by Michael L. Wise
The Israeli flag at Jerusalem’s Western Wall. Photo: Hynek Moravec via Wikimedia Commons.
On January 5, The New York Times published an article echoing some proponents of the two-state solution, who warn that the failure of the “peace process” will mean the end of Israel as a Jewish democratic state. They claim that if Israel declares sovereignty over the West Bank, Israel will no longer be a majority Jewish state — because the addition of three million Palestinians will create an Arab majority in the near future, due to Arab fertility rates. Furthermore, they say, if Israel fails to grant immediate citizenship to West Bank Palestinians, the Jewish state will no longer be a democracy. Thus Israel will cease to be a Jewish democratic state, and the Zionist enterprise will fail.
But there are critical problems with the above conclusions. The Arab population of the West Bank is less than 1.7 million, not three million. The three million number reflects data presented by the Palestinian Authority. Our definitive study (published by the Begin Sadat Center at Bar Ilan University) documented the inflated counting by the Palestinian Authority. Furthermore, the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank and other international data collection agencies confirm that Jewish fertility now exceeds Arab fertility. Jewish immigration and Arab emigration also contribute to an increasing Jewish majority in the West Bank and Israel as a whole.
Some people argue that the failure to grant immediate full citizenship to all residents of the West Bank would brand Israel as an apartheid state. But Israel’s Declaration of Independence declared that all people would have civil and religious rights. Israel is not an apartheid state. The Jewish nation is a racially diverse country. Its citizens include Jews from every place on the planet — as well as non-Jews. And these non-Jews enjoy genuine freedom, which is in stark contrast to the apartheid status of Jews and Christians in much of the Muslim world.
Even though the PLO Charter (1964) and Hamas Covenant (1988) call for Israel’s extermination — as do Israel’s neighbors in Syria, Iran and elsewhere — Israel’s minority Arab population are full citizens and are represented in all walks of Israeli life — as MKs, government ministers, judges, professors and senior business and community leaders. Israel treasures its non-Jewish residents, and its status as a democratic state.
If Israel declares sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, it should grant immediate universal citizenship to the Arab residents of the West Bank — but only when regional peace breaks out. Jihadists and suicide bombings must end, and Muslim leaders and groups must stop lauding violence. And Arab leaders, in both Israel and the region, must recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
In the interim, Arab residents of the West Bank will have full civil and religious rights. They will autonomously manage their municipal affairs, and democratically elect their local leadership — but should not participate in national elections. Clearly, as long as Hamas and Fatah seek Israel’s destruction — and as long as global Islamic violence continues — one cannot expect that Israel would be suicidal and risk giving national voting rights to a population that wants to undermine its very existence.
The world of Islam is in the midst of a violent storm. Hopefully, a 21st–century reformation is in the offing. Judaism and Christianity have previously undergone reformations. But without a total cessation of the widespread wars of Islam, Israel cannot be expected to allow a Muslim minority influenced by violent anti-democratic forces to participate in life and death national decisions.
But, you ask, won’t the world brand Israel as an apartheid state — claiming that it gives its Muslim minority the status of second-class citizens? A world that has been blind to true violent apartheid and racism cannot dictate to Israel how to best preserve itself and continue as a democratic Jewish state.
@ Edgar G.:
or…..as the Oirish gossoon would have said.. “Hot shtuff turnin’ into cowld shtuff”….
