The Right Road to Peace

therightroadtopeace ^ | May, 2003 | BINYAMIN (BENNY) ELON

[SJackson]

IN THE WAKE OF THE WAR IN IRAQ:
A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY
FOR A REGIONAL SOLUTION
TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT

A PEACE PLAN

PROPOSED BY
ISRAELI CABINET MINISTER BINYAMIN (BENNY) ELON

Why the Road Map won't work

The establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (the West Bank), as proposed in plans such as the “Road Map,” will only prolong the Arab- Israeli conflict and exact a heavy toll in human life.

As in previous failed agreements, this current one also defers the solution of the real problems that perpetuate the conflict:

		The Palestinian demand for the right of return of refugees to areas within the State of Israel.
		The rehabilitation of Palestinian refugees.
		The status of Jerusalem.
		The nature of the Palestinian state and its borders.

Within a short time, these unresolved problems will resurface and draw the region into yet another war.

While based on the principle of “two states for two nations,” the proposed Road Map does not achieve that goal.

It is not a “two state solution” at all. Without the complete destruction of Israel, Palestinian Arabs can only be offered a state-like entity, unable to sign international agreements, without an army and made up of a number of small and overcrowded fragments of territory.

This quasi-state would not have natural borders. Rather, population centers on both sides will straddle the border, perpetuating continued friction between Israelis and Palestinians.

The Palestinian entity’s economy will be permanently dependent on Israel.

This entity would be an Israeli protectorate, leading to an intensification of the sense of humiliation felt by Palestinian Arabs who would aspire to encroach further into Israeli territory.

The refugee problem will not be solved through this entity and Palestinian Arab demands for the right of return will continue to threaten Israel’s existence. The motivation for terror will remain high.

From every aspect – geographic, economic and demographic – it is clear that it will be impossible to resolve the problem within the small, overcrowded area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Why – after the failure of the Oslo agreements – are we reverting to a model already proven catastrophic for both sides?

It is clear that what is needed is a paradigm shift.

Introduction to the Elon Peace Plan

Only with application of a regional solution that includes the entire territory of British Mandatory Palestine (land of Israel) can the peace process be delivered from its impasse. A regional solution based on geopolitical and economic logic can provide the Middle East with long-term peace, prosperity and stability.

The American and British coalition victory in Iraq has spurred an American commitment to instill democratic values in the Middle East and establish a new political map. This is a historic opportunity to enable the Arab nations to be part of the solution to the Palestinian problem and garner international support and funding.

The Elon Peace Plan addresses the fundamental issues related to the conflict and offers a comprehensive solution for Israel, Palestinian Arabs and surrounding countries.

Expanding the solution to include both sides of the Jordan River creates a new reality in which:

		Israelis and Palestinian Arabs can exist alongside one another in two genuine, sovereign states.
		A well-defined natural border would be established, far from population centers.
		Both states would have strategic depth and ample land reserves.

Dealing directly with final-status issues, the Elon Peace Plan offers:

		An immediate permanent-status settlement to end the conflict.
		Full and comprehensive rehabilitation of Palestinian refugees.
		The granting of national expression and full rights for all Palestinian Arabs.
		Removal of the threat to Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.

Key principles of the Elon Peace Plan

1.	Immediate dissolution of the Palestinian Authority, a non-viable entity with no future, whose existence precludes the termination of the conflict.		Dissolution of the Palestinian Authority
2.	Israel will uproot the Palestinian terror infrastructure. All arms will be collected, incitement will be stopped and all the refugee camps, which serve as incubators for terror, will be dismantled. Terrorists and their direct supporters will be deported.		Eradication of terror infrastructure
3.	Israel, the United States and the international community will recognize the Kingdom of Jordan as the only legitimate representative of the Palestinians. Jordan will once again recognize itself as the Palestinian nation-state. In the context of a regional economic development program, Israel, the United States and the international community will put forth a concerted effort for the long-term development of Jordan, to rehabilitate its economy and enable it to absorb a limited number of refugees within its borders.		Recognition and Development of Jordan as the Palestinian State
4.	Israeli sovereignty will be asserted over Judea, Samaria and Gaza (the West Bank). The Arab residents of these areas will become citizens of the Palestinian state in Jordan. The status of these citizens, their connection to the two states and the manner of administration of their communal lives will be decided in an agreement between the governments of Israel and Jordan (Palestine).		Israeli sovereignty over Judea, Samaria and Gaza
5.	Israel, the United States and the international community will allocate resources for the completion of the exchange of populations that began in 1948, as well as the full rehabilitation of the refugees and their absorption and naturalization in various countries.		Rehabilitation of refugees and completion of population exchange
6.	After implementation of the above stages, Israel and Jordan-Palestine will declare the conflict terminated. Both sides will work to normalize peaceful relations between all parties in the region.		Peace and normalization

