May 6, 2002
"It's the imperfectly selfish souls that cause themselves and others so many heart-burnings. People who make half sacrifices for others always find that it's the unfinished half that's being looked at." Ariel Sharon is coming into town with his own peace plan (#2,977), a serious peace plan, fair to all parties involved, something like Allon Plus Plus. There was the original Allon plan in the seventies, then the Netanyahu Allon Plus plan. With Sharon it'll be Plus Plus. The plan will contain lots of painful concessions on the part of Israel. First, the Palestinians will have sovereignty over about 50 percent, minus 5 percent for tear and wear during the painful concessions at the painful final settlement -- it's always final, remember, and undoubtedly painful as it will delay for a few more years or decades the actual settlement envisioned by Zionist nationalism; that is, all the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. For now, the land along the river and the sea will be annexed as well as the Jordan Valley, thus entirely encircling the Palestinian "state." Corridors will be painfully arranged for the Palestinians to move from Ramallah to Jericho and from Hebron to the Gaza Strip. Orient House in East Jerusalem, renamed Whole Jerusalem, will painfully fall under Palestinian sovereignty. They'll have authority to raise the Palestinian flag over the building and sip coffee at will. Painfully, a street will be arranged for the occupants of Orient House to walk to Palestine proper and to the Islamic and Christian shrines (the latter will remain under Israeli sovereignty but administered by Arab Israeli nationals). To keep in the spirit of the extraordinarily generous offer made in December 2000 -- the Clinton-Barak Plan which was essentially Allon but for the fact that instead of annexing the land it would have been leased -- kind of temporary sovereignty -- up to 25 years. And 25 years is either a short or long time in the Middle East, this region, we are constantly reminded, of enormous complexity; this land without people for a people without a land, as the story goes. Palestinians are really just a figment of the imagination (except when they are "terrorists"). In reality, there may not be true Palestinians (except again for the "terrorists"); these people, if they exist, are Arabs, quite possibly Jordanians. Or maybe it's the opposite. Jordan is not really Jordan but the true historical Palestine. Jordanians, being Arabs too, are in reality Palestinians. Get it? Indeed, this is complex! So, in view of such complexities, in view of the facts that Jordanians are Palestinians and Jordan is truly Palestine, to offer 50 percent of Eretz Israel, minus 5 percent which by now has grown to 8 percent (due to interests on the heartbreakingly generous and painful concessions) and in keeping, as said, with the spirit of Camp David II, the remaining concessions made then will stand. They are: · The Israeli Palestine will have no army with heavy weapons. · The Israeli Palestine will make no alliance with other countries without Israeli approval. In addition, the Israeli Palestine will in no circumstances allow introduction of foreign forces west of the River Jordan, except Israeli forces if Israel feels in any shape or form threatened by a barbarian invasion from the East. Israeli warning stations will be built in the mountains overlooking the Jordan valley and other areas so as to protect the annexed Jordan Valley from stone throwers. · The Israeli Palestine airspace will be controlled and managed by Israel and Israeli Air Force will patrol the airspace at will. · The Israeli Palestine will have no control over its water resources. Instead Israel will retain management of the resources, of which about 80 percent is presently used by Israelis. But Israel, out of its inherent generosity and moral correctness, will provide a limited quota, say 20 percent, to the Palestinians. (This, among other clauses, is essentially what was offered at Camp David II. Thanks to mideastweb.org for its clear explanation.) At time of the final disposition of these painful but extraordinarily generous concessions, Israel will reserve the right to have security observation posts at all of Israeli Palestine border crossings...into...Israel. At such a time, Israel may, as she sees it fit, annex the land upon which the observation posts will be built. The size and extent of these posts will be decided as circumstances require (they will not be called Jewish settlements though). Further details such as, but not limited to, the right of return (there won't be any), financial compensation (there won't be any, or they will be compensated equally with the financial compensation due Jews who used to live in Arab countries) and Jewish settlements in the new Israeli Palestine (they'll remain) will be agreed upon at the international conference to be organized by US Secretary of State Colin Powell this summer. Attendants of the ministerial conference will have to be approved by the Israeli government. The UN need not apply, thank you. End of Allon Plus Plus, (aka Sharon's serious plan). Now, of course, for the Palestinians to fully understand the overwhelming generosity of this serious offer and the extent of the painful Israeli concessions Colin Powell will need to show them the lone alternative to this serious plan. It was detailed on April 28, 2002 in a UK Telegraph article by Israeli military historian -- and affable agent provocateur -- Martin van Creveld. It has a simple name, complete transfer to the east side of the Jordan River, a friendly euphemism for expulsion (twisted minds would call it ethnic cleansing but it truly is not since Jordan and Jordanians are respectively Palestine and Palestinians. See?). And to make certain that the message is understood loud and clear, then Powell will play a tape of House Republican Leader Dick Armey's (R-Texas) appearance on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews last week. Armey: "I'm content to have Israel grab the entire West Bank." And if they still ain't convinced, Powell may refer to the two non-binding resolutions passed by the House and the Senate last week. Non-binding resolutions possibly but a definitively veto-proof show of what's in store for the people who do not really exist, but still exist, or do they? It's darn complex, is it not? How do you say plucked, cooked, baked and packaged in the language of this non-existent people? · · · · · ·
Resources Foundation for Middle East Peace Maps, maps and more maps Highly recommended mideastweb.org Water as a Source of International Conflict by Resources for the Future The Israeli Government's Official Website by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (excellent resources) The Jewish Virtual Library (a mine of information from an Israeli perspective) Water Issues of the Golan Heights Water is the least appreciated Gordian knot of the Middle East conflict. This site, while focusing on the Golan Heights, shows how dependent Israel is on water sources from the West Bank and the Golan. Water In the Middle East Conflict Core Issues of the Palestinian-Israeli Water Dispute Water and The Palestinian People’s Right to the Water Resources of Palestine through the Negotiations Affairs Department of the PLO. Do you wish to share your opinion? We invite your comments. E-mail the Editor. Please include your full name, address and phone number. If we publish your opinion we will only include your name, city, state, and country. Please, feel free to insert a link to this article on your Web site or to disseminate its URL on your favorite lists, quoting the first paragraph or providing a summary. However, please DO NOT steal, scavenge or repost this work without the expressed written authorization of Swans, which will seek permission from the author. This material is copyrighted. All rights reserved. |
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