@ Sebastien Zorn:
I gotcha chum. It just shows that some Wises don’t live up to their name after all. And this kabook we have, the guy that wrote the above “PLAN”, is keeping up the tradition…
Don’t ask me what “kabook” means, I only know that some of our Yiddish speaking Community elders would refer to a “tszimpleton” as a kabook (phonetic spelling-no relation to Kabuki)….. so I always thought of it as someone with a face like Bluto and rear end like Pluto…(Disney)……you know big at the beginning and dwindling down to nothing at the end……
Ted Belman Said:
@ Edgar G.:
Thank you for adding to me wis[e]dom. I had never heard of him. FYI, nothing comes up if you google with that spelling. Everything I found is under “Isaac Mayer Wise.” Saves a couple of steps to know that. Major founder of reform judaism as we know it. Came here in 1846. Showed amazingly astute political judgement. Defended slavery, opposed a treaty with Swirzerland. the treif dinner
@ mikewise:
I nearly overlooked this offensive dribble. ..And Yamit has amply shown that he can think of matters beyond your demonstrated comprehension. You address me as if I’m stupid or something like….I was NOT referring to Germany. I was talking about the place that matters to us, The United States….. which means I.M. WISE -Yitzhak Meir Wise. Stephen Wise came later but was also a part of the organised beginning. Why did you immediately think “Stephen Wise” and forget about poor old Myer…? Just so that you know, I spell “Myer” both ways because it’s only a transliteration after all. So don’t bite your fingernails over it.
You should look into your own “wisdom” before criticising that of others. Concentrate on your foolish Plan.
@ Bear Klein:
Yes, and be re-circumcised with a garden shears that ge(lds)ts the wrong part.
@ mikewise: Residence and Citizenship Criteria for Areas of Judea/Samaria in which Israeli Civil Law is Applied.
Register the Arabs Living in Such Locations: Ask do if want to stay and demonstrate loyalty to the Jewish Democratic State of Israel. If they wish to stay the following requirements need to be met.
Learning Hebrew; children will be required to provide civil national service at ages 18 to 20.
Families will not be eligible to stay if anyone in the family is a member of a terror organization past or present. No one is egligible to stay with a felony crime record.
Arab residents will be required to inform on anyone planning terrorist acts including family members. This will be a condition of residency!
If after 10 years of residency they wish to apply for citizenship they may. There then will be at least a two year period to investigate if they have successfully fulfilled the requirements of residency prior to bestowing citizenship. If they and their immediate family have met the conditions citizenship can be bestowed upon them.
@ Bear Klein:
This sounds like “Nerer-never Land”.
Will the Mashiach arrive to usher in this utopia?
@ mikewise:
Edit attempt.
When the Arabs become Canadians and recognize the Jewish State of Israel, dispose of all weapons and all the terrorists are dead or agree to be shot Israel will then confer citizenship on any Arabs of Judea/Samaria who pledge loyalty to the Jewish State of Israel. Families and person requesting citizenship must remain crime free for a decade. They must pass a psychological test indicating real loyalty to the State of Israel plus pass a Hebrew fluency test. Plus Iran and the Arab states sign peace treaties with Israel first.
@ mikewise:
You have an offensive manner if someone does not exactly agree with you. I have a far better and longer memory than you my lad.
Arabs re so damned devious, mandated by their religion, in fact demanded by it, that they are capable of “reform”, which fuzzy term you use means exactly …WHAT….?
So what if they do “reform” to YOUR satisfaction, Oh Mighty All-seeing One, and then after they get what they want, they “relapse”. Are they then going to be burned at the stake with Israelis dancing around the flames…..??
We can’t even send the damned terrorists back to Tunisia, from where they should never have been allowed to leave.They’d all have been dead by now if they’d stayed there..
@ mikewise:
You have an offensive manner if someone does not exactly agree with you. I have a far better and longer memory than you my lad.
Arabs re so damned devious, mandated by their religion, in fact demanded by it, that they are capable of “reform”, which fuzzy term you use means exactly …WHAT….?
So what if they do “reform” to YOUR satisfaction, Oh Mighty All-seeing One, and then after they get what they want, they “relapse”. Are they then going to be burned at the stake with Isrelis dancing around the flames…..??
We can’t even send the damned terrorists back to Tunisia, from where they should never have been allowed to leave.They’d all have been dead by now if they’d stayed there..
@ Ted Belman:
I’ve been afraid of exactly this all the time, and wrote about it. It was glaringly obvious.
