Israel Matzav

Europeans to undermine Israeli control over Area C in Judea and Samaria; Obama to 'take on' Netanyahu after election

When Israel entered into the Oslo Accords in 1993-1995, the entire area of Judea and Samaria was split into three parts. 'Area A,' which mostly comprised the seven major cities in Judea and Samaria, and which contained most of the Arab population of the area, was to be under 'Palestinian' control. 'Area B' was to be under 'Palestinian' civilian control with Israel responsible for security. 'Area C,' which includes most of the Jewish cities and towns in Judea and Samaria, was to be under complete Israeli control.

Under the Oslo Accords, there were no restrictions on Israeli building in Area C. Those who negotiated the Oslo Accords envisioned an eventual 'Palestinian autonomy' within Areas A and B. There was no intent to establish a 'Palestinian state,' and certainly no promises from Israel that one would be established. In fact, the opposite was true. This is from Prime Minister Rabin's last speech to the Knesset - in which he was advocating for a Knesset endorsement of 'Oslo 2' - on October 5, 1995:

We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority. The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.

And these are the main changes, not all of them, which we envision and want in the permanent solution:

A. First and foremost, united Jerusalem, which will include both Ma'ale Adumim and Givat Ze'ev -- as the capital of Israel, under Israeli sovereignty, while preserving the rights of the members of the other faiths, Christianity and Islam, to freedom of access and freedom of worship in their holy places, according to the customs of their faiths.

B. The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.

C. Changes which will include the addition of Gush Etzion, Efrat, Beitar and other communities, most of which are in the area east of what was the "Green Line," prior to the Six Day War.

D. The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

That's a far cry from what the 'international community' and the Obama administration are attempting to push on us today.

It's important to keep these things in mind because the Oslo Accords are the only signed agreements between Israel and the 'Palestinians.'

The Europeans have decided that they are not going to let signed agreements between the parties get in the way of attempting to force Israel back to the indefensible 1967 borders 1949 armistice lines that resulted from British efforts to quash the nascent Jewish state. The Europeans are going to attempt to undermine Jewish sovereignty over Area C - which as noted was agreed to by the 'Palestinians' themselves as part of the Oslo accords - by undertaking 'Palestinian' projects in that area without Israeli cooperation or approval.

Area C makes up 62% of the West Bank, but the Palestinians make up only 5.8% of its population.

The document, titled "Area C and Palestinian state building," harshly criticizes Israel's policies in the West Bank, claiming they have caused the Palestinian population in Area C to shrink significantly and recede into enclaves.

The document states that Europe will support road, water, infrastructure, municipal, educational and medical projects in the area, in order to "support the Palestinian people and help maintain their presence (in the area)."

The EU, the brief said, aims to:

Encourage Israel to change its policy and planning system for Area C and engage the Palestinian communities in access and developments
Reduce land and population vulnerability and facilitate better coordination of basic needs deliveries in Area C
Promote economic development in Area C
Increase visibility and accountability for the delivery of aid in Area C

The diplomats state that "The window for the two-state solution is rapidly closing… and Area C is the only contiguous area in the western Negev surrounding Area A and B. Area C compromises crucial natural resources and land for the future demographic and economic growth of a viable Palestinian state. State building efforts in Area C of the PA are therefore of utmost important in order to support the creation of a Palestinian state."

The EU, a western diplomat told Ynet, is primarily concerned about three aspects overshadowing the viability of the two-state solution: Jerusalem, Gaza Strip and Area C. The EU, he added, is worried that Israel's policies in Area C will prevent the PA from maintaining territorial continuity, perpetuating the current situation of a "patch-state."

The documents expresses the EU's concern that the dwindling Palestinian presence in Area C is "pushing the conception of a Palestinian state within the 1967 lines further away" and urges the immediate cessation of what it calls Israel's "demolition policy" in Palestinian villages.

...

A Western diplomat familiar with the document told Ynet that the Europeans have decided to simply skip Israeli regulations: "What Europe is essentially saying here is that because Area C is vital for sustaining a viable Palestinian state, we will support whatever needs to be done for the sale of Palestinian development in the area regardless of Israel's planning policy."

He confirmed that the step was meant to reduce the amount of necessary building permits, saying that "European funding of vital projects like water infrastructure will be independent of Israeli authorities' approval."

Der Independent adds:

With the number of Jewish settlers now at more than double the shrinking Palestinian population in the largely rural area, the report warns bluntly that, "if current trends are not stopped and reversed, the establishment of a viable Palestinian state within pre-1967 borders seem more remote than ever".

...

The report points out how dramatically the settler population – now at 310,000 – of Area C has increased at the expense of Palestinian numbers – estimated at around 150,000. In 1967, there were between 200,000 and 320,000 Palestinians in just the agriculture-rich Jordan Valley part of the zone.

I don't buy that 1967 number for Arabs in the Jordan Valley, but it doesn't really matter. The 'Palestinians' struck an agreement and now the Europeans are trying to cancel it and run roughshod over it on the 'Palestinians' behalf.

And what's worse is that if God forbid Obama wins reelection, he will join the Europeans and gang up on Israel.

The Obama administration asked the Palestinian Authority not to make any major demands until after the presidential election in November, a senior PA official told WND.

The PA official, speaking on condition his name be withheld, said that Obama promised to renew stalled Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on the basis of the 1967 borders, meaning an Israeli withdrawal from eastern sections of Jerusalem as well as from Judea and Samaria, also referred to as the West Bank.

“We were asked by the (U.S.) administration not to make special demands or scandals during the elections,” said the official.

“After elections, the negotiations will be renewed on basis of the Clinton plan and Obama’s speech in Cairo of the 1967 borders,” the official said.

...

The official, however, said the U.S. will press for a Palestinian state quickly if President Obama is reelected.

“The main message we received from the U.S. is that nothing will happen in a serious way before the 2012 elections,” said the official.

Earlier this month, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius said he expected Obama to “take on” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a second presidential term.

Appearing as a panel member on the syndicated “Chris Matthews Show,” Ignatius stated: “What I hear from the White House is looking towards a second term on foreign policy, which I cover, as an opportunity to do the broad things that would establish an Obama agenda. He came into office passionate about the Middle East, about the Palestinian issue. I’d see him taking another really strong crack at that.”

What could go wrong?

Labels: 1949 armistice lines, Barack Hussein Obama, European Union, Oslo accords

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:43 AM