YOEL MELTZER: THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4618173,00.html
Op-ed: The time has come for Israel to throw off the constraints of adhering to politically correct policies that are clearly detrimental to its continued existence and start fighting for its survival. With Israeli elections quickly approaching, it’s a near certainty based upon historical precedents that we’ll soon be hearing assorted domestic and international voices emphasizing the need to restart negotiations with the Arabs as soon as the next government is formed. Still further and based upon a 20-year old broken record that never seems to stop, we’ll once again be told that in the face of the growing uncertainty in the region a breakthrough in the talks with the Arabs is vital for the continued existence of the Jewish state.
Therefore, in order to prevent needless resources being devoted to yet another attempt at advancing the two-state track, it’s long overdue that the obvious is publicly stated: The king, otherwise known as the two-state solution, has no clothes. In other words, there is no diplomatic solution.
This is not an extremist or right-wing position; it’s just what it is. Similarly it’s not good and it’s not bad; once again it’s just what it is.
Moreover, the reason that there is no diplomatic solution between Jews and Arabs west of the Jordan River is that at its core the more than 100-year conflict is not a land dispute. Although many people cling to the simplified narrative that states the opposite and as a result repeatedly suggest that the land be divided in order to accommodate the two conflicting parties, the truth is that if it were so simple then this thorny issue would have been resolved years ago.
Still further, the problem stems from an inability or unwillingness on the part of many to honestly confront the truth, perhaps out of a fear of looking into the abyss. Nevertheless, for anyone who seriously analyzes the region it should be crystal clear that the larger Arab/Islamic world will never accept a sovereign Jewish state in its midst. To think otherwise is akin to placing one’s head in the sand.
Moreover, if one considers the fact that for several centuries the entire region was under some sort of Islamic control, then it is quite understandable that any non-Islamic sovereign entity will never be accepted in this part of the world. In the words of Mordechai Nisan, a retired lecturer in Middle East Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, “Islam rejects Jewish sovereignty, Arabism rejects Zionism.”
Rabin, Clinton and Arafat. ‘Israel needs to finally declare that the Oslo process is null and void and that the concept of land for peace is no longer an option’ (Photo: Reuters)
This is the truth, no matter how difficult it might sound, that needs to be internalized if Israel wishes to continue to survive. Thus, allowing oneself to be intellectually undressed by the false assumption which posits that the conflict is essentially a land dispute, and this in order to keep on embracing at all costs the strategically flawed paradigm of land for peace, is a dangerous and irrational exercise that will eventually lead to the demise of Israel.
Having stated all of the above, this does not mean to imply that there are not good-intentioned Arabs or Muslims in the local region or in the larger world. Of course there are. Nevertheless and despite whatever their actual numerical size might be, as individuals and as a group they have no influence on the frightening trends that are sweeping the Middle East and other parts of the world.
Although it is also true that no one knows for sure how many Arabs or Muslims in the immediate region or in the larger world actually perpetrate acts of terror or how many quietly support these acts, at the end of the day it is this group, regardless of its actual size, and not the level-headed group mentioned above, which is influencing events throughout Asia and Africa and which is scaring the hell out of Europe and other western countries.
For this reason, the endless discussion of whether or not this jihadist form of Islam is an authentic form of Islam or a distortion of the true Islam is pointless. It is what it is and it’s having a tremendous impact on the world.
Thus anyone who intentionally tries to whitewash this harsh reality while simultaneously justifying supposed Arab grievances against Israel in order to force the creation of an Arab state in Judea and Samaria, one which will undoubtedly be used as a launching pad for the attempted destruction of Israel and consequently will pose an existential threat to the very existence of the State of Israel, is either stupid, anti-Semitic, or both.
Likewise, for Israel to continue down the submissive Oslo path of concessions to the Arabs in the blind hope that somehow this will eventually lead to peace is irresponsibly ignoring history and reality. In the face of jihad, and that’s really what Israel is up against, capitulations are an act of suicide.
Hence Israel needs to wake up and quickly change direction, rather than remaining like the proverbial frog in the simmering pot of water. Translated into action, Israel needs to finally declare that the Oslo process is null and void and that the concept of land for peace is no longer an option.
Moreover, Israel must clarify that its intention is to either remain with the status quo since some issues simply cannot be resolved or it needs to alter direction and start working towards the preferred option of unilaterally expanding Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
The time has come for Israel to throw off the constraints of adhering to politically correct policies that are clearly detrimental to its continued existence and start fighting for its survival. However, this change of direction will only come about after Israel finally realizes that west of the Jordan River there is no diplomatic solution with the Arabs.
Yoel Meltzer is a freelance writer living in Jerusalem. He can be contacted via http://yoelmeltzer.com .
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