The 'two-state solution' is dead
Avi Issacharoff, who seems generally sympathetic to the revenants, writes that the 'two-state solution' is impossible without forcing them to leave Judea and Samaria. Though most of them have never set foot in a settlement, the Israeli left, especially in Tel Aviv, tends to lump all settlers together – all rightist, extreme, ignorant and narrow minded. In Eli, like in many other settlements, the residents are actually very intelligent and well educated. They are enthusiastic Zionists, true, but not the kind who rejoice when a Palestinian olive grove goes up in flames. In a way I felt envious of these people – while I chase my next scoop they are making their dream of populating the land of Israel come true.What does Issacharoff expect? Does he expect the 'settlers' to leave voluntarily? Does he expect the IDF - whose officer corps consists more and more of the revenants and their sympathizers - to
According to Jewish tradition, the settlement of Eli is situated across from Shilo – the capital of the Kingdom of Israel where the pre-temple Ark of the Covenant was housed for 369 years. In the valley between Shilo and Eli, again according to local lore, the women of Israel danced and gave to the Jews the holiday of Tu B'Av – the holiday of love.
I personally believe that under any future agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, these people need to evacuate their land and relocate to land within the Green Line. But I feel obligated to say one or two positive words about the ones I met.
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It is important to understand that it was the State of Israel that sent these people to live where they currently reside, and now it is the same state trying to pressure them and restrict them. Their pain is understandable as the state tries to freeze their vision, but it is also apparent that the settlement enterprise cannot continue if we want to achieve a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians.
An overview of the region reveals that all the hilltops surrounding Eli are in Jewish hands. Some of them legally owned by Jews, and others illegally claimed. Such is the case in the hilly region surrounding Nablus as well: Yitzhar and its outposts, Itamar and its outposts. The Palestinian aspiration to establish a territorially continuous state seems imaginary, almost infantile, in light of the settlers control over every hilltop surrounding Nablus and Ramallah. Even more imaginary – the discussion surrounding the possibility that Israel will evacuate theses settlements one day. This is an impossible mission, at least for now. We're talking about some 100,000 Jews who will be forced to leave their homes, and that's not to mention the 250,000 Jews living in the settlement blocs that will likely remain under Israeli sovereignty.
The big scandal surrounding the Gaza settlement evacuation, when 9,000 Jews were evacuated, seems like a drop in the ocean when compared to the West Bank. Even if we do achieve a peace agreement with the Palestinians, it is unrealistic to expect the IDF and the police to be able to evacuate such a large number of people. It is especially unrealistic in light of the massive transformation that the IDF is undergoing currently - more and more of its officers are religious Zionists who identify with the right and oppose evacuating settlements.
Will the army be able to complete such a task? I don't have a clear answer. I can be sure, however, that despite my appreciation for the residents of Eli, Shilo and other mainstream settlements, the continuation of construction in these settlements will absolutely prevent the possibility of a peace deal with the Palestinians.
And why - to ask the fundamental question to which the Left has no answer - does the 'Palestinian state' have to be Judenrein (free of Jews) while the 'Jewish state' is forced to accept a 20% Arab minority and an irredentist one to boot?
It seems to me that the time has come to confront reality: The 'two-state solution' is dead. If it could ever have been implemented in the past, it can no longer be implemented in the present and it is even less likely to be capable of implementation in the future. (The 'two-state solution' deserved to die because it was based upon rewarding aggression and treating the Jewish people differently than any other people on earth, but that's a separate issue whose discussion is for historians and not for politicians). So now, what do we do? How do we live with the Arab minority in our midst (or do we)? And how do we let the World know that it's time to stop pursuing impossible 'solutions'?
It's time for us to confront reality. If we don't, no one else will.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:56 AM
6 Comments:
Its time for Israel to annex Yesha.
Its time for the Jews to stop rebelling against G-d and accept His gift.
Its time to proclaim Jewish sovereignty over the entire Land Of Israel.
The Arabs are not the problem. Weak, scared and timid Jews are. Of course the world will condemn Israel.
But it condemns Israel already anyway and its to terminate the 43 year old military occupation. Its outlived its usefulness.
And Ehud Barak can concentrate on defending Israel instead of harassing innocent Jews who simply want to live in the land of their forefathers. Time to get it done.
Some people say on an almost daily basis that the two-state solution is the only way forward. Hillary Clinton says this every chance she gets. The two-state solution is the only answer - the only way forward (or so she says).
The only way to get a two-state agreement is for Israel to commit national suicide (G-d forbid). The two states would be an Arab Muslim state and a failing binational state that would become an Arab Muslim state, too (heaven forbid).
It's definitely time for Israel to say that the two-state solution is a dead end. It's not going to happen and pushing for it only makes things worse.
The "Palestinians" have said all along that they'd prefer a one-state solution but they've always seen it as a situation where Fatah would sit on half of the PM chair. They want to be handed control over half (and then all) of Israel. There's no reason to give Fatah anything, though.
I think the only way to get out of the predicament of the two-state solution is to say that Israel will go for a one-state solution (including Judea and Samaria, but not Gaza at this point) and say that Israel will do it alone.
Fatah is a terror group and they're illegal in Israel so the PLO and Fatah would have to leave, including Mahmoud Abbas unless he retires completely.
In my opinion, Israel should go for a one-state solution that makes the land from the Jordan River to the Sea a JEWISH STATE.