For more rationale and details:  Principles 1-2 |  Principle 3 |  Principle 4 |  Principles 5-6

Underlying principles of the Elon Peace Plan:

No other proposal addresses final-status issues. The Elon plan offers a way to translate the achievements of the war in Iraq into a new “Marshall Plan” for the Middle East, a plan that is based, on the one hand on Israel, the only stable democracy in the region, and, on the other, on Jordan which has a quasi-democratic government, thus removing the Palestinian terrorist regime from the picture.

The Elon Peace Plan manifests:	The Elon Plan proposes a simple, sustainable solution that achieves historic justice and advances the vision of the prophets. It addresses the human tragedies of all the sides and does not harm Israeli deterrence - the most vital element for regional peace

Simplicity

Two states for two nations on either side of the Jordan River. This solution offers a natural and logical border, separation of hostile populations and an end to the human tragedy that has continued since the War of Independence.

Sustainability

This plan grants the Palestinian Arabs citizenship in a real state that has the ability to sustain itself economically and politically, with clear and final borders. This state would not find itself in constant conflict with Israel and its future would not be predicated on the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state.

Morality

This plan prioritizes the treatment of human issues over empty symbols. “Peace” proposals that are based on continued conflict perpetuate poverty, violence and ignorance. The Elon Peace Plan brings about a solution to the Palestinians’ suffering without capitulating to terror and violence.

Deterrence

An Israeli withdrawal of any kind would severely harm Israel’s national strength while reinforcing the motivation for terror. The Elon Peace Plan preserves Israel’s deterrent capabilities, making it possible for the first time to delineate secure and recognized borders.

Justice

The secure existence of Israel corrects a historic injustice. The essence of Zionism is to establish a state for the Jewish people, a safe haven for millions of Jewish refugees from all over the world including from the Arab countries.

The Arab world must be involved in a resolution of the Arab refugee issue, using its vast territorial expanses and abundant natural resources.

This is not only justice in its most elementary sense – that of human decency – but also draws on deep Biblical sources, which view the Jewish people as a nation with a unique destiny and place in history.

This plan is founded on the fundamental historic and Biblical truth that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people.

However, it realizes only part of this principle because it accepts the existence of a Palestinian state east of the Jordan River, part of the Biblical land of Israel.

The realization of the Zionist dream – the return of the Jewish people to its land from all corners of the earth – is a historic event of global significance.

Only when Israel’s Arab neighbors accept its right to exist within secure boundaries as a fundamental reality, will regional peace and prosperity be achieved.

---

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

================

Benny now has a website

[JSteff]

It is a logical plan but it will never have a chance.

1) The Jordanians don't want the Pali's back. They threw (chased) them out! It was a convincing military operation and because of the forcefulness the Pali's have not bothered them again. Which brings up;
2)The Pali's have become so steeped in the identity of hate they will never agree to anything. All they (like most Arab's (generic term) understand is force. It is all they respect. The world would never allow the "uprooting of the infrastructure of terror. The world would not stand by and watch as the necessary force needed to do this was effected.
3)This would require that there be logical understanding and will on the part of far too many leaders. That does not exist at this time.

The only way this will happen is an Iraq style operation that targets the terrorists. The problem is the world has backed itself into a politically correct position of "understanding" the terrorists so it will be up to us to do it eventually.
Otherwise I fear the a strong leader of peace spoken about in the bible will be next.

[bjcintennessee]

I'm not certain that I understand where the boundaries are to be drawn. There have been so many changes in boundaries since the original Oslo Peace Accords(?) of 1948(?), that it is confusing as to where the legal boundaries should be, and who determines these boundaries. From what I have read, the Palestinians refused to accept the first attempt at establishing boundaries for Israel and Palestinian, so does that make the initial boundaries invalid?

