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Sunday Jul 05, 2009
The Other View: A 'settlement freeze' is not enough
Posted by Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad
Comments: 36
    
Last week, Congressman Robert Wexler (D - FL) , a supporter of Israel and a
close political ally of President Obama, stated his belief that Israel would say yes to settlement freeze.
According to Wexler, Israel would not stand to lose much by making this
necessary move aimed at making Arab states - who say they are ready for
normalization with Israel - lay their cards on the table. The Palestinian Authority
stated that these operations are undertaken only for security purposes inside
Palestinian territories. And although these developments are considered an improvement,
it is not enough for Israel to remove at least some of its
checkpoints, stop building its "security fence," or give the
Palestinians the chance to live normal lives. So will the Arab world forget these Israeli policies and race to start normalization relations only because Israel says it will commit to a 'settlement freeze?' I don't think so. The question is what will the Americans think.
1 |
Avrohom - Israel,
Sunday Jul 05, 2009
The blooger writes, "normalization would only start after a complete Israeli agreement to Arab demands. The Arab Peace Initiative entails an Israeli withdrawal from the 1967 occupied lands, East Jerusalem as a capital of a future Palestinian state, and a fair solution for the Palestinian refugees' case". How absurd and how completely void of pragmatic notion. The word did not stop or start in 67. 67 was just another Arab attack on us. It started before that and has continued until today. There are no 'do-overs' in the real world. And we will not start normialization through capitulation.
2 |
David Naor, Herzliya, Israel,
Sunday Jul 05, 2009
It's good reading your column, Ziad. Seems that you faithfully describe the Palestinian Authority's attitude towards Israel. For those who claim that the expansion of settlements is the obstacle to peace, you have shown us that this is not the case. Of course, we already knew that since the PA rejected a deal last year that included a Palestinian state on the WB, Gaza, and Arab East J'lem. There will never be "a complete Israeli agreement to Arab demands" Ziad, just as there will never be a complete Palestinian agreement to Israeli demands. When you understand that there will perhaps be peace.
3 |
Ray Saperstein, Baltimore, MD,
Sunday Jul 05, 2009
Ziad, please specify exactly what you think a "fair" solution to the Palestinian refugee problem is. The standard PA "fair" solution has been the fictitious "right of return" of millions of refugees. Arab leaders have said this is non-negotiable, and Israel will never accept that. Perhaps you could also explain why having a capital in East Jerusalem is so important. East Jerusalem was never a capital of any sovereign Arab nation, so why is it so important now? By the way, is there anything in the Arab initiative that guarantees that Israel will not be the victim of terror attacks?
4 |
Ivory Tower,
Sunday Jul 05, 2009
Ziad, eying for a job in the PA already? You truly exemplify the common political viewpoint of Palestinian leaders - "racist, undemocratic" Israel must submit to all Arab demands whilst the Palestinians have no responsibilities to speak of (as occupation is the most evil crime to befall mankind).
So, the Arab states "might" normalize following an Israeli "withdrawal from the 1967 occupied lands, East Jerusalem as a capital of a future Palestinian state, and a fair solution for the Palestinian refugees' case." Pray-tell Ziad, what does the dangerously ambiguous phrase "fair solution" mean?
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Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
David...First of all i am only representing myself :) lets make this clear. i am only trying to bring you something about how the other side thinks.i am not trying to make you agree on anything...it is always up to you and the other readers to thin about it. I do understand and agree that peace cannot be made without real compromises from both sides. This means that both the Palestinians and the Israelis will have to make serious compromises to reach peace. However, i am saying that the Arab support and normalization cannot be gained with simple actions such as a promise to freeze settlements.
6 |
Night Owl, Old Cliffs,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Thanks, Ziad for being truthful and seeing through the "front" issue of a settlement freeze. I can't see anything like a fair solution to the Palestinian refugee case. After the intifada it is hard to imagine a single refugee being welcomed into what is now Israel. And how many refugees can the West Bank resettle over a period of two to ten years? Like it or not the security fence becomes the defacto border. No one wants Gaza open to the West Bank for Hamas to roll over the PA and set up military plans. An Arab flag over East Jerusalem is the only possible achievement of negotiations..