I really believe that it can be done, especially while keeping up the security fence. It would take years to register "Palestinians" in Judea and Samaria as residents or citizens. The Arabs in Judea and Samaria aren't enough to outnumber Jews. There could be a 20 year plan to fix up Judea and Samaria while very slowly registering Arabs.
I think it's doable. No one is going to leave Israel alone to keep the status quo. The world's basing their frenzy for a two-state solution on the "Palestinians" unhappiness at not having a two-state or a one-state solution.
So I think Israel should give them a one-state solution where the one and only state is a Jewish state forever. If they have the right to vote, then they're not missing any of the rights in Israel behind the green line.
They just won't have the PLO and Fatah anymore with their mansions and their Mercedes Benz.
Well, they also won't have the run of the country due to their own behavior for the last 20+ years during two intifadas. The security fence should stay up for several generations.
It would take a lot of guts to come out with this plan, but I'm really starting to believe that this is the only way to get away from the two-state solution trap - and I do see the two-state solution as a deadly Israel-killer trap.
Some people say on an almost daily basis that the two-state solution is the only way forward. Hillary Clinton says this every chance she gets. The two-state solution is the only answer - the only way forward (or so she says).
The only way to get a two-state agreement is for Israel to commit national suicide (G-d forbid). The two states would be an Arab Muslim state and a failing binational state that would become an Arab Muslim state, too (heaven forbid).
It's definitely time for Israel to say that the two-state solution is a dead end. It's not going to happen and pushing for it only makes things worse.
The "Palestinians" have said all along that they'd prefer a one-state solution but they've always seen it as a situation where Fatah would sit on half of the PM chair. They want to be handed control over half (and then all) of Israel. There's no reason to give Fatah anything, though.
I think the only way to get out of the predicament of the two-state solution is to say that Israel will go for a one-state solution (including Judea and Samaria, but not Gaza at this point) and say that Israel will do it alone.
Fatah is a terror group and they're illegal in Israel so the PLO and Fatah would have to leave, including Mahmoud Abbas unless he retires completely.
In my opinion, Israel should go for a one-state solution that makes the land from the Jordan River to the Sea a JEWISH STATE.
I really believe that it can be done, especially while keeping up the security fence. It would take years to register "Palestinians" in Judea and Samaria as residents or citizens. The Arabs in Judea and Samaria aren't enough to outnumber Jews. There could be a 20 year plan to fix up Judea and Samaria while very slowly registering Arabs.
I think it's doable. No one is going to leave Israel alone to keep the status quo. The world's basing their frenzy for a two-state solution on the "Palestinians" unhappiness at not having a two-state or a one-state solution.
So I think Israel should give them a one-state solution where the one and only state is a Jewish state forever. If they have the right to vote, then they're not missing any of the rights in Israel behind the green line.
They just won't have the PLO and Fatah anymore with their mansions and their Mercedes Benz.
Well, they also won't have the run of the country due to their own behavior for the last 20+ years during two intifadas. The security fence should stay up for several generations.
It would take a lot of guts to come out with this plan, but I'm really starting to believe that this is the only way to get away from the two-state solution trap - and I do see the two-state solution as a deadly Israel-killer trap.
We'll probably have incessant Palestinians threats to account for the demise of the so-called two-state solution:
More here
Khaled Abu Toameh is correct that the PA's threats will backfire on it and undermine it. And Abu Bluff doesn't seem to realize no one cares any longer whether he stays or goes. That dog and pony show has worn out its welcome with Israelis.
Unfortunately events won't stand still. Israel does not appear to be prepared to reoccupy the West Bank, or if you will, Judah and Samaria. The question is not whether a government at this juncture would be prepared to expel dispersed populations but whether a government would be prepared to unilaterally consolidate to major settlement blocks along the separation fence, to avoid reoccupation, and downgrade protection of Israeli citizens left on the wrong side, in favor of periodic military intervention and "mowing the grass" on whatever Fatahamasitan emerged.
We've run out of good options and maybe coming to the time when we've run through the bad ones too.
The biggest problem with the two state solution is that neither resulting country can be viable given the agreement envisioned by the intl. community.
Israel will not be military viable in 67' borders, barring an extremely aggressive foreign/military policy (which would make any "peace" a joke). The pre-67 policy involved (necessary) preemptive attacks, "retaliation actions" ("Paolot Tagmol"), not to mention putting all Israeli Arabs under military governance. The only way this doesn't eventually happen again following a "peace agreement" involves both the Arabs being unusually agreeable beforehand (e.g. letting Israel incorporate areas like the Jordan valley), and very unusually peaceful (hah!).
Our would-be Palestine cannot possibly be economically, demographically and ecologically viable even at 110% of WB+G. Lets not have any illusions - the would-be state will not be run any better from all the other Arab states, but is going to be much smaller, have nearly no resources or economy and with far bigger population pressures. This is even worse if any "refugees" enter, which is pretty much a given as Lebanon, Syria and Jordan all have overwhelming internal reasons to drive them out ASAP. The only way for any Palestinian leader to survive would be to direct all the popular anger towards Israel...
Therefor, the division envisioned by the Israeli Left and the intl. community cannot possibly lead to peace. The only possible solution even close to the two-state solution involves Jordan being made to face the reality of having a Palestinian majority and become a Palestinian state - which means the West will have to risk losing a very reliable client in Hussein, Hussein will have to risk losing his head and the Palestinians will have to give up their dreams of destroying Israel but it's long past time all these parties took "risks for peace".
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