People have been walking around dazed with euphoria, whilst the “machers” who are making the rules have different goals. Netanyahu will have to go, and with a new PM, firmly sovereignty fixed, the govt.will have to apply Israeli rule everywhere, according to the Weitzman-Feisal agreement, which along with the group of irrevocable Laws passed then, should be blazoned everywhere, NO ARAB citizenship or national voting rights. They already have their country over the Jordan River.
We should be telling everyone that “the party’s over”, citing Jewish/Israel benevolence, even allowing terrorists the opportunity to reform and become normal, but because nothing worked, we are now enforcing our RIGHTS.
Trump will have to be shown the Anglo-American Treaty.
@ Bear Klein:
Abbas or his successor can be forced to the table, by a firm, complete funds cutoff to PA and UNWRA. The chaos would then be on Abbas’ head and they’d be hunting him.
@ Bear Klein:
Applying Israeli Law to all the towns and etc is still only covering 2-3% of the Land. If his govt. does fall, it could be replaced by one which will agree to Trump’s giveaways.
The only solution, if Netanyahu starts making preparations for 2 states, is that he should have a Likud rebellion, and be replaced without the govt. falling. I don’t know if that can be done with the upside-down Israeli laws. I don’t believe that Netanyahu would move aside. He’d make a great Foreign or Finance Minister, but I’m afraid that he sees himself only as a PM.
The govt. will fall in that case. And Likud needs to win again without Netanyahu..
@ Ted Belman:
it takes 2 to tango, 2 to make a baby, if there’s no refugee return, no joint JERUSALEM, no 67 boundaries, no return of terror prisoners, no freedom for gaza, don’t matter how many referendumb its going to be still born.
@ Ted Belman:
My apologies. Would appreciate your edits of the following confusing paragraph. Thanks.
After annexation, when regional peace breaks out.
If Israel declares sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, it should grant immediate universal citizenship to the Arab residents of the West Bank — but only Jihadists and suicide bombings must end, and Muslim leaders and groups must stop lauding violence. And Arab leaders, in both Israel and the region, must recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
@ Ted Belman:
Bibi will not get a referendum without the Likud agreeing. If he starts trying to give land away to the Arabs his coalition will fall and he will be out!
I also suspect we may not see a plan of Trumps without Abu Mazen coming to the table which I do not believe he will. Bibi is now going along with applying Israeli Law to ALL the Jewish Towns in Judea/Samaria. I assume he has talked to Trumps advisers and/or Trump on this and it will fly as a stage ONE Israeli unilateral action.
Mike, the reason so many people didn’t see your qualifier was because you put it at the end of a long sentance rather than at the beginning. The sentance that you quote was horribly constructed.
I spoke to someone today that saw the plan Trump will be proposing. Some call it Bibi’s plan because it gives him his bottom line. This person and everyomne else in the Sovereignty Movement hated it.. Bibi is going to accept it and find a way to to put it to a vote. If he can’t get Likud to go along, he might put it to a referendum. The odds are the public will accept it. The Sovereignty movement is going to mount a major campaign against it.
@ Bear Klein:
OK. Bennett’s Area C plan. But do not blink. Arabs in unannexed Area B and A will complain bitterly. They will want to get rid of the PA. More and more Israeli Arabs want to identify as Israelis. World is changing.
@ Bear Klein:
OK. Bennett’s Area C plan. But do not blink. Arabs in unannexed Area B and A will complain bitterly. They will ant to get rid of the PA. More and more Isreli Arabs want to identify as Israelis. World is changing.
@ mikewise:
Start with all the Jewish Towns and the Jordan Valley for sovereignty. Do it incrementally! Step by Step so as the most land with the fewest Arabs. Without relinquishing the rights to the rest of the land of Israel. Work to obtain its sovereignty without the Arabs or a minimal amount of Arabs.
