A. PM Netanyahu's Speech
B. The Initiative Acts
C. Why do we Emphasize Rehabilitation?
D. Prof. Arens and the "Jordanian Option"

Three weeks ago, with the eyes of the world fixed on him, Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu delivered the much anticipated Bar Ilan address. Zionists and friends of Israel could be satisfied with the PM’s emotion-filled nationalistic rhetoric, something absent from political speeches in the last few years. Yet those searching for a political direction couldn’t help but be disappointed with the lack of clarity in regard to the future of Israeli policy. In the wake of the PM’s speech, as director of The Israeli Initiative, I publicized an editorial in Makor Rishon titled “A Missed Opportunity”. The following is the article:

The lexicon of Israeli leaders in the past few years may be summarized in the words: “no”, “yes”, “yes but”, and Netanyahu continued on that same path. As the Israeli public waited in suspense with tension streaming throughout Israel and drama clasping world leaders, the PM failed to rise to the occasion. Instead, he chose the path of least resistance, acceding to the worlds demands, with a few modifications.

To pave the path to a better tomorrow, for our country or any country, it is imperative to draw up a policy with goals and to forward it in the international arena. This paradigm is understood by the Arab world and the West, yet the Jewish mind refuses to comprehend this. As the director of The Israel Initiative, a creative policy initiative which serves Israel’s long term interests, I am often approached with the following claim, “How are you going to advance a plan like this. It’s a new idea; none will agree to it.” I want to respond: “Hello! That’s exactly the point! No initiative makes its way to the international agenda without a driving force pushing the plan forward over a number of years. It’s a new idea, but that is how things get started.”

The Arab-Israeli conflict continues to influence Israel’s existence on a daily basis. Its solution, will no doubt be one that will shape our lives in Israel for the coming generations. As such, the political leadership is faced with the important task of pinning Israel’s strategic interests and drawing out a plan which will assist it in reaching those goals. At the outset this vision does not need the agreement of external factors. This vision is our own and we must work to materialize it through prudent and consistent policy. Netanyahu disregarded this important task. Instead, he settled for an extremely zionistic speech while yielding to American pressure on the principle issues.

Netanyahu’s speech did not present a vision for the Israeli nation. Nor was it a speech that brought hope or that will help bring peace. His essential point was: there is a problem and we will manage it. The “yes, but” approach succeeded placing the onus on the Palestinian’s or maybe on Washington, but blatantly failed in presenting a constructive plan for the country’s future. While his speech was tactically excellent, it was strategically inadequate. In agreeing to the concept of a Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel in peace, he not only compromised his values, but admitted that Israel has no strategy.

The disengagement’s failure to provide positive results, has painted an ominous picture in the Middle East. On the one hand it is clear to government officials and policymakers that the Two-State solution is irrelevant. On the other hand, since it is the only existing political initiative, it continues to be considered a realistic solution. Two weeks prior to Netanyahu’s speech, the Begin-Sadat Center, the stage for the PM’s speech, published a policy paper by Prof. Ephraim Inbar, an former Oslo supporter, called “The Rise and Fall of the Two State Solution”. Besides for the new kid on the block, Obama, everybody knows there will be no Two-State Solution, yet those same people continue to play their part in advancing something that doesn’t serve anybody’s interest.

Netanyahu used his speech to garner support from Obama. In doing so, he supported a dangerous direction which sacrifices Israel’s strategical interests.

Rare are the moments when the leader of a nation can truly change the course of history, by providing a new vision, which address the real issues that challenge the nation. Netanyahu missed that opportunity.

At the Israel Initiative, we are aware that the PM’s speech doesn’t testify to his acceptance of the Two-State Solution and turning it into a modus-operandi. Reality has already proved that there is no foundation behind the phrase Two-State Solution. Netanyahu is well aware of this fact and the purpose of his speech was to grant legitimacy for the continuation of the current situation. Yet, as long as the present situation continues so will the quest for original ideas that may be implemented to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The staff of the Israel Initiative continues to meet with Knesset Members, Government Officials and has recently started to work with European Consulates that deal with the Palestinian Issue. Recently, we were informed that The Israel Initiative appeared on the first page of results in Google searches for the words “rehabilitation of refugees” and “Israeli sovereignty” in Judea and Samaria.

Why is the refugee issue such a critical part of our initiative? The answer is simple: the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian problem, which as time goes on seems to be more difficult to fix, its only aspect which Israel has the room to initiate change is the refugee issue. Many Israelis are unaware that perpetuation of the refugee issue serves as a source of strength for the Palestinian national movement. They use the refugee humanitarian crisis as a springboard for achieving political goals. These goals only serve to intensify the problem, which in turn jeopardize the region’s stability. As the columnist Ben Dror Yemini noted, “this continues to be the decisive weapon of Palestinian propaganda.”

Once the rehabilitation of the refugees is initiated, even if only among a minority, the Palestinian problem will decrease in its enormity and the catalyst behind the right of return will become severely weakened. It is noteworthy to mention, in one of the Knesset committee’s, a high ranking member of the Left explained that it is forbidden for Israel to settle the refugee problem, since that would pull the rug out from under Abu Mazen, who needs the refugee crisis as a basis for demanding a Palestinian state. Two weeks ago, the Palestinian Statistics Bureau publicized that the number of refugees reached 4.7 million. The bureau’s numbers are not very reliable, as they and UNRWA have been known to exaggerate in their statistics. However, the numbers are unimportant. Rather the refugee problem exists and continues to be a driving force for the establishment of a Palestinian State. According to these statistics, refugees account for 44% of the total Palestinian population in Judea, Samaria and Gaza: 30.2% in Judea and Samaria and 69.2% in Gaza.

In a recent article published in the newspaper Ha’aretz, Prof. Moshe Arens, former defense minister, explained clearly what we have been claiming all along: a sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank will jeopardize Jordanian stability and undermine the Hashemite kingdom. “To prevent apartheid, it is imperative for the Arabs in the West Bank to receive full Jordanian citizenship and limited Israeli citizenship.” They will be citizens of the Palestinian Jordan with the status of expatriate in Judea and Samaria, similar to Canadians in America or Americans in Mexico. There capital will be Amman. “This is the general plan whose details will be filled in accordance to the security needs of the two countries; the important point is that there is no independent Palestinian entity.” Any independent Palestinian entity, from its essence, even withstanding the goodwill of their leaders, is an entity that penetrates to end Israel’s existence and the zionistic dream, something we have merited to witness in this generation.

As always, responses and comments are welcome – we would appreciate if you can forward this newsletter to those who are not familiar with the Israel Initiative.

Sincerely yours,
Yoav Sorek
Director, Israeli Initiative
www.Israelinitiative.com