Israel Matzav

Time for Israel to declare "Checkmate," but Bibi promises not to revoke Oslo instead

Chess master Steven Goldberg argues that Israel has a golden opportunity to checkmate the 'Palestinians.' And it must take advantage of that opportunity. Ruthlessly.

The Palestinians are about to make their worst blunder yet – one that is potentially fatal to their cause.

Specifically, the Palestinian Authority, knowing that its leadership status is failing and that the clock is about to run out, has announced its intention to seek recognition as a state from the United Nations. This desperate gambit flatly abrogates both the Oslo Accords and UN Resolution 242, providing Israel with the legal justification to cancel both agreements and simply annex portions of Judea and Samaria.

TO WIN this chess game, Israel must correct the lifethreatening mistake it made by agreeing to a Palestinian state. The land west of the Jordan River can hold a Jewish state or another Arab state; it can’t hold both.

Israel’s leaders, including Yitzhak Rabin, recognized this truth before weakening in the face of international pressure. It’s time to declare categorically that there will never be a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria.

The Arabs who live there may continue to be residents of Israel with full civil and religious rights and local autonomy, but any national or political rights must be exercised in affiliation with Jordan – the already existing Palestinian state.

Taking advantage of the Palestinian blunder by terminating all discussions of Palestinian statehood won’t be easy. There will be powerful international pressure against Israel for making such a bold move. Many will implore Israel to just surrender, or to make a reckless, needless sacrifice that will lead to its defeat.

But Israel can’t afford to be checkmated. Now it must play like a grandmaster.

Read the whole thing.

Hat Tip to Manhattan Dan, who adds:

Eban had it exactly backwards when he said “The Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” It’s the Israelis who never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. For over sixty years the Jewish state has driven back serial Arab attacks meant to destroy her - and would have if any one had succeeded. Yet Israel has never once allowed herself to act like normal victors and make their defeated enemies pay a price. On the contrary, Israel has allowed the Nations to stay her hand, and over the last two decades Israel has brought its enemies back from the dead and given them the best arms and training American tax money could buy. Today, the Arabs are still hell-bent on destroying Israel - this time via the UN – and in the process it’s the Arabs who’ve walked into a trap. The only question now is whether Israel, for once, has the guts and wisdom to close it. Or, on the verge of victory again, will she be content to take home the booby prize – the tragic failure known as “Oslo” – and let her mortal foes live to attack her again?

Sadly, this is true, and I would not bet on most members of the current government making the right decision. Earlier today, IDF Radio quoted Shimon Peres - the Godfather of Oslo - saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu promised him that he would not revoke the Oslo Accords.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, checkmate, Oslo accords, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Shimon Peres, unilateral declaration of statehood

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:23 PM