7 |
Night Owl, Old Cliffs,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Ziad, one of the reasons a settlement "freeze" is on the table is that IDF checkpoints and halting IDF activity in the West Bank is not. Who has faith that the current PA could and would stop terrorist attacks inside Israel if the IDF pulled back? The "two-year" plan is contingent on Dayton supposedly having a force trained strong enough to stop Hamas and committed to preventing cross-border attacks. Once the West Bank is a Palestinian state any cross-border attack would be an act of war and the relative restraint of the last 40 years would be a dim memory.
8 |
Night Owl, Old Cliffs,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Ziad, the Palestinians have nothing to negotiate with and their Arab allies are willing to put nothing on the line. Consider, for example, if Saudi Arabia was willing to put up ten trillion dollars to buy East Jerusalem for the future Palestinian state.
9 |
David Samuel,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Illuminating. This article, written by an Arab "moderate," makes it clear peace is unattainable in the short term. Apparently, he believes that those that start and lose a war of aggression should be returned to an even better position than they were in before they started the war. It has not occurred anywhere else (review the changes in European borders after WW1 & 2) and it will not happen here.
10 |
simon, montross,va,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
ziad: youare forgetting the 800,000 jews kicked out of arab countries. india, pakistan and israel both became independent in 1948, both had large population exchanges (millions for india and pakistan) yet only only in arab countries were they not allowed to become citizens of the countries they were displaced to. Reparations for those jews kicked out need to be put on the table during negotiations. further, if the special UNWRA for the mideast, was not in existence, the palestinians would already be citizens of those countries and peace would reign.
11 |
David Naor, Herzliya, Israel,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Ziad, a settlement freeze is not a "simple action" for Israel. Second, we don't expect Arab support and normalization. What we do expect is peace - an end to hostilities and the hate education of your children. Everything else can come later. Lastly, nobody expects a peace agreement in exchange for a settlement freeze. But your leaders have been rejecting fair compromises (including the removal of settlements) since Camp David in 2000, and we no longer believe that you are serious about peace. How can you expect Israel to withdraw from the WB after the rockets from Gaza and the Hamas charter?
12 |
Chris USA,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
If a settlement freeze is held as a necessity for Israel then it must also be held as necessary for the PA. Otherwise demographic growth will force many disputes followed by another war. Conversly if both the PA and Israel tolerate settlements it is possible for them to eventually become agents of unity and brotherhood. Such results require significant progress in the peace process and thus remain improbable in the near future. However, if both peoples build the foundations now the bridges will come later.
13 |
delia, saskatoon, Canada,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
You are quite right, and the Arabs can relax for the time being. Because the Israel leadership first has to take Washington's demand seriously. However, the demand doesn't appear to be all that serious. Obama has not yet done anything to convince Israel that he's serious about settlement freeze--such as cutting back on that "financial aid" package and stopping the shipment of all those lovely war toys. I'm no fan of Bibi, but I can certainly see why he's spinning out the time playing word-games. Obama will need to show the tip of the whip if he wants to get this project off the ground.
14 |
Chris USA,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
In the end Israel is benefited more by comitting itself to the road map for peace sans the Annapolis initiative. Peace with equality is more likely to grow roots than unmanageable excesses for either side. Reconciliation is like a father who teaches peace to his two sons who have a dispute - the fruit is in the results.
15 |
Chris USA,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Before any serious peace progress on the road map can be obtained the Hamas issue must be resolved in a manner mutually acceptable to both the PA and Israel. Otherwise Hamas will simply sabotage the efforts.
16 |
Kerry L. Winn,
Monday Jul 06, 2009
Regardless of what Israel does, the concessions she makes, Arabs will continue attacking her. Were there settlements in 1911? Nope, still Arabs attacked. Were there settlements prior to 1967? No. Still Arabs attack. Can Jews purchase Arab land? No. To sell to a Jew is a capital offense.
Ziad, you know this, yet make excuses for your brethren.
17 |
Sam O USA,
Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
This settlement stuff is really a fake issue. Building settlements is not the same as suicide bombers and rockets sent into S'derot. I see those Palestinian workers help building these settelements. What are they doing it for nn salary! Come ON. Lets get real. Pres obama and the world get get off of Israle 's back...they should do whatever it takes to protect themsleves. We in the USA went 4000 miles to fight terror..Israel has it right in their own backyard. The Araba shave more to gain with peace than anybody. The Jews are still sipping tea in Jerusalem and Tel a viv!
