Abu Mazen's September 23, 2011 UN speech and the Palestinian
Authority's education system reaffirm the fact that Jewish settlements
within pre-1967 Israel - and not in Judea and Samaria (J&S) - are
the root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
In his UN speech, Abu Mazen highlighted the "63 years old occupation"
since 1948; this message is reinforced throughout his K-12 education
system. He heralded the PLO - which was established three years before
the 1967 War and before the establishment of contemporary Jewish
settlement in J&S - as his supreme authority. Abu Mazen denies the
existence of Jewish roots between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean
Sea.
Thus, the root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not the J&S settlements, but the existence of the Jewish State.
Freezing Jewish settlements in J&S diverts attention away from
the core cause of the conflict. Moreover, it constitutes an obstacle to
peace, by reflecting submission to pressure, thus fueling further
pressure, radicalizing Arab demands, intensifying Arab terrorism and
eroding Israel's posture of deterrence, while the only peace-possible is
deterrence-driven peace.
The pre-1967 area of Israel was the focus of the systematic campaign
of Arab terrorism during the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, as well as
of the conventional Arab wars on Israel in 1948, 1956 and 1967.
A giveaway of all Jewish settlements in J&S was offered by former
Prime Minister Ehud Barak in October 2000. Abu Mazen and Arafat
responded with an unprecedented wave of suicide bombings in pre-1967
Israeli towns, which are defined as "settlements" by Abu Mazen's school
textbooks.
The September 2005 uprooting of 25 Jewish settlements in J&S and
Gaza induced an unprecedented barrage of missiles, hitting Jewish
settlements in pre-1967 Israel.
*If the 350,000 Jews, among 1.6MN Arabs, in J&S constitute an
obstacle to peace, are the 1.5MN Arabs, among 6MN Jews, within pre-1967
Israel, an insurmountable obstacle to peace?!
*If Jewish construction in J&S should be frozen, lest it prejudge
the outcome of negotiations, then Arab construction in J&S should
be frozen as well, unless one wishes to prejudge the outcome of
negotiations.
*If the uprooting of Jewish communities advances peace, why would the uprooting of Arab communities undermine peace?!
*The uprooting of Arabs communities would be immoral; so, too, is the uprooting of Jewish communities.
*No opposition to an Arab presence in pre-1967 Israel should be
tolerated; so, too, should the opposition to a Jewish presence in
J&S.
*Illegal Jewish homes in J&S are razed by Israel; so, too, should
the 1,100 illegal Arab homes built annually in Jerusalem and the
thousands of illegal Arab homes in J&S?
The 1950-67 Jordanian occupation of J&S was recognized by only
Britain and Pakistan. The most recent internationally-recognized
sovereign over J&S was the 1922 British Mandate, which defined
J&S as part of the Jewish National Homeland. Article 6 of that
Mandate acknowledges the right of Jews to settle in J&S. Judge
Stephen Schwebel, former President of the International Court of
Justice, determined that Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria was
rooted in self-defense and therefore did not constitute "occupation."
Eugene Rostow, former Dean of Yale Law School, former Undersecretary of
State and co-author of UN Security Council Resolution 242, asserted that
242 entitled Jews to settle in J&S. The Oslo Accord does not
prohibit the construction of Jewish settlements in J&S. Moreover,
settlements are established on state-owned - and not private - land.
Peaceful coexistence and the determination to uproot Jewish or Arab
communities constitute an oxymoron. The concepts of "Durable peace" and
"Judenrein areas" contradict each other. The litmus test of
Palestinian/Arab intent is the acceptance or rejection of Jewish
settlements presence in J&S.
Jewish settlements in J&S are not the root cause of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They are located at the roots of 4,000
years old Jewish religious and national aspirations. They are located at
the crux of Israel's national security which also provides 40% of
Israel's water supply. The mountain ridges and water aquifers of J&S
are the "Golan Heights" of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and 80% of Israel's
transportation, business, economic, health, education, scientific and
irrigation infrastructure in the 9-15 miles wide sliver, which is the
pre-1967 Israel.
Freezing of Jewish construction in J&S is not a peace-enhancer;
it is an appeasement-enhancer, thus undermining the cause of peace and
advancing the cause of war.
Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger
The Ettinger Report
"Second Thought: A US-Israel Initiative"
First published in "Israel Hayom" Newsletter, November 4, 2011