@ Sebastien Zorn:
my plan was proposed back in 2003. see http://www.onestateplan.com. i have multiple emails with the next generation of one staters.
we will not hold our breaths waiting for islamic reformation. kedar describes the fundamental problems that islam has with jewish sovereignty. in the interim, jordan is palestine would be great. funding arab emigration would be great. but let’s move forward with sovereignty with protection of our national jewish home and state. when the 1400 year internal muslim conflicts end and when islam no longer seeks global domination, we will be in a new world.
Correction, I meant Sadat. With Nasser in ’56 it was the UN and America’s false guarantees under duress (Eisenhower threatened to outlaw voluntary contributions to Israel) which Israel accepted.
It is truly the oddest phenomenon. Whether it’s Jesse Jackson, Mel Gibson, Arafat or Nasser, all it takes is for them to apologize and we want to give them the keys to the store. Why such gullibility? People rarely change their minds. Look at the opinion polls among the Muslims, the Arabs, the Pals, in particular. The antisemitism is around 100 percent aming the Pals, in particular. Many Muslim terrorists have led inocuous, friendly lives as sleepers only to awaken and kill decades later. Sometimes its the next generation. They must go.
@ Bear Klein:
BK,
If my memory serves me, you always have had a strongly solid view in regard to the Jewish national issues under discussion here.
As for me, I have nurtured nationalism and rejected democracy for most of my long life, now approaching 84 years. Unlike some others who think as I do, I never have bothered to apologize for principles that I hold dear. Not for nothing was the precious and unforgettable time I spent with the great Dr Israel Eldad in his exquisite Jerusalem home in the summer of 1974, and the equally blessed times I discussed Jewish nationalism with the great Rav Meir Kahane before his martyrdom at the hands of an Arab murderer in New York in autumn 1980.
You are also right that subjects such as these need discussion rather than endless attacks against one another.
Arnold Harris, Outspeaker
Peace? Recognition? Words can be withdrawn. Citizenship cannot. None of this will happen in our lifetime in any case. The formula should be Sovereignty throughout J &S. civil law for Jews, martial law for Arabs minus Ottoman or Jordanian precedents,. execute terrorists including inciters. Compensated emigration.
Your plan is Caroline Glicks’s and has the same flaws, the biggest being giving freedom of movement and access to the vulnerable Jewish heartland presently somewhat protected by Israel’s wall which is Trump’s model.
This is a subject that needs discussing. Debating it is healthy attacking each other not so much!
@ Edgar G.:
Another short attention span.
No voting citizenship until Islam reforms. Might take a millennium.
BTW: Rabbi Stephan WIse is not a relative or a Wishnatzky and he was born about 100 years after reform Judaism was created. Yamit seems to drown in deep waters.
@ Edgar G.:
please reread carefully:
“If Israel declares sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, it should grant immediate universal citizenship to the Arab residents of the West Bank — but only when regional peace breaks out. Jihadists and suicide bombings must end, and Muslim leaders and groups must stop lauding violence. And Arab leaders, in both Israel and the region, must recognize Israel as a Jewish state.”
furthermore:
“The world of Islam is in the midst of a violent storm. Hopefully, a 21st–century reformation is in the offing. Judaism and Christianity have previously undergone reformations. But without a total cessation of the widespread wars of Islam, Israel cannot be expected to allow a Muslim minority influenced by violent anti-democratic forces to participate in life and death national decisions.”
people seem to have very short attention spans!!
@ mikewise:
The demand to recognise Israel s Jewish State is only valid if nd when a treaty is mde between Israel and unfortunately the so-called Palestinians, which means they get some more of our tiny scrap of lnd. I am totally against that . I would far, far rather have them completely out of the country permanently than have that crappy “recognition s a Jewish State” which after all is only scrap of paper, and being recognised by the scum of the earth is no great event….except as I’ve said, if mking a treaty with them.
@ yamit82:
Perhaps he’s following in the footsteps of the other famous-I should say infamous_ Wise…they may even be related. I mean the guy who pretended to be a Rabbi and was instrumrental in beginning reform Judaism.
