T. Belman. I re-titled this article because that’s the way I see the “carrots and sticks” plan. What ever happened to Bibi’s reciprocity demands? The fact that we haven’t conditioned this plan on a quid pro quo tells us all we need to know. The government has no intention of claiming sovereignty of these lands, in whole or in part, now or in the future.
The Defense Minister’s Plan: One Hand Gives, the Other Topples
INSS Insight No. 849, August 25, 2016
By Kobi Michael , Udi Dekel Kobi MichaelUdi Dekel, INSS
On August 17, 2016, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman unveiled his “carrot and stick” plan as a response to the wave of terrorism in the West Bank. The plan rests on four pillars: (a) a distinction between the population involved and the population not involved in terrorism; (b) positive reinforcement for the latter population through infrastructure and economic development and a generous attitude to work permits in Israel; (c) sanctions and restrictions in areas from which terrorists set out and where violent incidents occur; and (d) an appeal to the Palestinian public in the West Bank, which bypasses the Palestinian Authority instead of using the existing coordination channels. This latter element constitutes a direct challenge to the PA and its leadership. However, it is best for the Israeli government to develop the other components of the “carrot and stick” plan in order to leverage its economic and infrastructure logic, and translate it into a plan of action likely to lead to a positive change, including in the social sphere in the Palestinian arena.
On August 17, 2016, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman unveiled his “carrot and stick” plan as a response to the wave of terrorism in the West Bank. The plan, which reflects the outline of a new policy he seeks to implement, rests on four pillars: (a) a distinction between the population involved and the population not involved in terrorism; (b) positive reinforcement for the latter population through infrastructure and economic development and a generous attitude to work permits in Israel; (c) sanctions and restrictions in areas from which terrorists set out and where violent incidents occur; and (d) an appeal to the Palestinian public in the West Bank, which bypasses the Palestinian Authority, instead of using the existing coordination channels – the mechanism for civilian coordination and the PA Ministry of Civil Affairs. Liberman also declared his intention of conducting a dialogue with academics, artists, and other powerful and influential parties in the territories, and of establishing a special website for dialogue with Palestinian society in general.
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (c) and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot (l), August 2016. Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Ministry of Defense Communications
The underlying logic in the plan, namely, the distinction between different population groups and measures to improve the Palestinian economy, is not new; it is based on the defense establishment’s policy, as designed and formulated during the term of former Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon. It appears that Liberman has likewise accepted the defense establishment’s policy on the importance of increasing the number of work permits in Israel and avoiding harm to the daily life of the population not involved in terrorism and violence, as these measures help restrain violence. At the same time, Liberman’s plan is new in two respects: Israeli willingness to allocate land in Area C for economic and infrastructure development for the Palestinians, and the intention to bypass the PA for the purpose of dialogue with other powerful and influential parties in the territories, including through the designated website.
Israeli willingness to allocate land in Area C for Palestinian development is an important precedent that also establishes a possible basis for progress in the political process or continuation of Israeli measures that will maintain the possibility of a two-state solution once the conditions are ripe. Steps toward development can contribute to the emergence of a new regional dynamic if players from the Arab world and the international community can be persuaded to lend a hand. It is likely, however, that the regional and international parties will not cooperate with measures by the Israeli government designed to bypass the PA and signal that Israel is preparing for a period of stagnation in the political process.
In fact, refining the idea to include a distinction between different development sections of Area C adjacent to Area A is likely to hasten substantial PA economic and infrastructure development, materially improve quality of life in the territories and the welfare of the Palestinian population, and strengthen the factors restraining terrorism and violence. For example, development areas can be defined ? for tourism (e.g., the Jericho area), agricultural ventures, water and energy infrastructure (solar thermal collectors farms, for example), and industrial zones. It is preferable to consult with the PA in this regard concerning its economic initiatives and priorities. Moreover, a systematic approach and allocation of land in Area C for Palestinian development is likely to be interpreted by the international community as a positive signal from Israel, and reduce disputes between Israel and the international community in relation to project initiatives in these areas. It is not clear whether Israel considered the consequences of the move vis-à-vis pressure to return to the political process with the Palestinians.
