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On Securing Jerusalem The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies No. 33 January 2016 On Securing Jerusalem INSIDE BESA Center associates debate Israel’s policy Implications of options in responding to Palestinian terrorism Middle East Chaos and reinforcing Israel’s hold in its capital city. Turning Back the Tide against Israel Securing Israel’s Natural Gas Reserves Retrospective on Gaza Disengagement US-Israel Relations in the Final Obama Stretch Strategic Dialogues with Germany and Australia Israel-Saudi Relations: Whereto? Gen. Hacohen and Col. Lerman Join the BESA Center 25 New Publications BESA CENTER ASSOCIATES IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION On Securing Jerusalem BESA Center associates debate Israel’s policy options in responding to Palestinian terrorism and reinforcing Inbar: Israel should continue to build travel through to get from one part Israel’s sovereignty in its capital city. in every part of the city. Moreover, it of Jewish Jerusalem to another, all should encourage Jews settling in the have a common government that is area near and within the so-called Holy part of Israel. Outlying Arab villages Basin. Creating facts on the ground added in 1967 may be necessary in signals determination and makes some situations for security or political division of the city more difficult. reasons, but there can be a united Generally, Israel should make every Jerusalem without them. effort to separate the issue of Jerusalem from the issue of settlements in the But Israel should not be negotiating West Bank even if this requires a partial with itself about concessions to the freeze in the settlement activity in Palestinians in Jerusalem. The Arabs Judea and Samaria. Jerusalem is much are not now willing to make peace with more important than isolated Jewish Israel on any terms. When they change settlements in the West Bank. it will be time enough to consider what Prof. Joshua Teitelbaum concessions might be consistent with Can and how should Israel act to keep Israel has a clear interest in the stability Dr. Max Singer: Firstly, Israel should “united Jerusalem.” eastern part of the city nor in the 2 Jerusalem united? of the Hashemite Kingdom that signed expand its programs to connect all parts of “Jerusalem” beyond the 1967 3 a peace treaty with Israel, but Israel’s Israelis to Jerusalem. It is important Secondly, Israel’s public stance municipal boundaries. This does not Prof. Efraim Inbar: Israel should signal national security cannot be based on to act so that ordinary Israelis do not should be more positive and defiant serve any purpose beyond placating ferocious determination in opposing the assumption that this kingdom associate the cause of united Jerusalem than appeasing. This should include the right-wing part of Netanyahu’s any division of the city, and not only cannot be destabilized like other Arab with the advocates of building a Third emphasis on how the Arab interest in coalition. because of religious and historic states. Temple, or those who believe that Jerusalem has been almost exclusively reasons. Jerusalem has strategic Israel is not Israel if it doesn’t have in opposition to Jews and Christians, Inbar: Yes, Israel has a clear interest in importance for the defense of Israel. Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman: The bottom sovereignty over everything west of the with little attention when in Muslim providing better municipal services to line is simple: Carving up Jerusalem Jordan. hands. Israel should also call attention the Arab neighborhoods. According to Greater Jerusalem is the only place – a living city, "still seven times safer to the terrible Arab record in preserving all polls, a large majority of the Arabs along the ridge of the Judea Mountains than (say) Seattle" – is impossible to Note that “United Jerusalem” does not Jerusalem, in allowing access to other in the city prefer to live under Israeli that has a Jewish majority and where implement, no matter how ardently necessarily mean the current borders religions, and in keeping commitments. sovereignty and the idea of transferring the road from the coast to the area some may wish for this to be done. It of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was smaller them to Palestinian rule is frightening along the Jordan River that can be would constitute a disastrous retreat Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman before June 1967. It was larger in Nevertheless, Israel’s fundamental to them. They are not stupid! In fact, travelled without Arab interference. from basic Zionist verities and Jewish the UN partition resolution. “United claim is not that it does a better job of any attempt to transfer them to Jerusalem is the linchpin for any imperatives. It would tear apart Israeli effort to come and live in sovereign Jerusalem” means, I believe, that the protecting access by all religions. Its Palestinian rule without asking their defense plan from the East. society. It