The management of IsraelNationalNews has posted below the response of Dr. Daniel Pipes to an article entitled "The Daniel Pipes Plan" by Yehu Ben Zohar that originally appeared here. While IsraelNationalNews disagrees with Dr.Pipes' proposal for avoiding intra-Israeli violence, we apologize to both Dr. Pipes and our readers for what was clearly a poorly written article that did not meet the editorial standards of our site, and misstated the case under discussion. We have therefore removed it.

Daniel Pipes writes:

There Is No "Daniel Pipes Plan" I am flattered that Yehu Ben Zohar has taken notice of a 47-word comment of mine and made it the basis of his 782-word essay, "The Daniel Pipes Plan." I am even more flattered that he espies in those slender words an entire "plan." But I regret to tell him that he is all wet.

Here is what I wrote, as quoted in Aaron Klein's "Civil War in Israel?":

Should the [Israeli] government go ahead with the forcible removal of Jewish residents of Gaza, intra-Israeli violence appears to be a distinct possibility. Which in turn makes me wonder why the Israeli authorities do not take quite a different track and merely stop providing security for them.


Here is what I meant: I am dead set against the Sharon plan to withdraw from Gaza, for reasons I elaborated in a column in early February 2004, "Sharon Loses His Way On Israeli ?Settlements'." Also, in a more recent article, "Israel's Wayward Prime Ministers," I offered an explanation of what I called Sharon's reneging on his promise not to leave Gaza.

Klein, however, asked me not about the desirability of a withdrawal, but about the possibility of violence:

Am doing an article tomorrow on the "possibility of civil war" within Israel over the implementation of the withdrawal plan­specifically clashes from now through any possible IDF removal of citizens in settlements...wanted to put in some quotes from you, if you can send 2 sentences on what you foresee.

 


My reply indicated my worry about such violence and I then raised the idea that the Israeli government need not forcibly remove home-dwellers ? it can instead merely announce it will stop providing security to them.

I would much prefer to see Israelis remain in their Gaza homes, but my proposal offers a simple way to avoid intra-Israeli violence. Faced with the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces, Israeli residents of Gaza can make up their own minds about what to do. Presumably, they will peacefully leave their houses.

My suggestion has another advantage. Sharon's stating there will be "no Jews in Gaza by the end of 2005" strikes me as untoward ? an Israeli prime minister promising Judenrein territory? Proceeding along the lines I suggest would mean that Sharon need not make more such statements. (July 8, 2004)