By Ted Belman (originally published by American Thinker)
For the last 30 years, the US has been pushing Israel to withdraw from all territories occupied as a result of the six day War in 1967. In doing so, they are running contrary to the UNSC Res 242 that permitted Israel to remain in occupation until she had secure and recognized borders.
In 2002 as the US was preparing to invade Iraq, she began negotiations for the creation of a Palestinian state and the roadmap to get there.
As a result , Pres Bush delivered his “vision speech” in which he committed the US to support the creation of a Palestinian state subject to certain provisos, namely, that they “build a practising democracy, based on tolerance and liberty.” and they stop “encouraging, not opposing, terrorism”. These preconditions have not remotely been met.
The Roadmap was presented in 2003 just days after the invasion of Iraq began. It is obvious that the two were linked.
Unfortunately for Israel, it included reference to the Saudi Plan which required 100% withdrawal. When Israel balked at its inclusion Secretary Powell said the Roadmap is only a process and forced PM Sharon to accept it albeit with 14 reservations.
No one has heard of those reservations since even though the U.S. promised to “fully and seriously address” them.
Pres Bush reiterated these provisos in his letter of 2004 to Sharon, in support of his Disengagement Plan:
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“First, the United States remains committed to my vision and to its implementation as described in the roadmap. The United States will do its utmost to prevent any attempt by anyone to impose any other plan. Under the roadmap, Palestinians must undertake an immediate cessation of armed activity and all acts of violence against Israelis anywhere, and all official Palestinian institutions must end incitement against Israel. The Palestinian leadership must act decisively against terror, including sustained, targeted, and effective operations to stop terrorism and dismantle terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. Palestinians must undertake a comprehensive and fundamental political reform that includes a strong parliamentary democracy and an empowered prime minister.”
He also removed the contradiction between The Saudi Plan and Res 242 by writing:
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“This means that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 will be ended through a settlement negotiated between the parties, based on UN resolutions 242 and 338, with Israeli withdrawal to secure and recognize borders.”
No mention was made of the Saudi Plan.
Pres Obama, soon after his inauguration, denied that this letter bound the US, though many, such as Elliot Abrams, said the US was bound by the letter. Obama wanted to be free to embrace the Saudi Plan and, if necessary, to impose a solution. He also wanted to ignore the provisos.
Not only has he come out in support of the ’67 lines as borders subject to swaps, he is applying extreme pressure on Israel to accept his Plan, both in violation of the Bush letter and Res 242.
All presidents, Obama included, have supported direct negotiations for the achievement of a settlement. Inherent in negotiations is the right to reject what one doesn’‘t accept. But this right has been denied to Israel by demanding that she make peace with the PA and mooting that she will be blamed if she doesn‘t.
Furthermore the US has thwarted the achievement of a settlement by supporting the PA diplomatically and financially to the extent that the PA can say “no” forever. In a labor dispute the party feeling the most economic pain will yield ground to reach a settlement. But if maintaining one’s position has no economic downside then there will never be a settlement.
What the US should be doing instead of forcing Israel to meet the PA terms, is to reach an agreement with Israel on refugees, borders, security and Jerusalem. Then the US would recognize such borders and get the EU to do likewise and Israel would withdraw to such borders. Thus the occupation would be ended and there would be no conflict between them and Israel.
The Minister of Housing for Israel, Uri Ariel, was recently interviewed and said “
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“Everyone in the coalition agrees, including [Justice Minister Tzipi] Livni and [Finance Minister Yair] Lapid, that the major settlement blocs will remain intact, the Jordan Valley will remain part of Israel, there cannot be a right of return and Jerusalem will remain united.“
But beyond this, borders should be drawn so that a minimum of Israelis would have to be expelled. The recent Population Registry of the Interior Ministry in Israel, showed that the Jewish population as of Dec. 31, 2013 in East Jerusalem was 330,000 and Judea and Samaria, 373,992. Martin Indyk recently said that the Framework being worked on would keep 75 to 80% of the settlers west of the new border. In other words, over 150,000 Jews would have to be expelled. Based on the cost of expelling 8,000 from Gaza, this would cost over $150 Billion.
This is totally unacceptable both as to cost and number of expellees.
If the US would propose a border which left no more than 50,000 Jews east of it, it would reduce the cost by $100 Billion. In addition she should propose a population exchange of 50,000 Arabs living in the territories west of the proposed border for the 50,000 Jews living east of it. This would be a rational solution. And the amount of territory Israel would keep would be infinitesimal.