On the other hand, Minister Liberman’s public statement concerning his intention to conduct a dialogue with Palestinian groups that are not part of the PA, and not through the PA, constitutes a direct challenge to the PA and its leadership. This intention reflects the Defense Minister’s absolute loss of hope in the PA, and especially its leader, and perhaps also skepticism as to its long term survival. Furthermore, it reflects Liberman’s previous statements citing PA President Mahmoud Abbas as an obstacle and as part of the problem, not the solution.
Anticipating this criticism, Liberman cited the Facebook page of the IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories as an example of queries by Palestinian residents addressed to the Israeli authorities that bypass the PA. Indeed, a query by Palestinian residents, and by economic entities, addressed directly to the civil administration in the West Bank is a common occurrence, particularly among businessmen and heads of local authorities having daily needs in this context, and occurs with the PA’s knowledge. At the same time, President Abbas and senior parties on the Palestinian side are worried about channels of political dialogue that bypass the PA, and do not intend to allow independent initiatives that skirt the PA mandate. Indeed, Abbas’s senior advisers responded immediately to Minister Liberman’s statements by warning against deviation by Palestinian individuals or groups from the national line, and against coordination with Israel other than through the PA.
Against the background, there are increasing reports of the PA’s difficulty in enforcing its control over violent groups, criminal gangs, and Tanzim groups in municipal centers, refugee camps, and rural areas in the West Bank. At the same time, the influence of prominent Palestinian clans and families in making decisions pertaining to the management of the local communities has grown, coupled with less dependence on the PA and the PA’s reduced influence on daily life. These trends weaken the PA and undermine any proper foundation for convening a responsible, stable, and functional Palestinian government, which is an Israeli interest as well. It follows that Minister Liberman’s plan to introduce channels of dialogue that bypass the PA reinforces the current trend of undermining PA governance. Therefore, even if it is desirable to develop channels of communication with influential parties in the PA other than through the PA, from Israel’s perspective, it is not correct to declare this publicly, because such a declaration in effect prevents any real possibility of dialogue with influential parties; such a dialogue will be considered subversion of the PA. In addition, Israel is liable to arouse opposition from the international community, which regards the PA as the sole legitimate address, and suspects that Israel has no real intention of achieving a two-state solution. In this context, if Israel acts to undermine the PA and its influence on the Palestinian population, it will simply play into the hands of those seeking to delegitimize Israel.
Furthermore, the declared intention to bypass the PA is liable to strengthen groups in the PA opposed to coexistence with Israel, and is liable to complicate the implementation of Israel’s other intentions involving economic and infrastructure development. A declaration concerning allocation of land in Area C for Palestinian development is liable to be interpreted as one more element in a grand design aimed at causing the collapse of the PA. It also invites criticism of Israel by those who regard its policy as aiming to create a situation in which it can proclaim publicly that there is no Palestinian partner, because it is difficult to believe that such a declaration will promote dialogue with parties outside the PA. Such parties will be perceived as traitors, certainly by the PA. It is therefore unclear what benefit Minister Liberman seeks to achieve through this declaration.
The Liberman plan can be interpreted as a reflection of the intention by the Israeli government, or parts of it, to cause the collapse of the PA, without Israel being directly blamed for this process. Since the declaration has already been made, the Israeli government needs to make it clear, mainly to the Israeli public, whether it is indeed acting, even if indirectly, to cause the PA’s collapse, or whether it regards the PA as the Palestinian partner for settling or managing the conflict.
In any event, it is best for the Israeli government to develop the other components of Minister Liberman’s “carrot and stick” plan in order to leverage its economic and infrastructure logic, and translate it into a plan of action likely to lead to a positive change, including in the social sphere in the Palestinian arena, and hope for the resumption of political negotiations.
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@ CuriousAmerican:
For a time being, Christianity tried to impose her superiority over Judaism and Islam and failed. Then she exported her antisemitism to the lands of the other believers (Muslims). Now Islam is trying to impose her superiority over Christianity and Judaism. It will fail. So now the Western socialists are trying to impose their atheistic religion on the three religions!!!