18 |
ISAAC ROSEN MONTREAL CANADA,
Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
Ziad, there is only one hope,if possible,Israel and the PA stop the violence against each other and form a ecnomic union as 2 separate states and Israel helping to built a viable economic PA state and then both benefit by selling to Europe goods that this whole area can provide. There is no other solution except economics for both Israel and PA. This union will in time built trust and finally peace. Both sides must agree to start and built this economic union as a free trade zone for peace.If this does not happen God help us all!
19 |
Renny,
Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
I have read several of your srticles Ziad and realize that you don't understand thesituation at all. Let me first say i have always been against settlements, but they are no hinderance to peace. The Arabs are though and have been so from 1948 and unfortunately have continued to be up to present day.We absorbed lots of refugees expelled in 1948 from Arab countries and they are not lving in camps today, explain to me why the same hasn't happened with the Arabs. There are no refugees left. I read the other day that an American born in America says he is a Palestinian refugee. That's the problem
20 |
Maverick,
Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
You are right. It is up to the United States which must tie its financial aid towards Israel's defense to the peace process. Only when financial aid penalties are enforced for not stopping settlement growth, failure to dismantle settlements, and refusal to negotiate with both PA and Hamas will Israel be spurred on to move the peace process forward. It would appear that this setting of conditions by the U.S. must be with the approval of Congress unless some administrative exception can be made. And to get congressional support requires substantial pressure from the polity.
21 |
Shmuel, Israel,
Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
Good to have this article. The author states clearly that a settlement freeze is not enough. If it is not enough, then why do it at all?
22 |
Lyn Wilson, Oregon, USA,
Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
One thing I have always wondered--surely at some point in time an Arab youth being educated to hate Israel has posed the question, "Father, we have them outnumbered 500 million to 3 million. The Jews have built their own jets, their own tanks, and their own nuclear reactors and nuclear bombs. Why can't we do the same? Why can't we build 10,000 jet fighters and bombers and 30,000 tanks and simply overwhelm the Zionists with sheer numbers?" What would the father say?
23 |
Terry - Eilat, Israel,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
Not surprisingly, you did not post my comment re: Fayyad's recent speech in Aspen, CO. in which he stated that Jews would be welcome in any future Palestinian state & have the same rights as Arabs in Israel. Now, we all know that was a big lie meant to mislead stupid Westerners & liberal morons, but he did say it. This being the case, why is the settlement issue of any importance? What does a freeze on settlemets matter if Jews are welcome in ''Palestine'' ???? I would like your comments on Mr Fayyad's speech.
24 |
Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
Lyn I think that your info about youth Palestinians is not accurate.... you must remember that the education to hate exists in both sides. settlers and extreme Jews are taught to hate and kill...A soldier who uses his army weapon to shoot a civilian after arresting him shows the hate which he learned from his friends in the Israeli army.... believe me hate is educated everywhere...The question is how to overcome this hate and try to teach new generations on both sides that peace is the only choice... Israeli actions for "security" brought new generations of Palestinian victims and HATERS.
25 |
ben yitxchak,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
A settlement freeze is not enough is correct. What else has to happen is the pals have to give up their dream of 3 palestines ( jordan, what is left of the WB and Gaza, and the Israel after the "refugees" return. This blogger continues the intolerance and mistakes that have lead his people to their self inflicted NAKBA. The true catastrophe is the misery that has resulted from people who refuse their own state, refuse to accept reality, and dont seem to posses the desire for self determination that is necessary to have a state. No one could stop Israel, not even a billion muslims for 60+ .
26 |
Brian USA,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
C'mon Ziad, lets not fool ourselves. There aren't any childrens programs in Israel gloifying the killing of Palestinians and encourageing toddlers to become martyrs. Israeli text books dont fail to mention the Palestininan territories. Of course there are soldiers who should not be armed and who have done inexcusable things, but on the whole, the Israeli environment and culture is an open one where Jews, Muslims and Christians live among eachother. To compare a rougue Israeli soldier's deplorable action to intstatutionalized state sanctioned educational racisim fails to look introspectively
27 |
Jon from Paris,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
The blogger seems to have a clear idea of what it takes to get his approval. Perhaps one should regard him as very moderate, in that he is not asking for the Israeli population to relocate to Germany, Poland, Russia, Algeria, Morocco, and other places. His "demands" would be funny, if they were not so sad. He obviously has not read much history, and little literature beyond the comic versions of the Hamas cartoons for kids. So sorry, Israel's people are not about to move out, and there are no Roman Legions to force them out.