would reverse the remarkable Israeli territory). parts of Jerusalem that interact with fundamental claim is that Jerusalem opinion is undemocratic. Every effort achievements of nearly fifty years of each other, that one might need to has long been the capital of the Jewish should be made to strengthen the Israel's custodianship of the unified Therefore, Israeli policy must be state in this area and is an essential part Arabs’ preference to live under Israeli city; a custodianship not free of failures directed quietly and confidently at of Israel, the Jewish homeland. We will rule. This is also a clear answer to the and blemishes and yet impressive in its perpetuating Israeli sovereignty in not give it up. absurd claim that Israel is racist. Arab- outcome. Jerusalem; even if a proper delimitation Jewish coexistence in Jerusalem is a of where does the city end, and some Thirdly, Israel should be building in prerequisite for peace. Jerusalem today is a city of nearly a unnecessary accretions begin, may be Jerusalem, especially in the E-1 corridor million residents, a joy to behold, alive open to discussion. connecting Jerusalem to to Maale Prof. Eytan Gilboa: For a long time, with active social and cultural life. Adumim. successive Israeli governments have And it would ultimately do nothing What strategies (not just tactics) failed to adopt and implement policies but harm to the lives of most of the should the government adopt to Prof. Joshua Teitelbaum: The best required to keep Jerusalem united. Maqdisiyyun (Arab Jerusalemites) – who ensure exclusive diplomatic control of way to keep Jerusalem united is to Existing policies have to fundamentally know already how much better they are the city? Should Israel maintain a low treat all the citizens equally. Anyone change: Investing much more resources doing in comparison with their brothers profile or move to significantly build who goes to the eastern part of the in the Arab sections coupled with the across the PA line (or else there would new neighborhoods in and around the city can see how much it suffers from establishment of law and order, full and Prof. Efraim Inbar not have been so many who make the city? Dr. Max Singer neglect. But it is not wise to build new aggressive enforcement of municipal neighborhoods for Jews neither in the laws and regulations and conditions of BESA CENTER ASSOCIATES IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION On Securing Jerusalem (continued) basic services, severe punishment of one; and take disciplinary measures remain in Israel, gives rise to a political Singer: Israel should act in all ways regions of the homeland! And if Israel would ultimately remain outside the violators, intensive supervision of the against school principals and teachers firestorm. consistent with the idea that Israel is does not insist on this, it will steadily unified city. But until such decisions educational system, and aggressive who promote anti-Israeli and anti- here by right (without having to rely on withdraw inward, toward the coastal are taken – and they must not be preventive actions against cells of Jewish activities in defiance of the law. Therefore, the diplomatic challenge Biblical authority); that Israel will stay plain, and edge towards decline. taken under the shadow of Palestinian Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist is threefold: We need to reunite and defend itself regardless of attacks knives – it would still be necessary both organizations. The same applies to mosque preachers. the Jewish people (and particularly and difficulties; that united Jerusalem is At the height of the War of to reassert Israeli sovereignty and to These people have to know that the American Jewry) around Jerusalem an inherent and essential part of Israel; Independence, in 1948, Ben-Gurion invest in better living conditions for the Beyond that, Israel should start a State of Israel has the right to monitor as a rallying cry. In 1989 this was and that no one has as good claims to explained why he set the capture of residents there. At the same time, Israel worldwide communications campaign their behavior in public institutions enough to bring about a 100:0 (!) vote Jerusalem as Israel does. Jerusalem as a primary objective in must stem the tide of illegal entrants. in favor of United Jerusalem. We should and that they will meet legal sanctions in the Senate acknowledging united the war. Speaking before the Zionist explain the Jewish historical and should they flaunt them. We're losing Jerusalem as Israel's eternal capital. It is critical to demolish the claim that General Council, he said, “I don't need Singer: There definitely are ways to religious connection to the city, the eastern Jerusalem because officialdom Israel stole Palestinian land (including to tell you what value Jerusalem has give Arab east Jerusalemites partial Israeli excellent record of keeping free is more frightened of the PA and Hamas At the same time, it is important to Tel Aviv).
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