The problem (for Christians & Muslims) is that Jews “discovered” G-D. Whatever “G-D” means is for another day. In the meantime the Far East must believe that the guys with their G-D must be crazy! Why care about something that NO ONE knows anything about! Therefore it is important to start with something. Life and the preservation of life for “IF” there is no life there is nothing to talk about. Once you accept life you defend life and there comes the ETHICS of preserving life. And life is the starting point for EVERYTHING (in our universe)! Jews try to spare every single life! It is not a matter of quantity of individuals but quality of individuals. As we all know: 13+/- 2 million Jews VS 1.55Bil Muslims VS < 2Bil Christians!
Perhaps ETHICS is the best surrogate for “G-D”!
Some will claim that "G-D" revealed itself first to the Jews. That is not the issue here.
You misunderstand the point.
Large sections of the West do NOT hate Israel. I know it gives you comfort to think all us Goyim hate you. Makes it easier to blame your mistakes on us.
Many people in the West do NOT hate Israel.
What they want is for the Israel-Palestinian problem to go away.
Israel effectively controls the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, yet 35% of the population in that area is denied a vote in the government which controls the borders, controls the airspace, mineral rights, population registry, immigration, export, trade, etc.
How does one deny rights to 35% of the population and call itself a democracy.
They see Israel as contributing to the problem. They do not deny that Islam is nuts.
So bad we are!? And yet, most Jews prefer the West over Islam.
So tell me, in 1900, why did most Jews move to the USA [the West] and not the supposedly “better” slums of Algiers?
Some of those states will take Jews back.
Bernard…For there to be one tiny mili-atom of Antisemitism existing today inthe land of the Jewish People is very simply a no no.
It is an extreme measure but definitely a measure that is called for, and can be argued as such by a recap of history from about 1880 to 1945 in particular, both of a scholarly nature and simply an anecdotal nature.
It is called for and it is time and I support it.
I do ask you Bernard: How to get there?
How to get to the point where there is a complete clearout of Antisemites and of Antisemitism from the present land of the Jews?
I need an answer from you to be as precise and concrete as possible.
For example you write:
“Who is affected:
1-the imam, school principal who preaches in the mosque or school NOT for terror against Jews as that is already covered under terror incitement laws but for anti semitism (e.g. jews are sons of apes and pigs, and other statements).
2- the mosque, school, political party’s assets, become subject to confiscation before deportation.
3- every teacher, every parent and every child who is in attendance of a facility deemed to be anti semitic assumes the burden of proof of then proving that they are NOT anti semitic or are also deported with assets seized
4-every politician or activist deemed anti semitic AND their families receive the same.”
But how to actually do this?
Looking t the picture it seems to me that everybody listening to Liberman are getting an attack of the “Potato head Blues”. And it seems also that it is telling that the only one in the picture without a furrowed brow is Liberman! He understands he is heading into the shit on this one but since he has been living in it for so long he is not worried
Bear Klein Said:
Lieberman’s “carrots and stick”, would undoubtedly, given Israeli confusion and blundering, “carrots and more carrots”, until all semblancr to the original idea (I suppose it might just barely scrape in as an “idea”) would be diffused into “thumb ib dyke desperation.
Louis Armstrong wrote a wonderful tune nearly a century ago and it was never established who it was for or about. He was undoubtedly, in aftersight, PRESCIENT.
The name of the tune was Potato Head Blues……. Those who like real Jazz should listen to it. It is very good. No words, just music.
Spot the error in the sentence…….
this is the same error which has governed ALL of Israel’s relations with the muslims who teach their children that Jews are sons of apes and pigs.
The word “terrorism” should be changed to “anti semitism” … that is the error which makes all the difference. First the Jews of Israel must decided whether it makes any sense, gives any security to allow anti semites to reside in the land of Israel….. In my view it is absurd to allow anti semites to reside or hold property in the land of Israel…. in my view if Jews in Israel cannot reach that conclusion then they are undeserving of the land of Israel and undeserving of a Jewish state. I am not saying that everyone must be a practicing or even a Jew…. that is another separate matter. What I am saying is that you cannot remain in any land controlled by Israel if you are an anti semite.
Here is how the change of terms works differently:
a muslim found connected to terrorism under Israeli law is a mechanism of reaction and not one of prevention.
Anti semitism must be legislated to be a serious crime which can result in incarceration, then mandatory deportation of the criminal’s entire family and complete confiscation of ALL assets of the family.