28 |
JMK,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
Israel gave back Gaza, gave back the West Bank and had to take in back because of the intifada, Israel maintains roadblocks and yet anytime they are removed the terrorist attacks start again. The US did not come to Israel's aid despite promises and told Israel not to defend themselves in 1967, during the War of Attrition the US despite assurances allowed the Soviet missiles on the border, in 1972 told Israel not to defend themselves and lied about the Eygptians attack and made israel bleed before airlift much needed supplies. Israel has given enough goodwill. The problem is Arabs who hate Jews
29 |
Jonathan, Israel,
Wednesday Jul 08, 2009
The demands of the Arab world are vast and almost endless. We must put aside their non logical demands (such as total annihilation of the Jewish people and state), and amend our ways around their vital demands (such as freedom, land, and releasing the occupational grip).
There are many people that demand many things, even from within, most orthodox Jews don't even care for the country, and they are highly interested in converting everyone to their mindset, and wiping the rest off the face of the earth.
There are may fanatics and various fundamentalists, we must all reason. please.
30 |
Chaim - Israel,
Thursday Jul 09, 2009
A million Jews in Judea and Samaria by 2015! Israel is one of the smallest nations in the world. We are also one of the oldest nations in the world. Judea and Samaria have been rightfully ours for thousands of years. Our Arab neighbours have more than 600 times our land mass. Moreover, we won Judea, Samaria and Gaza in defensive wars. The demand that we leave Judea and Samaria is ludicrous. This is our land and we have the right, obligation and pleasure to massively settle in it. Those who truly want peace with us will not use it as an excuse. We have nothing to gain by a treaty with the P.A.
31 |
Avrohom - Israel,
Thursday Jul 09, 2009
Ziad (#24), where, in he Arab world, are publically written and publically taught in schools and in literature, that Jews have a connection, an unbroken history with Israel, Jerusalem and our land? Where is it taught and written in public forums that we are the historical people from this land? Show me the myriad of sources that shows anything but hate towards Jews and Israel. Show us these sources that Arabs are not almost completely teaching hatred and lies about Jews and Israel. Your ideas are nice, and should be lauded. But do they reflect the real Arab street and society?
32 |
Hillel,
Thursday Jul 09, 2009
I looked for a pro-Israel blooger on Al-Jazera....I couldn't find one.
33 |
H. Chaara Amsterdam,
Saturday Jul 11, 2009
it`s only on Jpost that stupid poeple can cal the clever ones stupid and get away with it.
Israel is being hated by every youngster in Europe doesn`t matter from what religion because of what we all see on objective TV and the reports we read from amnesty and go on and go on
This is the 21 century and the world is getting smaller and the Internet bigger and everything more cleared and propaganda has never been more cheesy
What does surprise me though are the the comments placed by the people from the states, normally they are not interested in what happens outside their states.
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Ricky , USA,
Monday Jul 13, 2009
Further to what Avrohom (#31) said: Are Muslim Arab children (and adults) taught the fact that the Qur'an says that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people? And that their prophet Mohammed said that no one should interfere with that truth? If not, then why don't they start teaching them this truth???
35 |
Jean - Georgia,
Thursday Jul 23, 2009
To #34: That "inconvenient truth" is outweighed by the '"new truth" contained in the PLO Charter.
(To Jen from the UUI, I don't care, because you don't know.)
36 |
Jean - Georgia,
Thursday Jul 23, 2009
And now to the "facts" in this article.
1. Day and night PA working to arrest hamas activists>>> (Really? hahahaha)
2. "for ISRAEL to remove ;;some;; of its checkpoints">>>>why bother mentioning how many checkpoints have been removed in the last few months?? (Nope, that would distort the slant of this article.)
3.ISRAEL ".. arrest anyone it wants, and continues to insult the PA by demonstrating how it has no control of its lands or people" >>> Insults are calling someone ugly or fat. Taking care of what the PA can't do/won't do is not an insult. It is competence trumping incompetence.
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