Page 38 - HaMizrachi #8 Pesach

David M. Weinberg

FEAR NOT THE TRUMP PLAN

T he Trump Administration has there is a long process of Palestinian Israeli-Palestinian peace accord

immediately
that
maturation necessary before “peace” can
somewhere off in the distant future.
indicated
April
the
Israeli
following
election it will present its long awaited be negotiated. For example, I hope and believe that
“deal of the century.” Some fear that the Surely, Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and the plan will entrench the idea that
Trump plan will bring back the “two- David Friedman realize this. Israel’s presence in Jerusalem and Judea
state solution.” is indigenous and legitimate, not illegal.
Surely the Trump team also recognizes In this conflict, there is historical justice
In fact, the New Right’s Naftali Bennett that Israel’s “occupation” of the owed to the Jewish people, not just to
has alleged that Prime Minister Palestinians essentially ended two the Palestinians!
Netanyahu is in accord with this, and decades ago when Israel vacated the
that Netanyahu and/or his main rival West Bank’s most populated areas (the Furthermore, the plan should broach
Benny Gantz “will divide Jerusalem.” Oslo Accords’ Areas A and B) and gave Palestinian refugee resettlement in
(This is an ironic riff on Netanyahu’s control to the PA. countries of the region; a third rail issue
1996 allegation that “Shimon Peres will that must be confronted courageously
divide Jerusalem.”) This effectuated Prime Minister and expeditiously if there is to be any
Yitzhak Rabin’s vision of ending Israel’s hope for a better future.
I doubt there is much to be worried control of Palestinian daily life without
about. It is inconceivable that the Trump creating a full-fledged Palestinian state. The plan also may be designed on a
plan will parrot the stale Clinton/ (Contrary to popular perception, Oslo modular approach, with parts that could
Obama parameters of yesteryear or force did not commit Israel to full-fledged work now, such as a broad framework for
any “peace paradigm” on Israel. Not Palestinian statehood, and Rabin was Arab regional investment in Palestinian-
when Iran is on an imperial march, and unalterably opposed to full-fledged Israeli joint projects; and to do so in way
the Palestinians are mired neck-deep in Palestinian statehood.) that provides cover for Arab states to
denialism, rejectionism, terrorism and work more closely with Israel on a range
corruption. Other realities surely understood by of issues.
Kushner, Greenblatt and Friedman are
Jared Kushner, who leads the US that Israel must not make unilateral Any movement away from antiquated
team on this matter, says that America concessions in a situation where the formulas, obsolete paradigms, and
understands that Israel is much less Palestinians refuse to participate in hoary solutions – most of which have
able to take risks today than it was 20 the diplomatic process and show no been based in maximalist Palestinian
years ago – because of the disintegration capacity for compromise. And Israel demands deemed “holy” by the so-called
of the Arab state system, Palestinian will never accept proposals that involve international community – would be a
tremulousness, and Iran’s dogged quest “internationalization” of the conflict huge achievement. (Trump likes “huge.”)
for regional domination bolstered by (such as reliance on foreign forces in
nuclear weapons. He acknowledges that securing Israel’s borders) or a physical Consequently, Israel should approach
the American plan must be relevant for re-division of Jerusalem. the tabling of a Trump peace initiative
the current Mideast context. with an open mind, offering it
On the safe assumption that the Trump diplomatic space to percolate, and time
The current context includes the fact team comprehends all this, one must ask to develop momentum. Jerusalem can
that the Palestinian Authority spends what the purposes of its Mideast plan and should welcome the plan as a useful
most of its time seeking to criminalize could possibly be. Surely the Americans platform for moving ahead, and then
Israel in international forums and understand that a swift peace deal is carefully consider its components.
denying the very fact of Jewish history unachievable.
in Jerusalem. That is because the Israel should be ready to say: “Yes, but…”
Palestinians view the diplomatic process More likely is that the Trump plan is David M. Weinberg is vice president
as a “decolonization” process where the meant to legitimate new ideas; to “move of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy
colonizer and victimizer (Israel) is to the markers” or “shift the goalposts” and Security (jiss.org.il). His personal
be held responsible for its crimes. So on the parameters for an aspirational site is davidmweinberg.com

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