Continuing a push for a two-state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict is “messianic behavior,” at a time when what is needed is “opening our thoughts” to new diplomatic approaches, Education Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday.
Bennett, in a 90-minute meeting with The Jerusalem Post editorial staff, stressed that one thing he does not want to see is a “second Palestinian state.”
“I do not believe in a second Palestinian state beyond what we have in Gaza,” the Bayit Yehudi head said.
Bennett maintained that the four central trappings of statehood are clear borders, an effective governing body, military power and foreign relations.
Gaza, he said, has three-and-ahalf of those four criteria. The Palestinian Authority does not, he said, lacking clear borders and an effective government.
So rather than establish a second Palestinian state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, Bennett proposed gradually ending military rule in Area C, applying Israeli law and offering full Israeli citizenship to the 80,000 Palestinians living there. He wants to start by incorporating Ma’aleh Adumim into Israel.
The guiding principle behind Bennett’s plan is to incorporate into Israel 100% of the Jews in Judea and Samaria, while minimizing the number of Palestinians that would be drawn into the state’s borders. A country of more than eight million people, he said, is not endangered demographically by granting citizenship to 80,000 people, which would account for less than 1%.
Along with extending Israeli law to Area C, Bennett wants to significantly strengthen Palestinian autonomy in Areas A and B.
“This would be less than a state, but [it would still be] a lot,” he said. “They would have a central government with elections, if they so choose.”
Under this plan, the Palestinians would effectively manage their own lives: pay their own taxes; handle their own education; collect their own garbage.
He envisioned a situation where there would be complete freedom of movement, without roadblocks.
Borrowing the name of US efforts to rebuild Western Europe after World War II, he said this would be accompanied by what he described as a “Marshall Plan” for the PA: massive economic investment in the infrastructure in the areas, including a land port in Jenin with connection to Haifa, a significant upgrade of roads and a free tourist zone connecting Nazareth with Nablus, Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
“Whatever they need to thrive,” he said.
Still, this area would be less than a state, because it would be demilitarized. And secondly, it would not be able to accept into its territories “six million descendants of Palestinian refugees,” because those refugees would inevitably demand to be settled not in Jenin and Nablus, but to go “home” to pre-1948 Israel.
Bennett said this was more realistic than the current talk of a two-state solution, because the failure of the diplomatic process over the past 23 years – since the Oslo Accords – has shown that there is no deal to be made, and that the most an Israeli government is willing to offer does not meet the Palestinians’ minimal requirements.
why is there desire to give arabs in Shomron citizenship? most arrived during 48 – 67 moved in violation of international law as often quoted verses ISRAEL. L.N.M states those in mandated Palestine (1922) be allowed to remain without citizenship or political rights. as the majority of arabs illegally occupying the Shomron had hasmite citizenship and passports wish well and g-d speed. but no being the nice idiot and bless them with ISRAELI citizenship as this would be greater treat than 40 used by date virgins in paradise
A TSS is a NO & No!
For 44 years the West has tolerated Islamic terrorism. This must be addressed and eliminate.
Iran & Saudi Islamofascism needs to be decapitated!
I became a Republican in 2015 to vote for Huckabee. Watch this and hear why. Trump was in a list of next-best choices along with Carson, Cruz and a few others.
Watch: Huckabee says time to rethink two-state solution
Gov. Huckabee visits Ma’ale Adumim, says US should allow Israel to build in Judea and Samaria, Arabs have always refused 2-state solution.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/222703
Ancient truths are descending. They bring a drawn sword to defend the Land which we are told, is ‘not’ to be divided; least and most of all Jerusalem. It’s not ours anyway; it belongs to The King of Israel. I like what I’m reading here. It is severe mental illness which will continue the absurdity of even dealing with primitive people who at least.. have the honesty, to tell us they are going to kill us every chance they get. Why haven’t we called the kettle black decades go? Why have we tolerated enemies in leadership who have openly worked to destroy us? Sadly, I must confess Americans who recognized the enemy in the White House, didn’t take steps to have him impeached. Big Mistake… we both have made. Time for an awakening and become more zealous over Zion full throttle. I think the Rabbi’s should ask us all to come home so we can move the tent peg back and say, ‘ we need more land!’ I’m so happy we have a New Yorker in the White House and I don’t mean liberal New York Jews, aka cowards, fakes and frauds.
@ Jonathan Ottenstein:
I agree. But we shouldn’t call it “annexation.” You can’t annex your own land. It’s just applying sovereignty. I’m glad Bennett said that on CNN. Probably first time liberals are even hearing it. Liberals only read/listen/watch liberal news sites. If we are attacked later on by Arab countries and we seize portions of their territory in war: That, we should annex. The most recent Feiglin platform I was able to find was 2012. I am in complete agreement with it as far as it goes, though I am not sure it would be a good idea to de-nationalize the land, what if it were to wind up in foreign or non-Jewish hands? If Jews can live anywhere we want, and Israel expands instead of contracting, that will lower the cost of housing right there.
http://www.jewishisrael.org/the-feiglin-platform/
I think we need radical solution like
Kahane wanted or Moshe Feiglin is suggesting
to annex the entire west bank
How to deal with population
I suggest the following
Breaking the Palestinan population into three groups with the following recommendations
1. Those who are trying to kill us, we kill them first
2. Those who are against us, but dont want to fight should be exiled with some monetary incentives to leave. Many younger people would take this and leave. This would include buying their property
3. Those who are willing to accept a Jewish state may after a time become citizens. They will need to sign a paper recognizing that Israel is a Jewish State just like all the other states that are officially moslem or Christian. This would problem be mostly older people who are who have given up, but dont want to leave.
This is probably becoming dated as we speak what with even liberal news interviewing Bennett, but it has been true up until now, so I’ll just say it while I can as it underlines a more permanent truth about the “Alice in Wonderland”-like political landscape in which I find myself:
You may recall that I said that although Herzog is polling a laughable 4 percent in Israel, here in New York City, loony liberal heartland, it’s another story. In fact, I found nobody knows who Bennett is, but they think BB is Bennett and side with Herzog. They can’t imagine anyone without a horns and tail not thinking in lockstep with them so they are unused to giving coherent reasons for anything and will never give you the chance to either. They will just say,” I like Herzog” meaning Herzog, or I “Hate BB” meaning Bennett. BB isn’t even on the menu and no substitutions are permitted. So, if you support Bennett you have to say you support BB. Got it? Was difficult for me to Rap my brain around as well. Probably easier if set to music (by way of metaphor, of course). But first, some background:
[“New Mathematics or New Math was a brief, dramatic change in the way mathematics was taught in American grade schools, and to a lesser extent in European countries, during the 1960s. The phrase is often used now to describe any short-lived fad which quickly became highly discredited.
New Math – Wikipedia ]
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Math”%5D)
[Parens means you don’t need to go there, that’s just where I got it.]
A personal note before we begin: They taught the “New Math” when I was in middle school/junior high in the early ’70s. and the only way I was able to pass any of the tests was that, at home, my mother showed me how to do it the way she had been taught in the 1930’s!
“Tom Lehrer: New Math (concert live) (1965)”
https://youtu.be/W6OaYPVueW4