Israel withdrew from Sinai and Gaza which constituted about 90% of the territories occupied The remaining territories have an area of 5,327 sq,km, excluding Jerusalem, in the West Bank and 1800 sq.km in the Golan Heights.. If Israel were to withdraw from a part only of Judea and Samaria and keep the Golan, she would have withdrawn from about 95% of the original occupied territories, This would be in keeping with Res 242.
There is no justification in law or history to support a settlement based on the ’67 lines plus swaps.
To date, the US has been thwarting the law i.e. Res 242 to curry favor with the Arabs. But doing so, is no longer necessary or smart.
The Arabs and their oil wealth are in decline, The Gulf states have to worry now about their own survival. Egypt is an economic basket case and is subject to much terrorism. Syria is experiencing a devastating civil war. Iraq is witnessing an insurgent al Qaeda and has lost some territory to it. American is almost self-sufficient in energy..
As for the Palestinians, they are nothing without US and EU diplomatic and financial support and Israeli security support. They are in no position to argue. Beggars, as they say, can’t be choosers.
This deal will work. It will end the occupation. It will end the conflict with the Palestinians. The Americans, the Israelis, the Palestinians and the world will all be better off for it.
@ honeybee:
Actually the Canadian passports are a big hit in Soshi. The free beer fridge is there making everyone happy happy. Balmy weather too! About 1 degree on the slopes!!
Bear Klein Said:
Is that Because:
1, Nobody ever heard of Canada ?
2. Nobody knows where it is?
3. Because of weather Canadians are desperate to leave?
@ honeybee:
Have you not heard Canadian passports are desirable and easy to obtain.
Without reforming Islam, the conflict will not be resolved.
Antisemitism in the West is as implacable as Islamist fanaticism towards non-Muslims.
mikewise Said:
http://www.bartleby.com/101/489.html
the alternative is crisis management. time to be pro-active and not get pushed around by demons and wannabees.
mikewise Said:
Because they see it so clearly and it scares the s#*t out of them.
Bear Klein Said:
Not without cash money!!!!!!!!!!! and proper documentaion!!
why do intelligent people so quickly turn their backs on reality?
the arafat-abumazen-hamas-fatah agenda is the destruction of the jewish state.
dove Said:
Depends on the size of the bears!!!
the creation of a Palestinian state anywhere in Judea is fatally flawed and will ultimately spell the end of the State of Israel or lead to a devastating conflict. Who in his right mind would want to live or invest in that new environment? Even if guaranteed by the US, Russia, the Vatican. the Saudis and Ruchani, and the EU (LMAO). Forget it!
All two-state plans are fatally flawed because they propose a sovereign state that would
? not be a viable independent entity
? oppose the existence of a Jewish state
? be led by terrorists dedicated to the destruction of Israel and become a global center of terrorism
? not resolve the claims of right of return and refugee issues
? intensify and compound existing dual-loyalty problems for Israeli-Arabs
? leave unresolved issues relating to Jerusalem and the “settlements”
? become allied and cooperate with rogue regimes and terrorists
? continue to support hate education in schools and mosques
? support anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist, and anti-Semitic organizations globally
? arm with conventional and unconventional weapons
? create endless territorial, water, and resource disputes
? lead to violence, war of attrition and a major conflict
? create demographic problems between the sea and the river
? lead to demoralization and the decisive weakening of the State of Israel
@ rfelsted:
And the Jordan Valley, I failed to mention all the settlement blocks + more. They will not agree Do not worry.
@ honeybee:
Bears can rent a plane or take a commercial airline.
@ raysap1291:
A narrative is a story, often of fiction but not necessarily so. When truth is shelved or buried, all one has left is narrative of the fiction variety.
That the entire world has accepted the Arab narrative is derivative entirely of the fact that the Israelis have shelved (think Levy Report) and buried (think Oslo) the truth. So one can’t expect the Jew hating world to be more Zionist than the Jews. It is our shelving and burying of the truth that has brought us to this quagmire that now threatens our very existence.
