Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories
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REPORT ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENT IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES A Bimonthly Publication of the Foundation for Middle East Peac e Volum e 19 N umber 1 January-February 2009 AS PROSPECT OF TWO STATE PEACE RECEDES, NEW U.S. POLICIES ARE URGENT By Geoffrey Aronson the international community the oppor - that it strengthens Abu Mazen and tunity for some new thinking about how weakens Hamas; Israel’s assault on Gaza, after the to re-energize its unfulfilled commit - I continuing the West Bank effort to breakdown of a six month cease-fire ment to end the occupation and create a strengthen Abu Mazen by acting as with Hamas, offers the most recent evi - sovereign, independent Palestine at paymaster to the Palestinian Authority dence of the breakdown of the diplo - peace with Israel. The selection of for - (PA), supporting a “counterinsurgency” matic process ushered in by the Oslo mer senator George Mitchell, a media - strategy against Hamas, and prodding agreements in 1993 and the declining tor of international standing, as Presi- Israel to make marginal concessions to prospect of a peace agreement based dent Barack Obama’s special envoy is PA security services as part of a “perfor - upon its principles. It is yet another sig - widely viewed as an inspired choice. As mance based” effort aimed at moving nal that, beginning with Ariel Sharon’s Mitchell begins a much needed reas- toward Palestinian independence and an “disengagement” from Gaza in 2005, sessment of the U.S. led effort to end to occupation. the focus of the Israel Palestine conflict strengthen Abu Mazen and weaken Continuing U.S. support for policies is now urgently centered on the Gaza Hamas, he inherits a policy based upon that fail to acknowledge the real Strip, and more broadly, on the con - the following principles: changes among the principle players tentious relationship between Israel and I denying Hamas’s role in Palestin- risks making Washington increasingly Hamas. ian affairs, demanding its adherence to irrelevant to the march of events. Israel The election of Barack Obama offers the Quartet principles (recognition of and Hamas in particular are pursuing Israel, foreswearing the use of agendas that differ markedly from those force, and accepting the Oslo promoted by the international commu - West Bank Settlement Update, 2008 Annapolis agreements); refus - nity. In the absence of a revitalized and I 285,800 West Bank settlers (excluding ing to accept its rule in Gaza, re-oriented American-led effort, their East Jerusalem) and opposing national political confrontation will define the policy I 1,518 new structures (including 261 in reconciliation; choices of the future. It may still be pos - I outposts) built in 2008 acquiescing in practice to sible for the international community to I 61 percent (927) of new structures built Israel’s diplomatic and security bring an end to Israel’s occupation and west of the separation barrier agenda on the West Bank to enable the creation of a unified I 39 percent (591) of new structures built while offering only rhetorical Palestinian state next to Israel under east of the separation barrier objection to the system of secular Palestinian leadership that enjoys I 25 percent of new structures built east of checkpoints and settlement the support of both Israeli and Palestin- the barrier were in outposts construction; ian majorities. To do so, however, will I I 31 percent increase in the settler popula - supporting Israel’s securi - require a dramatic departure from pre - tion in the West Bank compared to an ty agenda in Gaza, and the vailing assumptions and policies. 11 percent increase in Israelis inside the draconian Israeli and Egyptian The ongoing battle in Gaza has Green Line between 2000 and 2006 restriction of imports sufficient made the environment for such an effort I 15,000 new settlers moved to the West only to meet minimal humani - far more difficult. Israel increasingly Bank in 2008 tarian needs, and supporting focuses on Hamas as its primary reconstruction aid on condition PROSPECT , continued on page 6 TO OUR READERS FOUNDATION FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE President Barack Obama and his Solving these problems will require pro - Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, face found changes in Israeli and Palestinian Merle Thorpe, Jr. huge challenges as they look for a way to policies and a comprehensive and deter - Founder bring about peace for Israelis and Palestin- mined new U.S. approach. Success will (1917–1994) ians. A stable cease-fire and reopening of hinge, above all, on the restoration of hope Gaza’s borders, after a war that accom - in Israel and Palestine that a two-state Philip C. Wilcox, Jr. plished nothing while inflicting great peace remains possible. The power struggle President human costs, should be an immediate pri - between a militant Hamas that is under - Geoffrey Aronson ority. Reunification of the Palestinians, mining the