I don’t care what anyone says…As long as an Arab is an Arab, and I mean the vast majority of them, they will be going to mosques, reding the Koran, waking up and wanting to be good Moslems in the eyes of Alalh, …..by killing Jews.
As long as the conditions allow them to do that, they will.The best and surest way to take that condition away from them is to kick them completely out of our country, or dominate them with a shattering victory, like in 1967 when they were shaking in their baggy pants, expecting to ll be slaughtered in retaliation for what they’d been doing to Jews…when they could..
They are completely and absolutely incompatible people and cannot live peaceably with any not of their faith, and even there it has to be a certain section of it, so with them there will never be peace, since they were awakened from their ignorance and poverty by the discovery of oil, and became menschen, they know now tnat they can always impose on the feeble democracies who have no religion but Political Correctness…..
@ mrg3105:
Democracy began in Greece, yes, but it was a bit different from what modern democracy is today…Also if my memory serves me well, Tyrant as being and dictator also began in Greece….
Actually, they don’t even have to accept it. They just have to go back to the table to get concessions. We’ve been here before, again and again. It’s like that Nasruddin joke in which the border guard begs him to tell him what he’s been smuggling on his camel, and finally he admits that what he’s been smuggling is camels. I hope Trump doesn’t wind up being just another US President carving up Israel piecemeal through salami tactics in just this way. He’s done well by us, so far, but this is why I supported Huckabee in the Republican primary even if I never got the chance to vote for him.
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/huckabee-west-bank-judea-and-samaria-part-israel
@ mikewise:
Did you say anything about compensated Arab, which is to say, Muslim, emigration and expanding Jewish settlement as it becomes practical? That’s the most important part. If so, I missed it. Are you in favor of it?
At the moment, I am most worried that the PA will accept Trump’s peace plan:
“Trump suggested that should negotiations resume, Netanyahu would have to come up with concessions. “You win one point,” Trump said, looking at Netanyahu and apparently referring to his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, “and you’ll give up some points later on in the negotiation if it ever takes place. I don’t know that it ever will take place.” He also said he believed Israel wanted to negotiate peace.”
https://www.jta.org/2018/01/25/news-opinion/politics/trump-to-netanyahu-palestinians-disrespected-pence-stand-to-lose-aid
@ Ted Belman:
Yes. I agree. I called it forced, but understand that he is in favor of paying them to emigrate.
I was simplifying, although I wud be for forced emigration as well.
My point was mainly that we can’t foresee the population results 100 years into the future. Therefore, annexing J&S w/o a plan for eliminating the hostile anti-semitic Arab population there is in my opinion extremely dangerous to the long term viability of the Democratic & Jewish state.
Even if we were to withhold national voting rights from the annexed Arabs, having a hostile population in our midst would be no better for Jewish survival than what we have today.
Thus, I think we need to get rid of them!
NoahFarbstein Said:
Martin does not support forced emigration. He supports voluntary emigration induced by generous compensation.
I am 100% in favor of annexation of all of the land of Israel (e.g. J&S).
While I agree with the data presented above regarding today’s demographics (e.g. West Bank Arab population, Jewish growth rates, etc.), I fear that next year or in the next 20 years or next 100 years this may change.
Thus, it seems impossible to give the Arabs full citizenship with national voting rights after the “interim period” for fear of the unknown future.
Wouldn’t it be better annex J&S but to follow the plan presented by Martin Sherman of forced emigration or that presented by others known as the Jordanian Option (Jordan is Palestine)?
@ mikewise:
In most countries citizenship is granted individually by the criteria of the country.
Israel should do that also by very strict standards. If you are saying that in addition there must regional peace etc., etc…… that is interesting. However even then ISRAEL SHOULD NOT bestow citizenship on a population but on individually vetted basis.
