Former Israeli Ambassador to Washington, DC Dr. Michael Oren spoke with the daily Maariv, evealing what is being called his Plan B. Oren, known to be a member of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner circle was Israel’s representative to the US until a few short months ago.
Oren feels that if the PA (Palestinian Authority) decides to break away from negotiations with Israel and actualize its threat to apply for status as an independent nation in the UN, Israel should not be afraid to respond unilaterally. He feels that Israel must then implement a unilateral withdrawal from areas of Yehuda and Shomron, a withdrawal that “will place the maximum number of Palestinians in the Palestinian state and the maximum number of Israelis in the State of Israel.” This plan enables Israel alone to define the borders of the Palestinian state, a unilateral response to the PA’s unilateral actions.
Ambassador Oren stresses this plan is only to be implemented in the event the PA carries out its threat to turn to the United Nations unilaterally instead of reaching agreement with Israel towards implementation of the two-state solution. Oren explains the PA has a weapon called “Plan B”, turning to the UN unilaterally, and it is important for them to know Israel is armed with a Plan B too.
Seeking to highlight the differences between his Plan B and the 2005 Disengagement Plan, the ousting of Jews from Gaza, his plan does not call for a return to the pre-1967 borders. In addition, following a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from areas the IDF will still maintain a presence in vital security areas. He admits this will not eliminate the European pressure but such a move will permit Israel to address the international boycott and the dispute will become a border dispute between two nations, as is the case with dozens of other countries.
Dr. Oren feels that a unilateral act is tantamount to taking our destiny in our own hands, a Zionist response if you will. This is not at all similar to the Disengagement he feels, for in the latter people were ousted from their homes by force and the IDF abandoned the area. “Most of the settlers will remain in their homes and the IDF will remain in critical security areas” Maariv quotes Dr. Oren as saying.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
This is stupid
What they should do is come out and say it’s ours all of it and kick the pa out!
Boycotts was and is the result of Israel agreeing that Yehudah and Shomron is not theirs (which they had no right in the first place, because it belongs to the Jewish people.)
Re Comment No. 1: The underlying basis of your comment is that the Jewish holy book – the Torah – should govern the ownership and government of Eretz Yisrael. I agree with that in the long run. When Moshiach comes, that will settle the issue for eternity.
In the meantime, we ordinary humans (Jews and gentiles) must figure out how to live in and govern Eretz Yisrael. If we Jews point to our holy book to settle the dispute, others in this world will point to their holy books, and history has surely taught us that when it comes to people’s choosing holy books to govern worldly matters, the Jewish one loses.
So Mr. Oren’s plan seems like a good idea to me. I don’t think Jews have agreed that Yehudah and Shomron are not ours, just that Hashem has not yet delivered it (or, perhaps, redelivered it) to us.