Posted on 09/27/2011 5:11:41 AM PDT by SJackson
Land of Israel Caucus calls on Netanyahu to sanction the Palestinian Authority for statehood bid; Likud MK to put annexation bill to a vote; letter asserts "Israel will not agree to be [the PA's] punching bag."
Efforts to annex areas of the West Bank have gained momentum in recent days, as the Knesset Land of Israel caucus and the heads of four factions wrote on Tuesday a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asking him to consider the move and to sanction the Palestinian Authority.
The letter, written by caucus leaders Likud faction chairman Ze'ev Elkin and MK Arye Eldad (National Union), as well as the faction chairmen of Shas, National Union and Habayit Hayehudi said that sanctions will show the PA that "Israel will not agree to be its punching bag."
The Land of Israel Caucus called for a gradual annexation of settled areas in Judea and Samaria, as well as increased building and development of the region. The letter also demanded that any Palestinian construction in Area C be prevented, and that funds no longer be transferred to the PA.
"The Palestinian commitment to avoid unilateral steps is the only thing Israel got in return for all it has given up since the Oslo Accords," the MKs wrote. "The PA's unilateral bid for recognition of statehood in the UN is a clear violation of the agreements, which for the last 18 years cost us a high price."
The letter also explains that any country that cooperates with the PA in its statehood bid may no longer serve as a mediator in future peace talks.
If Netanyahu does not take such steps, the MKs wrote, he will "encourage the Palestinians to continue acting against [Israel] in the international arena."
"The international damage to Israel from the UN vote is much smaller than the damage Israel may inflict on itself if we do not follow the principle of 'if they give, they will get, if they don't give, they will not get,'" the letter reads, referring to a well-known quote from Netanyahu's first term as prime minister. "This principle has saved Israel from deteriorating into the abyss opened by the engineers of the Oslo Accords."
In addition, MK Danny Danon (Likud) plans to bring his annexation bill to a preliminary vote in the Knesset when the summer recess ends next month.
Danon's bill calls to "cancel all of the commitments the State of Israel made in agreements with the Palestinian Authority, and act to apply sovereignty to areas with a concentration of Jewish people in Judea and Samaria."
In the bill's text, the Likud MK explains that the Oslo Accords forbid "any step that will change the status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip until the end of negotiations on a permanent status."
The PA "defied this important rule by acting to unilaterally establish a Palestinian State" and therefore "the diplomatic agreements between Israel and the PA should be canceled," Danon said.
Danon has signatures in support of the bill from 15 Likud MKs, including Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein and Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan. Israel Beiteinu, National Union and Habayit Hayehudi are also in favor of the proposal, Danon said.
The Likud MK also conducted an online poll of 500 Jewish Israeli adults, and found that, should the Palestinians unilaterally establish a state, 54.5 percent would support the annexation of settlements in Judea and Samaria.
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Two important points.
1) Start with East Jerusalem. Eliminate any pretext that it is, or ever will be, a Paleo capital. Enough with the incrementalism, just do it.
2) Next annex all non-Jewish “holy sites” in Israel. They all become property of Israel, though lease terms can be generous, based on the good behavior of tenants. This will kill dead any b.s. that these sites are like embassies, the property of other nations.
3) Plot a strategic map of West Bank settlements to determine which can be logistically and militarily supported, when push comes to shove, and which may need to be tactically evacuated to larger and more accessible, and easier to defend settlements.
> 1) Start with East Jerusalem. Eliminate any pretext that it is, or ever will be, a Paleo capital. Enough with the incrementalism, just do it.
Israel annexed East Jerusalem almost 44 years ago, and Israel’s Basic Law included a stipulation at that time making the united Jerusalem the permanent capital of the nation.
Even the Labor and Kadima parties have not officially supported any change in that, although unofficially they have clearly made offers to hand over East Jerusalem to the PA.
My point. It is either part of Israel, or it is not.
The Israeli government has always been fickle about what it decides. Allow settlements—remove settlements. Put up fence—take down fence. East Jerusalem is Israeli—East Jerusalem goes to the Paleos.
Enough already.
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