Just as Israel and its’ supporters would not accept an imposed resolution of the Israeli-Arab problem, it is unrealistic to expect that the Arabs would accept a solution imposed by the EU, US or anyone else. It is hard to believe that Ted’s suggestion would be taken seriously by the Western countries, since they all seem to accept the Arab narrative, and the ideas that Jerusalem will be divided, and the boundaries will be based on the armistice line with some equally ridiculous notion of swaps, which nobody can define in advance
@ Abdulameer:
This song typlifies the American view of world politics: http://youtu.be/lSBrn6wTZSA
No matter what the US does, there will never be peace in the region because peace does not depend on America. The fact is that all Moslems are commanded by their god and their prophet to make war on the Jews and to either subjugate them or kill them. That is why Moslems will never recognize Israel’s right to exist. No “negotiations” can ever change those Islamic religious commands. The best that we can expect from America is to help Israel defend itself against its Moslem enemies.
@ honeybee:
Stop with all this slicing and dicing. Palestine consists of Israel, Jordan and Gaza. All of it was given over by the sovereign powers post WWI to the Jews. Somehow the Arabs ended up with about 80% of it. Why are we talking about giving them more? Never mind to implacable enemies that will use whatever they get as a further foothold in their never ending war for our extermination.
Do what should have been done in 67 and annex what we have. The Arabs in the newly annexed lands should be considered Arabs of the 80%, and alien residents of Israel.
As alien residents they have to strictly abide by our laws or be deported to the 80% lands.
Why all these machinations, gyrations and obfuscations? 1/3, 2/3rds, Area A, B, C, this is all nonsense. If the land is ours we shouldn’t even be talking about giving any “back”. If we do then tacitly we are acknowledging that its not our land and therefore we are occupiers of all the land and no security argument will ever wash. This is really very simple!
@ Bear Klein:
Bears however,even through the a related to pigs, cannot fly: http://youtu.be/Pa1pIO4_lUY
@ Bear Klein:
But even if they back off of their demands for Jerusalem and the right of return, and even if they recognize a Jewish National State of Israel, which I admit is a big stretch, they are notorious for lying–it’s in their blood. You could say it’s even called for in their holy writings.
yamit82 Said:
Yes they can, in a good Texas hurricane, tornnado or plain ol’windstorm,Sweetie: http://youtu.be/RRB-mxrbUiI
@ Ted Belman:
The USA is pushing us to do things, we do not believe that is good for our future. However, the conflict is not with the USA. Why make compromises and negotiate against ourselves.
Sharon thought he had made a deal with Bush when we left Gaza. This has not held.
Just annex Area C (e.g. Bennett plan). To spin of your idea tell USA and EU if Palestinians do not agree for Israel to stay in Jordan Valley, back off of their demands for Jerusalem and right of return, and recognize a Jewish National State of Israel that is what we are going to do. Tell the USA they can convey this to the Palestinians.
@ Ted Belman:
Just a reminder, I know you are an admirer of Jabotinski and the revisionists movements:
AVRAHAM (YAIR) STERN:</strong THE IDEOLOGY OF THE LEHI National Revival Principles (HaTechiya) The Fighters for the Freedom of Israel (FFI) – The LEHI
by Avraham (Yair) Stern, zt"l
1. THE NATION
The Jewish people is a covenanted people, the originator of monotheism, formulator of the prophetic teachings, standard bearer of human culture, guardian of glorious patrimony. The Jewish people is schooled in self-sacrifice and suffering; its vision, survivability and faith in redemption are indestructible.
2. THE HOMELAND
The homeland in the Land of Israel within the borders delineated in the Bible (“To your descendants, I shall give this land, from the River of Egypt to the great Euphrates River.” Genesis 15:18) This is the land of the living, where the entire nation shall live in safety.
3. THE NATION AND ITS LAND
Israel conquered the land with the sword. There it became a great nation and only there it will be reborn. Hence Israel alone has a right to that land. This is am absolute right. It has never expired and never will.
4. THE GOALS
1. Redemption of the land.
2. Establishment of sovereignty.
3. Revival of the nation.
There is no sovereignty without the redemption of the land, and there is no national revival without sovereignty.
These are the goals of the organization during the period of war and conquest:
5. EDUCATION
Educate the nation to love freedom and zealously guard Israel’s eternal patrimony. Inculcate the idea that the nation is master to its own fate. Revive the doctrine that “The sword and the book came bound together from heaven” (Midrash Vayikra Rabba 35:8)
6. UNITY
The unification of the entire nation around the banner of the Hebrew freedom movement. The use of the genius, status and resources of individuals and the channeling of the energy, devotion and revolutionary fervor of the masses for the war of liberation.
7. PACTS
Make pacts with all those who are willing to help the struggle of the organization and provide direct support.
