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C1. Naftali Bennett, the Israel Stability Initiative, February 2012

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C1. Naftali Bennett, the Israel Stability Initiative, February 2012 DOCUMENTS AND SOURCE MATERIAL 195 ISRAEL already called for Israel’s annexation of speci"c territories in Judea and Samaria, C1. NAFTALI BENNETT, “THE ISRAEL to actualize their words through con- STABILITY INITIATIVE,” FEBRUARY 2012. crete action. What separates this plan from others is that it’s practical. This “proposed solution” to the con- !ict was "rst circulated in late February 2012 to Israel’s political and military The 7-Point Plan for Managing the elites, who reportedly (Jerusalem Post Arab-Israeli Con!ict in Judea and 2/23) gave it “high praise.” Its author, a Samaria self-made multimillionaire and a “ris- ing star” in the religious-Zionist-nation- 1. Israel unilaterally extending alist right, was Netanyahu’s chief of staff sovereignty over Area C: Through (2006–8), and for two years (until Janu- this initiative, Israel will secure ary 2012) head of the YESHA settlers vital interests: providing security council. Bennett is also founder and to Jerusalem and the Gush Dan head of the extra-parliamentary move- Region, protecting Israeli commu- ment My Israel. The Israel Stability Ini- nities, and maintaining sovereignty tiative is posted on the One State Israel over our National Heritage Sites. website at www.onestateisrael.com. The world will not recognize our Currently, in Israel’s marketplace of claim to sovereignty, as it does not ideas, only two solutions are being pro- recognize our sovereignty over posed for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian the Western Wall, the Ramot and con!ict. They are: Gilo neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Yet eventu- 1. The establishment of a Palestinian ally the world will adjust to the state on the majority of the terri- de facto reality. Further, the areas tory of Judea and Samaria, or coming under Israel’s sovereignty 2. The full annexation of Judea and will create territorial contigu- Samaria including its two million ity and will include the Jordan Arab residents. Valley, the Dead Sea, Ariel, Maale Adumim, the mountains above Yet the public understands that both Ben Gurion Airport, and all of the of these solutions are impractical and Israeli communities in Judea and would threaten Israel’s security, demog- Samaria. As a result, residents of raphy, and humanitarian standing. Tel Aviv, the Gush Dan Region, The time has come to provide a Jerusalem, and Israel will live in workable and rational solution which full security, protected against serves Israel’s interests. This program, threats from the east. which is still a work in progress, does 2. Full naturalization of the 50,000 not attempt to solve all of Israel’s prob- Arabs living in Area C: This will lems once and for all, recognizing that counter any claims of apartheid. no such panacea exists. The initiative, Currently there are 350,000 Jewish while far more modest in its aims, gives residents, and only 50,000 Arab Israel three key advantages: residents of Area C. Irrespective of religion, all residents of the area 1. Israel will receive vital territories will receive full citizenship. Based and assets. on this outline, no Arabs or Jews 2. It will strengthen our standing in will be evicted or expelled from the international community by their properties. completely neutralizing the “apart- 3. Full PA [Palestinian Authority] heid” argument. autonomy in Areas A and B 3. It will create stability on the with the free !ow of people and ground, and amongst the people, goods between all PA-controlled for decades to come. territories: Palestinians will be able to travel freely anywhere in The plan relies on a number of se- Judea and Samaria without check- nior government ministers (Saar, points and soldiers stopping them. Kahlon, Katz, and Edelstein), that have We don’t like long traf"c jams, and JPS4104_13_Documents.indd 195 09/08/12 5:59 PM 196 JOURNAL OF PALESTINE STUDIES understandably neither do they. Gaza and Judea and Samaria. If This contiguity can be achieved such a connection were forged, it with a one-time investment of would bring the violence, insta- hundreds of millions of dollars. bility, and problems of Gaza into This will not create separate roads the currently calm areas of Judea for Jews and Arabs. Instead, it will and Samaria. Gaza is also gradu- eliminate all obstructions to the ally becoming closer to, and more free !ow of traf"c at critical junc- dependent on, Egypt. This pro- tions, in a safe and secure manner. cess is ongoing and Gaza is not Today, Arabs and Jews in Judea our responsibility. After all, when and Samaria use the same roads Israel expelled 8,000 Jews forcibly and this should continue. As this from their homes in Gush Katif, will also improve the lives of the and pulled back to the last inch, Palestinians, it will de!ect unnec- Israel received a Hamas state and essary international and humani- thousands of rockets in return. tarian pressure off Israel. Now the burden is being passed 4. Palestinian refugees from Arab to Egypt. countries will not enter into 7. Massive economic investment Judea and Samaria: This is in in coexistence on the ground: contrast to the currently discussed This would include building framework, under which millions interchanges, the improvement of of Palestinian refugees from Arab infrastructure, and the supporting countries would be absorbed into of joint industrial zones. Peace a Palestinian state. Unfortunately, is a bottom-up initiative that can Prime Minister Netanyahu in his best be achieved through people Bar Ilan speech accepted this who want to live their everyday notion. This is a fatal mistake that lives. Instead of money going to will lead to an irreversible demo- the fruitless diplomatic cocktails graphic disaster. As soon as mil- of Oslo, Geneva, and Camp David, lions of refugees from Lebanon, it could be used to produce sub- Syria, Egypt, and other Arab stantial change and improvements countries !ood into Judea and on the ground. One prominent Samaria, there will be no going example would be at the Hizma back. Descendants of the refugees Junction, in the Benjamin region, should be absorbed into the coun- which has long been lacking a tries where they currently reside, proper interchange. As a result, and will not be allowed to move every morning thousands of west of the Jordan River. Israelis and Palestinians sit though 5. A full Israeli security umbrella unnecessary traf"c jams, while the for all of Judea and Samaria: The neglectful uptake of such roads success of the initiative is condi- is also the cause of many traf"c tional on keeping the territories accidents. peaceful and quiet. Peace can only be achieved with the IDF [Israel Today, there is no great love between Defense Forces] maintaining a the Arabs and Jews of Judea and Samaria. strong presence in, and complete Yet both sides have already come to security control over, Judea and the understanding that the other isn’t Samaria. If the IDF leaves, Hamas going away. Therefore, instead of con- will rapidly in"ltrate the area. tinuing to spend our time, energy, and This is how Hamas took control resources on solutions that only lead of Gaza, and how Hizballah took to frustration and violence, we can in- control of southern Lebanon. stead focus on practical steps that will 6. The separation of Gaza from improve people’s lives and stabilize the Judea and Samaria: In contrast situation. The time has come for fresh to the idea of creating a “safe ideas that shift from con!ict resolution passage,” we must recognize that to con!ict management. The time has there is no connection between come for Israel to take the initiative. JPS4104_13_Documents.indd 196 09/08/12 5:59 PM.
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