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Latest Israeli plan for land exchange another land grab
22.01.08 - 11:08
Hiba Lama / PNN – An Israeli position paper will be presented shortly which outlines the Israeli plan for the exchange of land between the region’s countries. Two military leaders in charge of the project propose to exchange Palestinian land and that within Israeli boundaries with Arab neighbors such as Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.
This paper is described by its Israeli authors as a tool to solve regional conflicts and create more generous limits in line with the requirements that have evolved over the decades, however Palestinian analysts see it as another attempt by the Israelis to steal the land, water, rights and the national aspirations of the Palestinian people.
Paper Trap to Convert a State into mere Cantons
After a quick reading of the content of this paper and its impact on the Palestinian side, Secretary General of the National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, says that some of it is a means for Israel to write-off international law and United Nations resolutions.
The entire act is subject to the approval or disapproval of Israel. Dr. Barghouthi stressed that this approach is devastating to the establishment of the independent Palestinian State. He said, “This project is a trap if the Palestinians will find themselves eventually accepting a cut in large parts of the West Bank to include the illegal settlements built in the occupied territories, which would effectively transform the idea of an independent Palestinian state into a state of cantons.”
“Access to land along the Green Line" is not only a very General Formula
The wording of the text suggests that a land exchange between Palestine and Israel will give Israel three percent of the West Bank via its illegal settlement blocs, including the Jordan Valley and Hebron desert. It also states that an unspecific amount of land along the Green Line will go to Palestine. Dr. Barghouthi commented that the wording is extremely non-specific and also misleading. “It waives the Palestinian demands for the 1967 borders, meaning that the people will fall into a real crisis.”
This Paper is Part of the Old Israeli Game
The paper confirms that Israel wants the Palestinians to give up basic principles. The Palestinians will remain the weaker party under pressure from the United States, Europe and many other countries. Dr. Barghouthi pointed out that this paper is part of the game of Israeli positions and that during the Oslo game Israel also presented a dissembling plan which led to the loss of Palestinian rights as Oslo was presented in such a way that if the Palestinians were to refuse, they would be seen as hindering the “peace process,” or even rejecting it outright.
Restoring Cohesion is Crucial
Dr. Barghouthi says that weakness does not mean to surrender to the other party, but instead to increase the search for sources to strengthen the Palestinian position. He said that the long process of restoring national unity is a first step and that the people should remain steadfast by not engaging in negotiations that use a smokescreen to cover crimes committed by Israel.
Israel is the Sole Beneficiary
Dr. Barghouthi finds in the paper that Israel will obtain more than 40 percent of the West Bank and will deprive Palestinians of access to any part of Jerusalem. The paper also fails to address the refugee issue. The idea of becoming a state merely by self-rule, with Israeli occupation thinly veiled, leads to the fact that the sole beneficiary of this paper is Israel.
Plan Ignores Land Occupied in 1967
As for political analyst Dr. Saleh Abdel Jawad, he believes that the idea of exchanging land at the regional level, in principle, may not be a bad idea, on the contrary, and may indeed contribute to solving the region's affairs and problematic border issues. “But when we first look at this paper,” says Abdel Jawad, “we may find that at first glance it seems an exciting prospect, but is only for the benefit of Israeli interests at the expense of others. It is wrong to ignore that the occupation, which began in June 1967, will be kept in place in several areas, particularly East Jerusalem and its environs. Much of the occupied land will remain with the Israelis under this plan.”
Removing the 1948 Population
Dr. Abdel Jawad adds, “In these three per cent of lands covered by the text of the plan rest aquifers for the West Bank and fertile areas. There are strategic and historic points around Jerusalem and in return for giving them up, the Palestinians receive a portion of the Triangle Region, such as the town of Umm Al Fahm near Jenin. There is no compensation for the Palestinians who will remain largely disconnected, but the idea is to rid the Palestinians who live inside the 1948 boundaries.