8. FORCE
Consolidate and increase the fighting force in the homeland and in the Diaspora, in the underground and in the barracks, to become the Hebrew army of liberation with its flag, arms, and commanders.
9. WAR
Constant war against those who stand in the way of fulfilling the goals.
10. CONQUEST
The conquest of the homeland from foreign rule and its eternal possession.
These are the tasks of the movement during the period of sovereignty and redemption:
11. SOVEREIGNTY
Renewal of Hebrew sovereignty over the redeemed land.
12. RULE OF JUSTICE
The establishment of a social order in the spirit of Jewish morality and prophetic justice. Under such an order no one will go hungry or unemployed. All will live in harmony, mutual respect and friendship as an example to the world.
13. REVIVING THE WILDERNESS
Build the ruins and revive the wilderness for mass immigration and population increase.
14. ALIENS
Solve the problem of alien population by exchange of population.
15. INGATHERING OF THE EXILES
Total in-gathering of the exiles to their sovereign state.
16. POWER
The Hebrew nation shall become a first-rate military, political, cultural and economical entity in the Middle East and around the Mediterranean Sea.
17. REVIVAL
The revival of the Hebrew language as a spoken language by the entire nation, the renewal of the historical and spiritual might of Israel. The purification of the national character in the fire of revival.
18. THE TEMPLE
The building of the Third Temple as a symbol of the new era of total redemption.
Ted Belman Said:
If pigs could fly???
They always have had that option and rejected it even before there was any supposed pressure from the Saudis.
Morroco’s occupation of Western Sahara is exactly the same as our occupation of Y&S yet the world (UN,EU,America etc) has tacitly accepted Morroco’s occupation and settlement of Western Sahara Territory.
In war winners win and losers lose except when it concerns the Jews. But the are we Jews not mostly responsible for the attitude of the gentiles towards us? Since when has PEACE even been the “Raison d’être” of any nation including the Jewish one at least in our past history. 2000 years in the Galut has done a number on our moral national compass as have our rabbinic teachers and leaders who have lost or forgotten the nationalism part of their Judaism. The very first commandment by G-d to our Patriarch Abraham was ‘lech Lecha’ (Leave everything ) and go to a land I will show you. No Kashrut no shabbat no yom kippur nor tephilin no rituals at all except to make Aliya. That is the first principle in Judaism and of being a Jew.
G-d took the Jews out of Egypt then said OK now go wherever you want? What then was his purpose? To free the Hebrew slaves? What for and it was G-d who put the Jews in to Egypt in the first place, for what purpose so they could enjoy life in America or Canada or anywhere else outside of the Land of Israel.
And just what and where is the Land of Israel? Certainly not along our current coastal plains or the Negev. The lands of Israel are exactly those which Belman and so many others are willing to give away to our enemies and non Jews. I can understand non Jews seeing some merit even logic to their arguments but not Jews.
2000 years ago would the Jews have allowed anyone especially gentiles on the Temple mount without a good fight of it? What the hell was Chanukah all about and the revolts against Rome and Byzantium. Jews lost wars but they fought for what was theirs and for their beliefs and their G-d.
Sounds to me like some body needs to read their Tanack. HaShem gave the land to Israel as an inheritance. ALL Israel needs is FAITH IN HaShem!!!!!!
In one respect Ted Belman is correct.
1. The role of the US, the EU and the Vatican
2. How Israel is confronting that
It is on this problema that the discussion should concéntrate.
It may help the discussion to remember that these forces, that is the US, EU and Vatican are themselves in melt down situations. At the very least they are moving to seek new forms of rule that will cause great convulsions. You can see this in that Obama seeks to rule a la Bonaparte by means of edict.
Israel does not need any agreement with these. Israel in its nation is actually far more secure tan these.
But Bibi is the wrong man int he wrong place at the wrong time
@ the phoenix:
I replied to that comment that he should tell it to the US, the EU and the world.
Ted Belman Said:
Well, Ted, we are much more likely to get American and European agreement if we clearly stand on our historical right.
Judea and Samaria are Jewish by right, not just by our conquest.
Arabs are the conquerors and occupiers of the entire Middle East and N. Africa.
By our willingness to negotiate our land, we only prove to Americans and Eropeans that we are the occupiers.
Likewise by stating that we are willing to withdraw, and that we are ONLY concerned about SECURITY. That too is an admission that we are the occupiers. IF we are the occupiers than we must withdraw. Even if the people we occupy are barbarians, and we are civilized, ultimately they are right and we are wrong.
