Posted by
James Biga on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:10:42 PM
An op-ed in the Jerusalem post was penned by
Uri Savir. The piece, entitled "What the Palestinians Must Do", is naive and ignorant of the real situation. Here are his requirements:
1. The Palestinians must implement the first phase of the road map and uproot violence from their midst. The struggle against terrorism and the terrorist infrastructure must be relentless and ongoing. This should be done not as a "goodwill" gesture toward Israel, but because it is in the supreme interest of the Palestinians.
This is presently, and for the foreseeable future, unattainable. Hamas, Al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade, and other groups within "palestinian territories" would have to do this voluntarily because Fatah lacks the power to do so. In order for the violence to possible subside, there would have to be a major internal war. Unfortunately, Hamas and others would be financed and armed by Iran and Syria as well as receive support from Hizbollah.
2. The Palestinians rightly insist that the borders of a new Palestinian state should be based on the 1949 armistice lines. However, they should also agree to mutual modifications in order to have Israel retain several settlement blocs in its own territory.
Whether Abbas were to accept this or not doesn't matter. Hamas wouldn't. Neither would the other islamists in the region.
3. Palestinians should have the right of return to their own nation state - Palestine. Some would receive compensation and others would be resettled under various refugee programs in a number countries. Israel might permit, in the course of future talks, some refugees to settle on its territory. But the Palestinian leadership must finally tell its people that adhering to the right of return as an ideology would torpedo any hopes for a negotiated settlement with Israel.
This is a pipe dream at best. Who would compensate the people? It wasn't Israel that chased them all out. The islamists in the region are more than happy putting forth money for arms and homicide bombers. However, paying for resettlement is admission of defeat and they have yet to come to terms with this.
4. Jerusalem. The Palestinians will justifiably insist on a capital in the Arab-populated neighborhoods of Jerusalem, yet they should agree to postpone the final details of the future of the holy sites to permanent status negotiations.
Justifiable how? This is a deal killer before it begins.
5. Only by working together via open borders can we witness an improvement of the existing economic conditions for Palestinians, and of economic growth that would benefit both peoples. Yet for there to be a free flow of people, Israelis must feel certain that their lives will not again be placed in jeopardy by terrorism.
So continue to let the 'palestinians" be a leach. When a person is beholden to another, at some point the frustration and pride kick in. It's time for the "palestinians" to step up and take care of themselves legitimately.
6. Security cooperation must be renewed. Israel will not tolerate terror against any Israelis. And terrorism is also a threat on the authority of the Palestinian leadership.
What security cooperation?
These are ideas that probably could have worked 50 years ago but because of the hatred towards the Zionist state they never had a chance of being tabled. It is too late for this.
What's the most inane idea in his list?:
Israel must make painful concessions, and so must the Palestinian side. Israel must strengthen Abu Mazen, and Abu Mazen must strengthen himself and his party. It will be a challenge. But I genuinely believe that both Abu Mazen and Olmert understand the importance of this opportunity, and I hope - for the sake of both our peoples - that our leaders will act accordingly.
Abu Mazen cannot be strenghtened. This must come from him and "his people". They have failed miserably to this point. "It will be a challenge" is one of the more understated comments I have read in quite some time.
It would appear that Uri Savir is a romantic optimist. Tragically, there is too much at risk to put it all on whims and fantasy.