It seems my earlier item on the 1947 proposal to share the land of Palestine was wrong. I had forgotten the equally far-sighted plan proposed by Saudi Arabia and agreed by all 22 members of the Arab League, with the acquiescence of Hamas and Iran. Adrian Hamilton writes in the Independent:
“But then there's an offer on the table that could overarch and even subsume the basic Palestinian-Israeli discord and that is the Arab League proposal to offer Israel recognition by the whole Arab world in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders.
“First authored by Saudi Arabia in 2002 and revived last year, the Arab peace Initiative has the support of all 22 members of the Arab League and the tacit acceptance of both Hamas and Iran. It would mean the dismantlement of the settlements and the destruction of the security fence. It would involve sharing Jerusalem. There would still be problems of the right to return. But it would finally force Israel and Hamas, Hizbollah and Iran, to put up or shut up over their intentions for peace.
“There it is, in black and white, a deal that could break the pattern of Middle East conflict and satisfy Israel's every concern for security if only someone was brave enough to pick it up.”
This is indeed a bold and acceptable plan to almost everyone. Unfortunately Israel can never accept it because it would require compromise over Jerusalem, upsetting the religious extremists who have their collective boot on the neck of the Israel body politic, the removal of the illegal settlements across the West Bank (ditto) and the need to relinquish the right to draw water from the huge aquifer which lies under the West Bank, which Israel needs to survive.
So two cheers for Saudi Arabia and the normally useless Arab League but it is likely to be a cold day in the Hell that is Gaza before this is agreed.
It is illuminating that the Saudis are the visionaries…
Thursday, 8 January 2009
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2 comments:
This (for readers confused by the emphasis, as opposed to this) is indeed the basis of a final solution.
(Perhaps not the best choice of phrase!)
I remain convinced that it is only the basis, however. I think that Arabs would accept slight deviations around the Green Line to allow Israel to include some of the larger settlements just over the old border, as long as Palestine received equivalent land transfers in return and it did not result in Palestinian villages being cut off from their orchards or having to pass through Israeli checkpoints to visit the nearest town or similar inconveniences (as is the case at present).
Jerusalem will be more tricky. I expect it will have to be divided rather than shared in a “joint sovereignty” sense – though the actual holy sites will require a more innovative solution.
I agree that the Israelis will not easily accept such a proposal, but I think that they could be persuaded: Israel does ultimately want a peaceful solution and has recognised that it must involve two independent, viable, sovereign states. The same cannot be said of Hamas. In fact, I wonder what evidence is there actually is that the plan has “the tacit acceptance of both Hamas and Iran”?
Thanks, you make some good points
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