Who is affected:
1-the imam, school principal who preaches in the mosque or school NOT for terror against Jews as that is already covered under terror incitement laws but for anti semitism (e.g. jews are sons of apes and pigs, and other statements).
2- the mosque, school, political party’s assets, become subject to confiscation before deportation.
3- every teacher, every parent and every child who is in attendance of a facility deemed to be anti semitic assumes the burden of proof of then proving that they are NOT anti semitic or are also deported with assets seized
4-every politician or activist deemed anti semitic AND their families receive the same.
In the US drug dealers have their assets connected with their crime confiscated BEFORE trial. In Israel anti semites should be considered as dangerous to Jews in the same manner. The gentile nations have laws against anti semitism and surely Israel should have the most merciless laws against anti semitism. The nations could only complain about the severity of punishment, assert that it is collective punishment…. but they could not complaing that it is deemed a crime in the nation THEY set aside as a Jewish homeland to be free as a safe haven from anti semitism. Only leftist Jews in Israel and elsewhere would complaing becuase they could be subject to the same laws. Unproven libel and slander against the state of Israel, using double standards would be deemed anti semitic. Worthless Jewish defamers as well as muslim anti semites could be expelled thus the law would not be racist or religious prejudice.
Crafting the laws would take fine tuning but that is the next step…. first the Jew who occupies Eretz Yisroel must decide the principle:
First the Jews of Israel must decided whether it makes any sense, gives any security to allow anti semites to reside in the land of Israel
those muslim children who are taught that jews are sons of apes and pigs are already polluted and ruined and must be expelled.
the principle of anti semitism as a serious crime requiring deportation and asset confiscatiion will answer ALL questions and problems related to what to do with the pals and how to relate to the muslims. The choice becomes theirs… but as long as their mosques and schools teach that jews are sons of apes and pigs their should be no discussions of peace, their should be no offering of any rights or privileges other than that offered to a criminal jailbird. Therfore it becomes easy to evaluate the “liberman” ludicrous plans, and all other plans, when applying the principle I suggest.
As for any assertions of collective punishment it must be remembered that every parent made a decision to send his child to a mosque or school that teaches anti semitism OR contirbutes to anti semitic orgs. The “moderate” muslim anti semite does not chop heads himself but he donates to mosques and orgs which fund anti semitism and terror and in such cases he and his family will be deemed criminals to be deported with assets confiscated.
Is Lieberman’s Carrot and Sticks an actual plan?
Is a direction perhaps?
Is it perhaps a threat of sort?
Will it matter in the long run whatever it is?
Will the PA implode in the near future with Abbas running away or dying after elections or large scale violence among the Palestinians internally?
Will the IDF retake Areas A&B in short order after the PA implosion? Does Lieberman’s so called plan anticipate for this? Will he allow cooperative peaceful Pal locales to self govern on a municipal level?
A GROWING TOGETHER TO DEFEAT ISLAM AND SHARIA – WHICH IS PALESTINIAN POISON NARRATIVE ALSO
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has just unveiled his “carrot and stick” plan for the Palestinian fakers. His plan does not touch in the slightest the Palestinain Poison Narrative Factory manufacturing process which is the only specialty of the Arabs. It is thus very harmful to Jews and to many non-Jews in conflict with Islam.
A reading of this plan by this (new) Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman leaves one truly bewildered. It requires an enormous understanding of the whole set-up in Israel and among the Arabs even touching on the remnants of a Clann system which must go back many hundreds of years (long before the author of Huckleberry Finn visited the place). So it is therefore a non-starter in the west. Nobody will understand what the hell Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman is on about. I strongly suspect this guy does not know himself. (Ted Belman of Israpundit has correctly termed the “plan” the “withdrawal plan” https://www.israpundit.org/archives/63617171). If Belman is correct Liberman drives deeper into the mire.
None of the issues in Israel or in the west, especially Europe and America, can be solved without the creation of Trotskyist parties. It is as simple as that. And…there is a chance. A growing together of the dangers of Islam is what faces perhaps a billion people, very directly so today, and only Trotskyism does have any historical answer.
As in the west, countries such as France, all mosques must be closed in Israel (which IS Palestine). Make Halal butchery illegal make it a very serious crime. Immediately expel all who are promoting Antisemitism or as in France promoting Sharia Law. (There are more)
It is clear that Liberman is not a Trotskyist. He is on the same track esssentially as Holland and Merkel/May. These people are not that far removed from Galloway and Corbyn.