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2323&Itemid=1
22.01.08 - 11:08
Hiba Lama / PNN – An Israeli position paper will be presented shortly which outlines the Israeli plan for the exchange of land between the region’s countries. Two military leaders in charge of the project propose to exchange Palestinian land and that within Israeli boundaries with Arab neighbors such as Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.
This paper is described by its Israeli authors as a tool to solve regional conflicts and create more generous limits in line with the requirements that have evolved over the decades, however Palestinian analysts see it as another attempt by the Israelis to steal the land, water, rights and the national aspirations of the Palestinian people.
Paper Trap to Convert a State into mere Cantons
After a quick reading of the content of this paper and its impact on the Palestinian side, Secretary General of the National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, says that some of it is a means for Israel to write-off international law and United Nations resolutions.
The entire act is subject to the approval or disapproval of Israel. Dr. Barghouthi stressed that this approach is devastating to the establishment of the independent Palestinian State. He said, “This project is a trap if the Palestinians will find themselves eventually accepting a cut in large parts of the West Bank to include the illegal settlements built in the occupied territories, which would effectively transform the idea of an independent Palestinian state into a state of cantons.”
“Access to land along the Green Line" is not only a very General Formula
The wording of the text suggests that a land exchange between Palestine and Israel will give Israel three percent of the West Bank via its illegal settlement blocs, including the Jordan Valley and Hebron desert. It also states that an unspecific amount of land along the Green Line will go to Palestine. Dr. Barghouthi commented that the wording is extremely non-specific and also misleading. “It waives the Palestinian demands for the 1967 borders, meaning that the people will fall into a real crisis.”
This Paper is Part of the Old Israeli Game
The paper confirms that Israel wants the Palestinians to give up basic principles. The Palestinians will remain the weaker party under pressure from the United States, Europe and many other countries. Dr. Barghouthi pointed out that this paper is part of the game of Israeli positions and that during the Oslo game Israel also presented a dissembling plan which led to the loss of Palestinian rights as Oslo was presented in such a way that if the Palestinians were to refuse, they would be seen as hindering the “peace process,” or even rejecting it outright.
Restoring Cohesion is Crucial
Dr. Barghouthi says that weakness does not mean to surrender to the other party, but instead to increase the search for sources to strengthen the Palestinian position. He said that the long process of restoring national unity is a first step and that the people should remain steadfast by not engaging in negotiations that use a smokescreen to cover crimes committed by Israel.
Israel is the Sole Beneficiary
Dr. Barghouthi finds in the paper that Israel will obtain more than 40 percent of the West Bank and will deprive Palestinians of access to any part of Jerusalem. The paper also fails to address the refugee issue. The idea of becoming a state merely by self-rule, with Israeli occupation thinly veiled, leads to the fact that the sole beneficiary of this paper is Israel.
Plan Ignores Land Occupied in 1967
As for political analyst Dr. Saleh Abdel Jawad, he believes that the idea of exchanging land at the regional level, in principle, may not be a bad idea, on the contrary, and may indeed contribute to solving the region's affairs and problematic border issues. “But when we first look at this paper,” says Abdel Jawad, “we may find that at first glance it seems an exciting prospect, but is only for the benefit of Israeli interests at the expense of others. It is wrong to ignore that the occupation, which began in June 1967, will be kept in place in several areas, particularly East Jerusalem and its environs. Much of the occupied land will remain with the Israelis under this plan.”
Removing the 1948 Population
Dr. Abdel Jawad adds, “In these three per cent of lands covered by the text of the plan rest aquifers for the West Bank and fertile areas. There are strategic and historic points around Jerusalem and in return for giving them up, the Palestinians receive a portion of the Triangle Region, such as the town of Umm Al Fahm near Jenin. There is no compensation for the Palestinians who will remain largely disconnected, but the idea is to rid the Palestinians who live inside the 1948 boundaries.
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2323&Itemid=1