So your approach is intrinsically flawed. Logically and psychologically flawed.
The only thing we need to communicate to the Americans is that Judea and Samaria are OUR LAND, and that ARABS not Jews are the OCCUPIERS!
This is not hard to do taking in consideration that this is the actual historical truth.
yamit82 Said:
from that article:
mid term elections, Syria, Iran, etc.: more important to Obama
It may be that a “deal” is no good for any of the parties at this time. It might even be better for the PA too that israel annex unilaterally so that abbas can declare his state and remain alive and the father of his country. He can continue to make noise everywhere, remain in power, in time the defacto situation will be permanent as long as there aren’t too many arabs in area C or in Israel. If a referendum of the population of area c were held unnder the principle of self determination the Jews would win. A, B and Jerusalem are not contestable regarding majority populations and Jerusalem has been annexed as is Golan.
There is no reason to assume that the majority of A & B should also control C.
Eric R. Said:
One counter is that more Jews occupy area C than arabs and therefore if anyone moves from c it should be the arabs on the principle of self determination alone. Second, vacant land is what is supposed to settle world jewry according to past treaties and area C is primarily vacant: therefore Jews have a greater claim to C. The most land that arabs can claim is that upon which they reside in sufficient numbers(A & B)and no vacant areas(C). Why should you have to even counter, why should Jews move from vacant land. Who gave the vacant land to the pals; Jordan had it last and they withdrew their claims. I dont know if there might be a clause in the Israel Jordan treaty regarding the final disposition of the west bank, that would be legally pertinent. However, changed situations can even change treaties.
This was before Jordan relinquished her claim to the west bank. It appears to me that at the worst for Israel, even under the principle of disputed land and self determination of peoples, that area C is more populated by jews so area C should be annexed to Israel and A&B left to the arabs. On the basis of negotiating disputed land even without security issues I see no objective basis for vacant unoccupied land going to the pals. They say they need the land for agriculture but Israel needs the land for the original purpose of the Balfour declaration: to settle Jews. Especially the Jews that will be fleeing europe and maybe even the US.
Ideal is total annexation and transfer but I do not expect enough Israelis to agree.
yamit82 Said:
Obama denied it and said the Israeli reprts are “false” – that the President still backs Kerry’s mission. The only problem is that the two sides cannot agree on anything and the US lacks the power to force them to go along. Now the only question left is which side will pull out first.
The only thing that might possibly bring peace with the palestinians is to defeat them militarily so thoroughly that they surrender. Israel has no interest in doing that and the international community woiuld never allow it anyway.
@ Ted Belman:
It’s exactly that kind of thinking that has gotten us into this quagmire. When the Jews care more about what the goyim think than what G-d above does and what He commands. What guarantee do you have that even if the U.S and the E.U. (of whom we know how much they just love us)”switched sides” that they won’t switch again when the political winds change as they do? Will you be asking for the 2/3rds back? If the land is ours we would not be giving it back and if it is not ours then 2/3rds will not do.
Foolish wishful thinking. True folly.
@ Ted Belman:
‘Kerry fails to get Obama backing to confront Israel on peace terms’
Israeli TV report says secretary’s plans for substantive framework deal have ‘pretty much collapsed’ in light of president’s stance
@ Ted Belman:
Took your advice.
I would like to post what one of the commenters on AT arctic foc said, which is/ should be the alpha and the omega:
Representatives of the Russian Jewish community held a memorial service on Sunday to remember the 11 Israelis taken hostage and killed at the 1972 Olympics in Munich and to celebrate the five Israeli athletes competing in the Sochi 2014 Winter Games.
Related:
• Five Israeli athletes set to compete in Sochi
• Sochi boasts religious accommodation for Jewish athletes
On September 5, 1972, members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage at the poorly secured athletes’ village by Palestinian gunmen from the Black September group
Andrea Davidovich, a US-born Israeli figure skater, said she felt close to the 1972 athletes.
“I feel like we are representing them and what they couldn’t achieve because of people who are against us, and we have to all be together the way were were greeted today and stand behind each other, because we’re Jewish and we are all a part of this community and have to support each other,” Davidovich said.
Palestinians don’t just kill in Israel Ted. Why be willing to give them any more leverage?
