UK Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) has sunk any possibility of peace and also of a new Palestinian Arab state being created between Israel and Jordan - unsuccessfully promoted by the United Nations for the last 29 years – detailing 30 steps considered necessary before negotiations can be resumed.
These steps, mostly unachievable or downright hallucinatory, and including some that are dangerous for Israel, are:
“Step 1: Tackle the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Step 2: Freeze settlement building
Step 5: Encourage Arab states to normalise relations with Israel and deepen the Abraham Accords
Step 6: Increase work permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza
Step 7: Ensure transportational contiguity for Palestinians
Step 8: Support Jerusalem as capital of Israel and future Palestinian state
Step 10: Demand Hamas renounce the use of violence and terrorism
Step 11: Demand Hamas releases hostages
Step 12: Pressure the Palestinian Authority to stop human rights abuses
Step 13: Support the development of Rawabi
Step 14: Ensure Palestinians can travel abroad more freely
Step 15: Support construction of a Gaza seaport
Step 16: Support steps towards a permanent Gaza ceasefire
Step 17: International action to curb Iran’s malign activities
Step 18: Oppose unilateral actions by either side
Step 19: Pressure Egypt to permanently open the Rafah crossing
Step 20: Support free elections in the West Bank and Gaza
Step 21: Preserve the Temple Mount status quo
Step 22: Expand Palestinian autonomous zones and issue building permits for Area C
Step 23: Support a reformed UNRWA
Step 24: Support the reunification of the West Bank and Gaza under PA authority
Step 25: Support Palestinian economic independence
Step 26: End incitement in the Palestinian school curriculum
Step 27: Increase exit permits to allow Gaza residents to study abroad
Step 28: Action by international donors to improve Palestinian governance
Step 29: Support a Palestinian seaport at Haifa
Step 30: Allocate territory in Area C for Palestinian economic development“
Amazingly FLI still faithfully continues to repeat the UN’s false mantra:
“The two-state solution is the only means by which to guarantee Israel’s security and to preserve its identity as a Jewish and democratic state, as well as to satisfy the legitimate demand of the Palestinian people for self-determination and national sovereignty.”
Really?
Is LFI unaware of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution emanating from Saudi Arabia on 8 June 2022 offering a real alternative to replace the failed UN two-state solution?
Calling for the merger of Jordan, Gaza and part of the 'West Bank' into one territorial entity to be called the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine - the Saudi Plan needs only 2 steps – not 30 – for its successful implementation:
Step 1: Redrawing the internationally recognised boundary between Israel and Jordan
Armed only with pencils and erasers negotiators should be capable of designating the border between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine in a matter of months.
Step 2: Determining who controls security of the territory of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine west of the Jordan River.
Israel would probably demand total security control over all the territory west of the Jordan River – and if not agreed – the negotiations on this issue could take longer to conclude.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres continues to ignore the existence of the Saudi Solution or call for any discussion of its merits in the Security Council.
Perpetuating the Jewish-Arab conflict – not trying to end it – has become the UN’s shocking agenda.
The Saudi Plan beckons…
Author’s note: The cartoon — commissioned exclusively for this article — is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones”- one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators — whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades.