Knesset pushing to annex Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria
The leaders of four Knesset factions sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday asking him to consider annexing the Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, and to sanction the 'Palestinian Authority' for its behavior at the United Nations. Three of the four factions behind the letter are from within Netanyahu's coalition, and one of them is his own party. The letter, written by caucus leaders Likud faction chairman Ze'ev Elkin and MK Arye Eldad (National Union), as well as the faction chairmen of Shas, National Union and Habayit Hayehudi said that sanctions will show the PA that "Israel will not agree to be its punching bag."I'm all in favor. The fact that the 'Palestinians' have paid no price for their behavior - and that the world continues to oppose Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria - is absurd.
"Israel will defend its interests, and turn the crisis into an opportunity," the letter reads. "Any diplomatic attack will be turned into a victory."
The Land of Israel Caucus called for a gradual annexation of settled areas in Judea and Samaria, as well as increased building and development of the region. The letter also demanded that any Palestinian construction in Area C be prevented, and that funds no longer be transferred to the PA.
"The Palestinian commitment to avoid unilateral steps is the only thing Israel got in return for all it has given up since the Oslo Accords," the MKs wrote. "The PA's unilateral bid for recognition of statehood in the UN is a clear violation of the agreements, which for the last 18 years cost us a high price."
The letter also explains that any country that cooperates with the PA in its statehood bid may no longer serve as a mediator in future peace talks.
If Netanyahu does not take such steps, the MKs wrote, he will "encourage the Palestinians to continue acting against [Israel] in the international arena."
"The international damage to Israel from the UN vote is much smaller than the damage Israel may inflict on itself if we do not follow the principle of 'if they give, they will get, if they don't give, they will not get,'" the letter reads, referring to a well-known quote from Netanyahu's first term as prime minister. "This principle has saved Israel from deteriorating into the abyss opened by the engineers of the Oslo Accords."
Labels: annexation, Arieh Eldad, Aryeh Deri, Binyamin Netanyahu, Judea and Samaria, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Unilateral declaration of independence (UDI), Yaakov Katz, Zeev Elkin
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:18 AM
3 Comments:
Carl - not to mention yesterday's sickening anti-Semitic pogrom over Gilo. The world wants to redline 200,000 Jews out of Jerusalen! That is what Israel is up against. This is why Israel must not allow the Palestinian expectation they will be able to ethnically cleanse Jews out of territory Israel has held since the Six Day War to be rewarded. The days when Jews could be expelled and to live at the sufferance of others are over, even if the world has not still come to terms with this reality. The sooner Israel moves to assert sovereignty over Yesha, the better off every one will be.
Let's get the sovereignty bill passed to put an end to the Oslo paradigm of relentless Jewish retreat that is both undermining the foundations of Zionism and the rationale for Israel's existence. The Arabs don't want to live in peace alongside Jews - they want them gone from the Middle East just like the Nazis wanted them gone from the world. Its time to create a new reality in the Middle East, by standing up for Jewish national rights!
I couldn't agree with Carl or Norman more. Go Israel!
After annexation, whether of Yesha as an entirety or lesser parts, Israel would still have to define for itself its relation to Arab residents within areas annexed--what is their legal status and this potentially becomes tricky if all of Judea and Samaria are annexed. Application of Jewish law to Jewish neighborhoods and communities could be simplified by extending Jewish law to Area C (as defined in Oslo) in its entirety. Oslo, from the Israeli perspective, could continue to define Israeli obligations to Areas A and B, or Israel could leave the legal status of Arab residents of A and B as undefined while abrogating Oslo officially.
But none of this is likely to happen barring a fundamental shift in Israeli attitudes.
By this point, attempting to factor in reactions of anti-Zionist circles in the west or ameliorating anti-Semitism in Western Europe (or the states) etc. wouldn't seem to be a defining duty. Those of us in the Diaspora have taken our chances and Israel cannot indefinitely postpone necessary actions because anti-jewish agitation may increase in the United States.
And, it may not. A solid block of evangelical Christians would enthusiastically support such a move and are much better placed to resist condemnation for serving "the Israel lobby" or "the Zionist lobby" than Jewish advocacy alone.
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