Never-ending negotiations

By Ted Belman

Arutz Sheva reports that Olmert Willing to Give 90% of Territory

Nothing is conclusive but the rumours are that he wants to retain 8% and the PA is demanding that this be reduced to 2%. There does not appear to be a “dramatic breakthrough” as reported elsewhere. Olmert is prepared to sweeten the deal by offering a land swap of 4% to 6% of Israeli land.

Apparently Israel has agreed to a land corridor linking Gaza to the Westbank.

Thus, if true, Israel isn’t accepting the Saudi Plan which demands a return to the greenline with minor adjustments. And the US is not talking about the Saudi Plan any more. The US seems to be more concerned with lifting roadblocks and reestablishing PA security control.

Jerusalem is not the talk of the town anymore.

There is no chance that the PA will accept this deal. So either Olmert capitulates or we have never ending negotiations until Abbas resigns.

May 7, 2008 | 1 Comment »

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  1. Samson Blinded has posted a new item, ‘Peace, luckily, is not forever’

    The peace treaty with the Palestinians doesn’t seem close, unless the
    Bush-Rice duo orchestrates a major political assault on Israeli government. Even
    so, Palestinian state exists de facto: with president, parliament, and even many
    countries’ embassies. Does anyone protest the media calling Abbas Palestinian
    president?

    Olmert negotiates the borders of Israel which include the settlement blocs. He
    is anxious to avoid the Gush Katif-type evacuation trouble. As long as the
    settlements remain inside Israel, most settlers won’t protest giving up Judea
    and Samaria.

    The government might leave the faraway and militant places like Kfar Tapuah
    alone, not evicting the settlers. They will be allowed to remain there just as
    any Israeli stay abroad, and left to the Palestinians to harass, intercept en
    route, and make their life untenable.

    Nothing would change when the government signs peace accords with Palestinians.
    As long as most settlers are not evicted, the status quo won’t be changed.
    Almost no Jews venture into Schem or Ramallah, anyway. The West Bank
    Palestinians won’t start shelling Tel Aviv a la Shderot, as they know that
    would provoke massive retaliation; Jews hesitate attacking Iran but would have
    no qualms about invading a weak Palestinian state.

    Bringing massive numbers of Jews into the territories to stem the evacuation is
    not an option. Once the border is demarcated and legalized, it would be plainly
    illegal for them to cross the state border, and few takers would appear.
    Crossing the state border beyond the official checkpoint is not merely an act of
    politically inspired civil disobedience but a clear-cut crime.

    Moreover, the “front line” of the possible government action in Judea and
    Samaria is long. Jewish conservative activists failed defending Gush Katif,
    where the confrontation line was minuscule. The army can also wait out the
    protestors: tens of thousands of people cannot hold vigils for more than a few
    days, as they need to work for living. The army, on the contrary, can stay there
    for months, waiting for the human wave to dissolve.

    Israel can be as well located in Uganda. The beaches of Tel Aviv are a part of
    the Promised Land, but so are Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. The seashore was
    settled by Philistines, then heavily gentilized, controlled by the Romans. Jews
    have very little historical connection with the seashore. On the contrary, the
    very area Israel abandons to the Palestinian state – Judea and Samaria – is
    the core Jewish land. Hebron was King David’s seat of power, Schem conquered
    by Jacob; the ancient Jewish state was located specifically in the area that
    Jews are giving away now. Ignore the uninhabitable Negev Desert, Galilee and the
    Little Triangle near Lod settled by Arabs, and Israel is reduced to a tiny beach
    strip 14 by 80 miles; even there, Arabs constitute 34% among the young. Jewish
    population shrinks to the Tel Aviv – Netanya strip of the beach and the Haifa
    enclave.

    But haredi’s influence increases with their numbers, especially as they are a
    uniquely coherent and zealous group. As conscription becomes increasingly
    unfashionable among atheist Israelis, haredi might become the major force in the
    army. As secular Jews emigrate, haredi will become a majority or at least the
    largest voting bloc.

    Jews lean to the right as they see that every peaceful measure fails with Arabs
    from Palestine to Iran, and Arab enemies grow stronger.

    Even if Olmert gives up Judea, another leader can take it back

    Best regards,

    Danny