Here's a link to the President's speech on Thursday.
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The so-called "two-state" solution is not viable and is doomed to failure and additional bloodshed.
The reason is simple: a huge percentage of Arabs living in and around Israel don't want peace. Furthermore it's naive at best and reckless in practical terms to believe the foundation for a lasting peace can be built upon what would be a de facto terrorist state.
My solution, FWIW, is as follows:
1. Israel should annex all disputed lands west of the Jordan River.
2. Regarding the Golan Heights, there should be a Korea-style DMZ/buffer zone enforced by U.S. or U.S.-dominated and commanded forces.
3. Arab-dominated cities and areas of Israel should be governed locally and autonomously by Arab authorities. But only such authorities with no direct ties to terrorism. That would exclude Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah, PFLP, and Hizbollah. Local authorities would have plenary powers, subject only to the final authority of the Knesset. Basically it should be a similar arrangement to that under which the U.S. federal government and American Indian tribal governments have interacted -- peacefully, I might add -- for many decades.
4. Arabs living in Israel proper should have the opportunity, but not a mandate, to apply for full Israeli citizenship with full and equal rights. But under no circumstances should there be a "right of return" for refugees of any prior armed conflicts, or their descendants.
5. Jerusalem never should be partitioned or divided.
6. Regarding the specific site of the Temple Mount and of the Dome of the Rock there should be created an irrevocable land trust administered by an international group of trustees, consisting of the 5 permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (America, Britain, Russia, China and France), the two Arab nations with formal peace treaties with Israel (Jordan and Egypt), Saudi Arabia, and Syria (but only if the latter signs a peace treaty with Israel after the Golan is turned into a DMZ).
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Comments (7)
2. Regarding the G... (Below threshold)1. Posted by ijosha | January 10, 2008 11:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
1. Posted by ijosha | January 10, 2008 11:51 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 10, 2008 23:51
2. Posted by Jim Addison | January 11, 2008 12:11 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
A necessary precondition for a successful negotiation is that both sides perceive it in their best interests, and believe that they cannot achieve more favorable terms without negotiating.
This precondition having not been met, we can advance any number of reasonable and rational proposals, but until both parties accept the precondition they have the effect of a fart in a hurricane.
It has progressed to the point where we should discourage our Presidents and State Departments from wasting their valuable time on it. Tell the Palestinians (who have violated every agreement they have made thus far; that Israel even considers accepting their word at this point highlights the triumph of hope over experience) when they are ready to be serious, call us. They have the number.
2. Posted by Jim Addison | January 11, 2008 12:11 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 00:11
3. Posted by SPQR | January 11, 2008 12:31 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Unfortunately, your plan cannot be implemented without massive bloodshed as the IDF cleans out the West Bank and Gaza of Hamas and various PLO militias to the tune of tens of thousands. Israel has no intention of spending the lives to do that.
3. Posted by SPQR | January 11, 2008 12:31 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 11, 2008 00:31
4. Posted by sotiredofcrackingtheegg | January 11, 2008 5:41 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
the whole thing in a nut shell is that israel is being crack open like an egg at ever chance available. israel needs to be left alone. to continue to break off this half and then this section and give it to egypt or arabs or whomever is what is causing the bloodshed. give israel a break please.
4. Posted by sotiredofcrackingtheegg | January 11, 2008 5:41 AM |
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Posted on January 11, 2008 05:41
5. Posted by JLawson | January 11, 2008 9:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Item 6 mentions using the U.N. ... why not for this task as well?
Because they're not what you might call, um, impartial. Or effective. Or particularly trustworthy. There's too many competing factions inside the UN - they'd be more likely to look the other way when the Palestinains get stupid and attack Israel than actually try to stop things.
5. Posted by JLawson | January 11, 2008 9:27 AM |
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Posted on January 11, 2008 09:27
6. Posted by ijosha | January 12, 2008 5:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
6. Posted by ijosha | January 12, 2008 5:53 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 12, 2008 05:53
7. Posted by ABU | January 13, 2008 8:39 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
We all know Pres. Bush is in ME to show his support for Israel--not for peace. He supports whatever Israel is doing and then how can we expect peace. Why the whole world can't stop Israel first and lets see what the poor Palestines do. They can never touch Israel when Israel can destroy whole ME with its piles of N.weapons. Isarel is making trouble everywhere and dragging US in its interests.
See how Bush is crying to attack Iran because he was ordered to do so (while he was in Israel). We the poor Americans will continue to die to support Israel's occupation.
7. Posted by ABU | January 13, 2008 8:39 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 13, 2008 08:39