And JSteff was right, Jordan doesn't want the Palestinians (and didn't I read here recently that Jordan's refugee camps threat the Palestians far worse than the Israeli's ever did?)

It occurs to me that we should go back to the original boundaries set by the original Oslo Accords and do whatever is necessary to enforce it. If that means American bombs falling on the Hamas, then so be it.

[bjcintennessee]

...refugee camps treat the Paslestians far worse...

I should proofread these things better.

[bjcintennessee]

...refugee camps treat the Palestinians far worse...

I'm working on my proofreading, really, I am.

[happygrl]

This is the plan that should have been implemented 51 years ago.

The only hint of hope I have seen for that area is the demonstration against Hamas by some Palestinians this week.

Unless and until that comes to dominate the political scene, I forsee no Roadmap to Peace.

After the Israelites entered the Land after wandering the Sinai for 40 years, it took another 400 years to achieve sovereignty.

It seems that the neighborhood hasn't changed much in 3000 years.

[adam_az]

"It occurs to me that we should go back to the original boundaries set by the original Oslo Accords and do whatever is necessary to enforce it. If that means American bombs falling on the Hamas, then so be it."

Please tell me where those boundaries are?

Opps you can't because...

OSLO DIDN'T SET BOUNDARIES.

This was to be "final status negotiations"

How can so many people have such strong opinions about something they know so little about?

[bjcintennessee]

How can so many people have such strong opinions about something they know so little about?

I have a strong opinion about a lot of things while remaining open-minded enough to be further educated on various subjects. Please note that my original post included a question mark after the Oslo Accords, as I was not certain which entity established the original boundaries for Israel and Palestinian. (My bookmarked page that had all the details of the establishment of Israel and all the subsequent numerous changes and conflicts got deleted when I had to be away from FReepers for six weeks. So please excuse my ignorance).

And please don't tell me that no one determined boundaries back in 1948 (or whenever). If you thought your obscure statement that "this was to be final status negotiations" should answer any questions, well it didn't. What the blazes is "final status negotiations"? Please elaborate for those of us who are too "ignorant" to comprehend.

And BTW, Opps is usually spelled "oops", but then, I would not be so crass as to point out a simple ignorance in spelling.

[adam_az]

You put the word "ignorant" in quotes, but you weren't quoting me. I didn't use the word!

There were boundaries in 1948. They were smaller than the pre-1967 lines. Israel accepted them, all the Arab nations rejected, and then they invaded Israel. Miraculously, the Arabs lost to a much more poorly armed and equipped foe, largely relying on cast-off WW1 and WW2 leftover military hardware. Then we had the "pre-1967" borders. 1967 was a replay. Jordan and Egypt lost Samaria, Judea, and Gaza, and then relinquished claim to them both. They also refused citizenship to Arabs displaced as a result of their war, who are now known as "Palestinian refugees." Israel and the PA were to negotiate about the final status of the border line between Israel and the nascent Palestinian state.

[bjcintennessee]

You put the word "ignorant" in quotes, but you weren't quoting me."

You are correct, I simply summarized my assessment of your statement.

I have read soooo much about Israel in the last two years and have concluded that it is a convaluted mess filled with countless mandates by a variety of world entities. I did a search here for that one clear, anti-biased, fact-filled article that got deleted, but I couldn't find it.

I don't recall ever having read that Israel and the PA were to negotiate their own borders though. That is very interesting (and I liked that word "nascent" -- had to look it up, but it's impressive.)

[SJackson]

Please note that my original post included a question mark after the Oslo Accords, as I was not certain which entity established the original boundaries for Israel and Palestinian.

As adam explained, way back the UN, before them the Brits. That's the borders for Israel, never accepted by the Arab world. There really haven't been borders established for the "palestinians". In 47-48 perhaps, rejected, but Jordan and Egypt immediately took control of what they could, and kept it till 67.

Re OSLO, you might like to read Dennis Ross's take on the borders.

Dennis Ross on Fox News Sunday (What Arafat Turned Down)

[SJackson]

Sorry guys, just realized I was replying to a three month old post.

[bjcintennessee]

Sorry guys, just realized I was replying to a three month old post.

I don't know how this "came across your desk" this late, but I'm glad it did. The link you gave to Ross's interview was very enlightening -- guess I missed your initial posting of it. Thanks.