Move all Palestinians to Saudi Arabia.

The PAIR Initiative (PLAN FOR ARAB-ISRAELI RECONCILIATION) is one that all supporters of Israel, justice or peace, should study.

It is written by Rachel Neuwirth and Bertram Cohen, two people with whom I have a working relationship.

SUMMARY

The P.A.I.R. Initiative is divided into five parts. Each part contains multiple topics arranged in modular form. Where details are too extensive to be contained within the main body of the text, readers are then referred to a corresponding entry in the Appendixes.

Part I of the plan presents a brief summary of the actual historical background of the conflict between Jews, Arabs and Muslims over the country called the Land of Israel by Jews and Palestine by others. Although well documented, this history has been obscured and even suppressed by decades of distorted, misleading and even completely false propaganda. We present this brief historical summary as the first section of our initiative because we believe that peace is not possible without a knowledge of, and acknowledgment of, the truth.

Part II of the plan argues that the present approaches to an Arab-Israeli settlement are fatally flawed and cannot bring peace. It demonstrates why the current Roadmap proposal, backed by the “Quartet” of powers (The United States, The European Union, Russia, and the United Nations) cannot work and is bad for both Arabs and Jews.

The currently dominant approaches to peace are inherently impractical, illogical and small minded. It is essential that this old thinking first be discarded in order to open the way for consideration of fresh ideas and a true win-win solution. What is needed is fresh thinking that is bold, optimistic and even visionary, so that the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be able ultimately to reconcile with the descendants of Abraham, Ishmael and Esau. Nothing less can succeed.

Part III outlines our plan for resolving the conflict between Israel and the Arab-Muslim world, and for solving the problems of the Palestinian Arabs who have been without a state of their own. Central to this plan are:

a) A complete suppression of all terrorist organizations.

b) The freezing and confiscation of these organizations’ assets, and their reallocation towards solving the legitimate needs and aspirations of the Palestinian Arab people.

c) A Reeducation for Peace plan that would involve a course of instruction for all Palestinian Arabs and all of the peoples of the Middle East in the actual facts of Jewish and Israeli history, the actual character of the Jewish religion and its relationship to Islam and Christianity, and related matters. This reeducation program is essential to correct the misconceptions and outright lies about Israel and Jews that have been implanted in the Arab and Muslim peoples by decades of war propaganda in both schools and the mass media.

d) A phased, peaceful, long-term resettlement solution. It demands full recognition for Jewish rights while preserving legitimate Arab rights. The Palestinian Arabs would be offered a far better future, including a much larger independent state of their own, than under any competing plan.

One glance at the map of the Middle East virtually shouts out the logical solution. Twenty one Arab states already have more than 99% of the land in the region between The Atlantic coast of Morocco and the western border of Iran, and can easily accommodate resettlement of their Palestinian Arab brethren with ample land for them on which to live and thrive in their own independent state. And Saudi Arabia is a prime candidate to offer 35,000 square miles, comprising only 4% of its vast territory, for a Palestinian Arab State which would be 15 times the size of the West Bank and Gaza combined. It is now time for the Saudi rulers themselves to ‘take a risk for peace’

The Jewish people, with only 0.2% of the land between Morocco and Iran, need the entire original territory set aside for the Jewish National Home by the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, together with the Golan Heights, consisting in total of only10, 300 square miles (roughly the size of the state of New Hampshire), free of hostile terrorists, so that they too can live and develop securely in a State of Israel that can permanently maintain its Jewish character.

Part IV explains our proposal for orderly resettlement and creation of a Palestinian State outside the original Palestine Mandate territory in more detail, and offers compelling reasons for its support. We answer possible questions about, and objections to, this component of our proposal. Many related issues are addressed. There are no practical reasons why an orderly and peaceful resettlement plan cannot work, and work smoothly. Given the right attitudes this conflict becomes among the most easily solvable.

Part V provides examples of the larger beneficial implications for both parties, for the peoples of the region and beyond. An immense amount of human suffering would be ended. The pretexts for anti-Israeli, anti-Jewish and other hatreds in the region would be removed.

A vast cooperative project would totally transform the region by converting the vast deserts into productive fertile lands, along with huge forests. This task alone would create a vast project providing productive employment for millions people.

The Palestinian Arab people would have the opportunity to remold their present identity and group purpose, now based on war with and hatred of Israel, into one centered on construction of a better life for themselves, and on leading the region and the entire world in progress towards a better life.

A living model for future progress within the Arab world, and even the larger Muslim world, would be created. A new momentum would be created for social and political reforms that are urgently needed throughout the Arab societies.

Working together, the new Palestinian State, the Arab States and Israel could help the Palestinian Arabs to development new, nonpolluting energy sources and water purification methods that would benefit the entire world. The development of new, nonpolluting energy sources would also eliminate the principal impetus and rationale for outside power intervention in the region, which has caused so much suffering for both Arabs and Jews.

A strong and secure Israel would now be free to make its own positive contribution to the region and on the world scene as well.