@ Bear Klein:
Absolutely correct. That is why we write:
If Israel declares sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, it should grant immediate universal citizenship to the Arab residents of the West Bank — but only when regional peace breaks out. Jihadists and suicide bombings must end, and Muslim leaders and groups must stop lauding violence. And Arab leaders, in both Israel and the region, must recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
What could be clearer!!
Every Country has a right to vet and comply citizenship on people it believes are loyal to the state and would contribute to it in a positive way. Why would anyone in their right mind convey citizenship on those who want to destroy it.
What does have traction and may occur is Citing favorable conditions under current U.S. administration, Likud MKs call for Israeli annexation of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Actually the Likud is proposing applying Israeli civil Law to the Jewish Towns.
A very dangerous idea. Evening making thousands of terrorists and their supporters citizens of Israel with the right to travel all over Israel. This idea is perhaps worse than Yugoslavia idea was. That ended up in a massive civil war with lots of people dead.
The Palestinians hate the Jews and want them dead. The vast majority of Israelis do not believe in the idea of making massive amounts of Arabs citizens of Israel. This is idea is not a solution to the conflict just a formula for a civil war.
@ yamit82:
yamit, welcome to the fake news club.
you are clearly not a demographer. who told you that green line israel arab population will soon be 33%? israel’s jewish population is now growing relative to its arab population. arab fertility rates have been in a long term decline and are now below that of the jewish population.
after listening to your self-acclaimed brilliance, the sovereignty movement in Israel is expanding rapidly.
the yamit, sinai, experience must have been very traumatic.
@ mrg3105:
1. as you know Israel is not a theocracy. very sorry to hear that you do not consider Israel a democracy.
2. judea and samaria is not totally accurate either. try: the former west bank of the hashemite kingdom of transjordan. you are a genuine genius. but i do not give out awards.
3. treasonous MK’s should be removed. now what?
will be happy to respond after you read the entire article. including:
“If Israel declares sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, it should grant immediate universal citizenship to the Arab residents of the West Bank — but only when regional peace breaks out. Jihadists and suicide bombings must end, and Muslim leaders and groups must stop lauding violence. And Arab leaders, in both Israel and the region, must recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
Michael L. Wise has posted his plan several times in past few years here at Israpundit and has been eviscerated with critical reviews and comments but has learned nothing and continues to promote his ignorant and silly even dangerous ideas.
Arab children up to 9 years of age constitute about 35% of the Israeli Arab population …..Jews have children later in life than Arabs so when a Jewish women has her first child the Arabs already have 2 children There is an evening in birthrates at the end of the curve. Take into consideration that Israel has a large aging population % larger than the Arabs. Before there can be an evening of birth rates between Jews and Arabs, the Arabs in a few short years will constitute not 18-20% of the population but 33% add to the extreme left wing parties and we will have democratically a near majority a plurality of anti Israel MK’s in the Knesset. When the Arab population of Y&S are added then the Arabs will attain democratically a clear majority.
Democracy is not a suicide pact!!!
Michael, if you are ‘Jewish’, you get the “stupid Jew” award of the week.
Firstly, for the headline – Democracy is a Greek form of government, not ‘Jewish’.
Secondly for the “If Israel declares sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, it should grant immediate universal citizenship to the Arab residents of the West Bank”. There is no ‘West Bank’ outside of Jordan and global fake media. And the Arabs living there are not ‘residents’, but squatters masquarading as ‘refugees’.
And finaly for this ” Israel’s minority Arab population are full citizens and are represented in all walks of Israeli life — as MKs” because Arab MKs should be thrown out of the Knesset for treason! What is the difference between this policy “Joint (Arab) List leader Ayman Odeh said MKs in his party would not attend Pence’s Knesset speech due to US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.” and that in Ramallah?
Wisen up Michael.
Why shouls Israel wnt to give ANYONE citizenship and national rights, who wants to “undermine it’s very existence. This writer is AAALLL wet, and is not worth the read. I stopped before the end . and I know I didn’t miss anything.