Israel Matzav

Is Palestinian Statehood Still a Valid Option?

This provocative article by former Israeli ambassador to the United States Zalman Shoval, asks some of the questions we all should be asking. Shoval's bottom line:

The fact that Hamas and its future government refuse to take upon themselves the most fundamental obligations under the "roadmap," let alone previous agreements such as Oslo, Paris, Wye, and Sharm E-Sheik, and to do away with the "right of return," dictates a reevaluation of Palestinian statehood as an American and Israeli goal.

Shoval makes several cogent articles why a Palestinian state - even under a best case scenario - will not solve the 'Palestinian problem:'

1. A 'Palestinian state' was supposed to bring about peaceful coexistence. Even before Hamas came to power, Shoval says that it was not clear this would happen (I would argue that it was clear it would not happen, and Hamas coming to power has just made it clearer).

2. Many argue that a 'Palestinian state' would solve the 'refugee problem' by providing a home for those 'Palestinians' who left their homes in 'Israel proper' during the 1948 and 1967 wars. But Shoval notes that the 'right of return' would be limited to the 'Palestinian state' under the terms of George Bush's letter to Ariel Sharon in April 2004, and that the 'Palestinian state' would not be able to absorb more than 10-15% of the claimed refugees. My belief is that the 'Palestinians' would never agree to limit the 'right of return' to a 'Palestinian state' and their real goal is to plant a population bomb within 'Israel proper.'

3. Hamas' victory undermines President Bush's vision of a 'peaceful Palestinian state.' As Shoval points out:

In fact, the cornerstone of Hamas' program, its very raison-d'etre, is the destruction of Israel, replacing it with an Islamist, fundamentalist, intolerant state reaching from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River and beyond. The dominant theme of all their statements goes as follows: no territorial compromise - no peace even if Israel were to hand over all the territories and eastern Jerusalem; at most, some sort of temporary armistice (hudna) at the end of which "we may perhaps consider the possibility of eliminating the clause calling for Israel's destruction."

Shoval makes a fair argument that a 'Palestinian state' is not the only possible outcome that may lead to peace between Israel and the Arabs.

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:47 PM