moderate Palestinian Authority Director, Research and now deeply fractured between Fateh and cannot be resolved unless Palestinians per - Publications, Editor, Report on Hamas, must also occur if the Palestinians ceive that peace and sovereignty are possi - Israeli Settlement in the Occupied are to become a credible partner in making ble and that their internal quarrel stands in Territories peace with Israel. the way of their liberation. American diplo - Nitzan Goldberger At the same time, Israel must be per - macy must create this hope. The United Waseem Mardini suaded to reverse its relentless effort to States must similarly offer the Israeli public Editorial Assistants control the West Bank and East Jerusalem a vision of real peace and security to over - through continued settlement, barriers, set - come their existential fears. Only this hope Erin Lauer Intern tler roads, checkpoints, and other measures will embolden Israelis to confront their designed to hinder the creation of a viable own rejectionist minority and oblige their TRUSTEES Palestinian state. Israel must also cease leaders to turn away from the current self- aggressive efforts in and around the Old destructive policies of occupation and set - Landrum R. Bolling City and greater Jerusalem to seize and set - tlement and accept a genuine two-state Calvin H. Cobb, Jr. tle more Palestinian land in order to seal peace. James J. Cromwell off East Jerusalem from the West Bank. Peter Gubser Stephen Hartwell Richard S.T. Marsh N —————— —————— Richard W. Murphy Jean C. Newsom Gail Pressberg William B. Quandt Nicholas A. Veliotes The Foundation, a non- profit I.R.C. 501(c)(3) organization, supports peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians through mutual recognition and a negotiated division of historic Pales- tine. It publishes the bi- monthly Report on Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories . Copyright © 2009 Sign up to receive the Report by e-mail, to be notified of events in Washington, D.C., and more. Visit us at www.fmep.org. 2 O Report on Israeli Settlement January-February 2009 WEISGLASS WARNS OF A CLASH WITH OBAMA ON SETTLEMENTS The idleness that the Israeli government has been display - existing settlements in order to supervise the expansion ban. ing in dealing with the unauthorized settlement outposts For this purpose, an American delegation was scheduled to shows that the ministers are insufficiently aware of the severi - arrive in Israel, and this was a sign of anger and loss of confi - ty of the diplomatic problem that Israel faces with regard to dence. the settlements in Judea and Samaria, and to what degree the Bush Letter issue could entangle Israel in a diplomatic crisis that would damage other Israeli vital interests. In President Bush’s letter to Prime Minister Sharon from There is no country in the world that accepts Israel’s terri - April 2004, the administration reached the limit of its under - torial demands in Judea and Samaria, and does not see the standing for Israel’s territorial demands: the large settlement Jewish settlements over the Green Line as an unlawful act and blocs. The administration understood that regarding the new an obstacle to an Israeli-Palestinian peace arrangement. Even reality that has been established on the ground, it would be President Bush’s administration—perhaps the friendliest “impractical” to demand from Israel a full withdrawal to the administration towards Israel since its establishment—was 1967 borders, and any future arrangement would require tak - sharply opposed to any Israeli activity in Judea and Samaria ing into consideration the demographic reality created over that was not vital military activity. the years. In other words: recognition of Israel’s right to the The U.S. administration views the entire area of Judea and settlement blocs by virtue of action and facts on the ground, Samaria as a reserve of land for but not by virtue of right and law. establishing a Palestinian state in The American recognition of due time. The proper existence of a the Israeli demand for control of Palestinian state requires, in the “I used to sit down and speak the large blocs and their continued opinion of the Americans, an inte - with Barak about the evacuation of development was accompanied by a gral Palestinian territory, contigu - illegal settlement outposts. Each demand that Israel refrain from any ous and with links between its dif - settlement activity in the areas out - ferent parts, not a “slice of Swiss time he would bring me a proposal side the blocs. In the administra - cheese” as Secretary of State Rice that in exchange for the evacuation tion’s opinion, Israel would leave put it. The settlements, in the view of one barrel and two tents some - [these areas] as part of the final of the administration, particularly where, I would have to agree to status arrangements with the those located deep inside Palestin- Palestinians, and it is forbidden to ian territory, cut up and divide the build hundreds of housing units in build there and change the land future Palestinian state and prevent the settlements.” reality.