaster. Here's a serious plan which got little attention because it disagreed with the major premise of the Israeli Left, "Abandon All of Gaza, Regardless of Cost."
ReplyDeleteWhile I personally don't like this plan, it's an alternative.
http://omegagroup.freeservers.com/
anon:
ReplyDelete"What would he do about Gaza?"
he would respond that this is what happens when you make unilateral moves outside the framework of a peace process. of course this would ignore all the previous agreements reached with the palestinians within such a framework that they ultimately reneged on.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Jordan already have a Law of Return for Palestinians? It's not like this is such a radical idea...
ReplyDeleteHere's another "radical" right-wing idea.
ReplyDeleteTake the billions of dollars being wasted on the useless Fence/Wall and offer it to Palestinian families willing to move to another country (and assist them with the visas).
How do I know this will work?
(A) Most of the Palestinian I've talked to would love to move to the good ol' USA. Especially after I tell them how good it is there.
(B) Emmigration is high from the PA, and would be higher if more people could get permits to leave.
(C) There are some quiet programs that do just this (including helping with the Visas), but they are on a small scale.
(D) Just last month, some people, one of them, a Palestinian multi-millionaire, were sitting in my house discussing how he makes money as the middle-man who helps Palestinian families emmigrate.
He described it as an all-around win-win solution.
And that's a right-wing solution.