Ramat Shlomo and the prospects for peace
I understand why the 'Palestinians' and their Arab patrons are making such a big deal out of Ramat Shlomo. Since they have no interest in peace and only want to destroy the Jewish state, their actions make sense. But what about the Americans and the Europeans? Why are they making such a big deal about it? Evelyn Gordon says that their actions show that they haven't learned a lesson that peace requires concessions from both sides.Ramat Shlomo already has more than 20,000 residents — far too big to be uprooted even without the planned 1,600 new houses. It is also, as Rick noted, of considerable strategic importance, dominating all of Jerusalem’s major roads; thus Israel would insist on retaining it, even if not a single Jew lived there. Finally, its location in no way precludes the division of Jerusalem, which is what both Washington and Europe claim to want: situated in the corner formed by two other huge Jewish neighborhoods to its west and south, it does not block a single Arab neighborhood from contiguity with a future Palestinian state.Why are the Americans and Europeans making such an issue out of Ramat Shlomo? There are two explanations. One is that they are so totally in the Arabs' pocket that they are not capable of looking at the situation objectively. The other is that they too would like to see the end of the Jewish state.
Thus if Washington and Europe were serious about wanting an agreement, they would essentially tell the Palestinians: “Grow up. You can’t turn the clock back 43 years, so not everything that was Jordanian-occupied territory in May 1967 will eventually become Palestinian. Some of it will remain Israeli — and that includes Ramat Shlomo. Don’t waste time and energy fighting Israeli construction in areas that will never be part of Palestine; focus on fighting construction in areas that realistically could be Palestinian under any agreement.”
Instead, by their over-the-top condemnations, America and Europe have fed the Palestinians’ fantasy that they can turn the clock back — because the only way this new construction could be the enormous obstacle to an agreement that the world has labeled it is if Ramat Shlomo actually could and should become Palestinian.
Take your pick.
What could go wrong?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:43 PM
3 Comments:
"The other is that they too would like to see the end of the Jewish state."
If Palestinians ever positioned themselves as real peace partners and made honest and real steps to get there some of this brouhaha 'might' make sense. However, the Palestinians have done nothing but pledge in every facet of their lives to push Israel into the sea. The powers that be know it for after all they are not stupid! The powers that be see Abbas standing beneath a large poster which shows all of Israel, Palestine. They know what it means yet not one has called Abbas on it let alone admit to it. Why? The answer ugly as it is, is obvious.
There is no other rational reason why in all these years world leaders including US presidents have lied through their teeth to push so hard at risk of destroying Israel. Why else is Israel a pariah when there are places in the world where Islamic murders hack innocent people to death while the world barely winks? If not inherent Antisemitism how is it when world leaders see a blown up bus they always connect it with occupation and sympathy for those who comment such acts?
I do believe one thing and that is world leaders do believe peace in the ME is tied to Palestinian statehood. Bottom line, it is what lies within them consciously and or unconsciously
which drives such dangerous and false illusions.
It is the epicenter of all Jewish pain forever.
There is another explanation. Namely, reflexive shopping for leftist votes. By making those votes they appear strong to their target constituency in manner that is not likely to raise much opposition in media. I don't think most of them care at all about the conflict, except for what it can give them.
Its anti-Semitism. There is NO rational reason for objecting to construction in Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem. The only reason for international opposition is the world doesn't like Jews living in Jerusalem much less than ruling the city. Unfortunately, the Jews have nowhere else to go - Yesha is off-limits due to the freeze and the rest of Israel is too crowded to receive them.
The world would like to see an end to the Jews' experiment in independence and this is something that is not going to disappear in our lifetime.
That is the crux of the uproar surrounding Ramat Shlomo.
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