BESA CENTER ASSOCIATES IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Israeli ...

[Pages:1]BESA CENTER ASSOCIATES IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

Israeli West Bank Policy ? Whereto?

Yaakov Amidror, Hillel Frisch, Gershon Hacohen, Efraim Inbar, Eran Lerman and Max Singer discuss Israel's policies on the Palestinian issue, in a post-Obama and post-Abbas era.

The upshot of their debate: Apply Obama's first rule of governance. "Don't do stupid things." It is wiser for Israel to

defer action than to take steps that threaten to make a bad situation worse. Conflict management is currently the least-worst option.

With Barack Obama's term as president (res.) Yaakov Amidror (the Rosshandler

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of the US coming to an end, and

senior fellow at the center, and a former

Mahmoud Abbas' tenure as Palestinian national security advisor to the Prime

leader winding down too, the Israeli

Minister), Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman

government will soon have an

(a former deputy national security

opportunity to recalibrate its diplomatic advisor), and professors Hillel Frisch (an

policies. Israeli policy on the Palestinian Arabist), Efraim Inbar (a strategist), and

issue has been ham-fistedly frozen for

Max Singer (a defense expert).

two decades.

The upshot of their debate: Apply

But in which direction should Israel

Obama's first rule of governance. "Don't

go? Fortify or vitiate the Fatah-led

do stupid things." It is wiser for Israel

dictatorship in Ramallah? Redeploy

to defer action than to take steps that

from parts of the West Bank, or re-assert threaten to make a bad situation worse.

Prof. Efraim Inbar

Israel's sovereign presence in major

parts of Judea and Samaria through

Frisch mapped out five possible

The caretaker option is probably

renewed building?

Israeli approaches: caretaker conflict

the most feasible, he feels; unilateral

management, creative friction,

withdrawal is the least; and none of the

Do withdrawals toward the coastal plain constructive chaos, unilateral

options is ideal. In every case, Israel will

offer a saner and safer future for Israel;

withdrawal, and unilateral annexation.

have to maintain a significant military

or is building a united and "greater"

presence in Judea and Samaria.

Jerusalem from Jericho to Jaffa the

DNA that holds the key to the future of

Frisch completely dismisses a sixth

Israel and Zionism ? as General Gershon

option: Rapid establishment of a full-

Hacohen argues?

fledged Palestinian state. Neither he nor

his colleagues view this as feasible or

Muddle through, or attempt a radical

advisable in the foreseeable future.

paradigm shift?

Inbar says that "Israelis have gradually

These questions have been argued

come to realize that at present the

out in recent months in the seminar

Palestinians are neither a partner for

rooms and on the website of the Begin-

comprehensive peace nor capable

Sadat Center for Strategic Studies by

of establishing a viable state,

center associates, including Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen, Maj. Gen.

Prof. Hillel Frisch

unfortunately. The Palestinian Authority has no intention of accepting a Jewish

the two-state rubric. This includes the sensitivities of neighbors who matter (Jordan, Egypt, etc.), the views of Diaspora Jewry and of Western diplomatic allies, and defense establishment preferences for the status quo.

But Lerman also warns that the false

Palestinian narrative of one-sided

victimhood is a major hindrance to all

peace efforts. "Global actors that want

to help achieve peace need to assist

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror

the Palestinians in moving beyond

Dr. Max Singer

wallowing in self-pity and rituals of

state in any borders, and the two

bashing Israel," he says.

Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy

sides remain far apart on most of the

to challenge the myth that Israel

concrete issues to be resolved."

"The concept of painful but practical

has stolen Palestinian land. "Even

compromises seems alien to the

opponents of Israeli settlements in

"Israel's recent governments are left,

Palestinians, and the international

the West Bank and supporters of a

willy-nilly, with a de facto conflict-

community is not doing its part to help two-state solution should support

management approach, without

the Palestinians mature towards this

Levy's affirmation of Israel's historic

foreclosing any options. While there are costs to this wait-and-see approach,

realization."

and settlement rights in the territories.

This is critical in leveling the diplomatic

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let's remember this was the approach

playing field. Israel must not go into

favored by David Ben-Gurion. He

future negotiations as a guilty party."

believed in buying time to build a

stronger state and in hanging on until

General Hacohen goes beyond his BESA

opponents yield their radical goals or

Center colleagues. To him, caretaking

circumstances change for the better."

and truth-telling are insufficient. He

believes in Israeli activism that forces

Amidror too dislikes the drive for

the adversary onto the defensive

unilateral Israeli initiatives. "A partial

and creates advantageous new

withdrawal would likely increase, rather

situations. This means maneuvering

than decrease, Palestinian terrorism,

and expanding in Jerusalem and

as Palestinians would be motivated to

the Judean/Samarian heartland.

push harder for total Israeli withdrawal.

"Settlements are forward outposts

On the other hand, Israeli annexation

of Zionism, in addition to their being

would inflame Palestinian passions and

Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman

critical to Israel's military deployment in

engender severe opposition to Israel

the territories. Where there is a farmer

abroad."

Along these lines, Singer says that

on his land," he says, "the army has the

Washington and Brussels must

strength to rule."

"This is not the time to embark on

robustly make clear their distaste for

useless experiments or risky unilateral

Palestinian denial of the Jewish People's

initiatives, either in the hope of

connection to the land of Israel and

preparing the ground for an eventual

Jerusalem. They should modify their

Palestinian state or in the hope of

aid programs to reduce Palestinian use

thwarting it. When standing on the

of foreign money to support terror;

edge of a cliff, it is wiser to keep

determinedly defend free speech in

still than to step forward," Amidror

Palestinian society; and act to resettle

concludes.

Palestinian refugees outside of Israel.

Lerman agrees, noting that many factors bind both Prime Minister Netanyahu and Opposition Leader Herzog to their current position of genuine but hung support for

Singer also feels that Israel should improve its public diplomacy "by moving from appeasement to truthtelling." Specifically, Israel should formally adopt the report of Israel

Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen

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