In order to have my proposals above given some more substance I would have prepared a conference in Jerusalem based on historical matters and to which would be invited as a main speaker Franciso Gil White. Since he is not a Trotskyist I would invite myself.
I would have made a great effort to have NEW forces at that conference – from wherever they come is up for debate but I do think about Jewish youth and Arabs who are hating Islam. But without removing the likes of Bibi/Liberman nothing at all is possible.
I emphasise these are not just words. My proposals are serious and they are connected with a new situation in the world caused by Brexit and the Trump struggle for principle on the road to power.
Well I’m scratching my heAd and further reducing the sparse undergrowth that age has left me. I only can’t make up my mind whether to scratch with my right hand or left. I feel like using both at the same time…….
I see that you’re telling me that your computer filter operates independently of your wishes, in other words it’s the boss anf you’re the lad. with a temperament something like “The Man Who Came To Dinner”….. I always though that Monty Wooley was wonderful in that part, although the book itself portrayed a much more irascible man. I think it was based on Alexander Woolcott or someone similar.
@ Austin:
I’d like to know that too. But seriously, only the first comment a person makes is held for moderation. Aside from that some oomments ate held temporarily. I don’t know why.
In addition there are some no nos which the software holds back, some for moderation (too long) some for spam.
Nor the Pal neither the West will accept any compromise that does not weaken IL!
The war of the West against the Jews goes UN-abated. They are worse than the Islamists. Two thousand years VS 13 centuries!
@ Ted Belman:
Something I’d like to know. Why are some comments printed immediately with no hesitation, and others, like one I’ve just sent to a different article, “await moderation”…. Are there some “no=-no naughty words not allowed…. or certain subjects not permitted… I’d really like to know, because, to a tyro like me, to have a comment held up for “moderation” causes me to infer, that I have written something not fit for decent eyes to peruse.
Some years ago, I was a member of this blog, and I always had my posts printed right away. One day a post that had been printed, and read in the blog, was actually shortly after, removed “for moderation’. I immediately asked about it, got no answers and left with a faribble, until this week when I was able to log in again.
I see others whose comments are held up to a degree that they enquire about them as a matter of course. So do I now, but want to know exactly what it entails. I know I’ll get a well explained answer.
@ Ted Belman:
Thanks Ted, Long ovedue, but not too late.
@ Austin:
Welcome to Israpundit.
There is no comment pithy enough to properly express the utter stupidity of the “Lieberman Plan”. Arabs only take, never give, except tzorus….
It reminds me of a syndrome often seen both in a slumping property market (stock market too) It’s called “following the market down” (but never catching up to it. In Canada years ago, I bought a completely remodelled house for $30,000 cash. It was for sale for nearly 2 years, starting at $144.500. When the sellers were offered $130,000 it was refused. They gradually reduced the price, the offers always less than they wanted. When I bought it, it was $59,000, and they grabbed my 24 hour limit offer.
Every time the Arab murderers get going, it’s as if they were beginning all over again. No matter what they’re offered it’s never enough. Remarkably Israeli ingenuity keeps coming up with different offers, always more, often a lot more, but never enough. I can see that the govt has a phobia against declaring that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish People. Maybe there’s a flaw in the San Remo, or British Mandate documents that the public doesn’t know about, but the govt does.
A vignette of no significance here except to show the way that heavy handed, clumsy bureaucrats react to events, something like the way they treat the Hilltop Youth, as “terrorists, sling them in solitary for 6-12 months then letting them go without a charge. Shortly after making Aliya I went to the local PO. The air stank with garlic. I saw the whole area behind the counter was filled witn huge sticks of bologni. The explanation was that they had uncovered a bologni smuggling ring.
The facts later revealed that a charity, to raise money, had sold many $25 Chanuka parcels in the U.S. for Israeli relatives, which included these 5 lb. sticks. They eventually compromised and cut off for the recipients a single pound (1 lb.). So I suppose the P.O. staff all over Israel had a lot of free Vursht floating around that Chag….
Reminds me of the way the Israeli govt sputters along with the Aravim mamzers. A sure indication of Lieberman’s lack of smarts.