If you guys think you were rough on me you should read the comments at American Thinker. They make you guys look like pussies. But they failed to read what I wrote and misconstrued it. Not because I didn’t state it well but because they were blinded my their own beliefs. My suggestions differs very little from Bennett’s Plan. He wants to act unilaterally without anyone’s agreement leaving the mass of Arabs outside the annexed territory. What I am suggesting is that if we had the backing of the US and the EU in recognizing out new border, I would settle for a third of the land. You may not think that recognition of our new borders by them is worth giving up more land, I disagree./ Once they recognize the borders and takes our side in all things everything changes. We all know that all solutions come with their own problems. I’m saying that our biggest problem is that the US and the EU side with the Arabs.
Although Israelis would accept this in a heartbeat, the Americans won’t.So there is no deal.
I just want to put it out there that we don’t need the Palestinian agreement we only need the American agreement to our demands. If 1/3 doesn’t satisfy all our needs we must demand more. Anything less that keeping !/3 even with American agreement sould be rejected.
Oh Ted. Technically the U.S. owes ALL her allies to make peace with them by not interfering in sovereign nations. They can have an opinion. If they want to sign a ‘peace’ obligation let them – Israel shouldn’t have to sign nothing!!
Ted,
One other point. Let’s say that 100,000 Jewish Israelis are uprooted in the agreement. An argument I’ve heard in several quarters (yes, on the left) is that Israel absorbed 500,000 Russian Jews in just a few years, 20-25 years ago, when Israel has only 5 million people, and not much foreign financial help to assimilate them. They are saying that an Israel with 8+ million can move 100,000 in the same period of time, with considerable financial assitance from the USA, and it will create far less pain that the great post-USSR immigration.
I admit I am hard pressed to counter that one. Can you give me a good counter?
Ted Belman Said:
Ted,
The only thing that the EU will ever support about Israel is its extermination. Keep the EU out of enforcing the agreement, and bring in China and India. Neither suffers from the fanatic Jew-hatred of the Europeans, and besides, if you’re a jihadist, would you really want to mess with the Chinese?
@ Ted Belman:
I would very respectfully echo yidvocate’s comment.
The land of Israel, was supposed to include what today is known as ‘Jordan’. This was taken away from the Jews after it was ratified!!!
And now, we are not talking an agreement with a musloid (I.e. worth 0…. Hudabyah anyone?)… Why, we are talking an agreement signed by ‘civilized, honorable'(spit!!!!), nations that keep their word…. Right? Riiiiiight? Nod, nod, wink, wink…..
Let us paraphrase the key question of the Seder.
Why would such an agreement, be any different than ANY other agreement?
The name of the game appears to be let’s screw the Jews yet once more….
Never thought I read these words from you. Give up strategic, vital, existential in fact, not to mention, the cradle of our civilization! to implacable enemies. Empower them so they can destroy us. Ted – have you been hacked? Is that really you?
I would settle for US and EU support for our new borders. With them on our side, the Palestinians could do little. The conflict would be over.
Ted,
Neither your proposal nor the reported Israeli offer of 90% will ever happen. Land for peace is based on a fallacy. It assumes the cause of the conflict is Israel’s occupation of disputed territory.
In reality, the core cause of the conflict is Arab rejection of the existence of a Jewish State within ANY set of borders. Its not the size of the territory Israel can offer that’s up for debate.
The Arabs have repeatedly said they will never accept a Jewish State. And since there is no way get past it, land for peace is a pure fantasy! What worked with Egypt and Jordan won’t work with the Palestinian Arabs.
That is why its impossible to cut the Middle East’s seemingly eternal Gordian Knot.
Essentially I wanted to introduce the idea that seeking agreement with the Palestinians is a sisphean struggle. The solution lies in ignoring them and cutting a deal with the US more to our liking.
Ted,
Whether Israel ultimately withdraws from 75% of the West Bank or 90%; this whole issue should be on the back burner right now.
What Israel should be saying to the USA is:
“Deal with Iran first. Then we can deal with Judea and Samaria.”
If the USA will not take out the Iranian nuclear program, and I assume Israel cannot either (or she would have struck by now) then Israel will have to have some American forces stationed on Israeli soil. Will this hurt Israeli pride? Yup. But they’ve relied on American help before – in the first Gulf War, and to monitor the Sinai. This would obviously be a political tripwire rather than a military strategy – similar to the USA does in South Korea, where if it were not for North Korea’s nukes, the South would have no military concerns about the far weaker North.
And such troops would have to be under AMERICAN, not NATO, command, since with the latter they risk being under the command of some virulently Jew-hating Europeans.