Finally, a Two-State Solution

An unprecedented window of opportunity to really advance the cause of peace now exists. The democratically elected Hamas has bloodily ensured its position as the only authority left alive in the Gaza Strip. The new facts on the ground include a secular population of Palestinians in the West Bank who ought to be desperate to avoid the same fate as their Gaza relations, a fanatic Islamic population victorious in Gaza, still firing at Israel and striving to expand their missile capabilities to the West Bank (where they

Allies in the West are more than eager to put the Palestinian problem behind them.

threaten both Jordan and Israel), and an international climate of across-the-board disgust with the Palestinians and despair of ever achieving anything like a stable Palestinian State.

In addition, the ascendancy of Iran and its obvious trouble-making across the entire region have many of our more "at risk" neighbors more amenable to international pressure. At the same time, the US and its allies in the West are more than eager to put the Palestinian problem behind them before dealing with Iran's more explosive threats.

Israel's first step must be to demolish the fairy tale of Oslo for good and all. Electing terrorists and the political apparatus that supports them will never transform them into devotees of civil rights over the rule of the gun. That can be supported by historical evidence and refuted by no better than flimsy beliefs born of desperation or self-serving wishes. We can no longer politely accept mistruths, ridicule and ad hominem attacks as if they were rational arguments.

Therefore, attempts now to keep Fatah afloat anywhere must be a total non-starter. We must label such suggestions clearly as an insult that shows a callous disregard for Jewish blood and suffering. When Fatah was in power it never kept any of its commitments, and neither did the Israel politicians who promised to ensure PLO compliance and Israel's security. Nothing must induce us to ever trust them or their apologists again.

Israel's second step must be to require Jordan to grant citizenship to Palestinians living in the territory formerly occupied by Jordan from 1948-1967, including Jerusalem. This is neither impractical nor fantastic.

It is historically logical: Jordan is the Transjordanian Palestine that absorbed nearly 80% of the original mandated territory for a Jewish National Home. 70% of its population is ethnically identical to the Arab population in the West Bank.

It is relatively safe for Jordan. The IDF has done a superb job of putting most of Hamas' West Bank "activists" safely dead or in jail. Continued intelligence cooperation with Jordan's security apparatus ought to make the suppression of West Bank and Jordanian jihad successful, even as Jordanian passports make travel between Jordan and Israel easier for West Bank Arabs. Indeed, there is little additional risk for Jordan's monarchy - accused as they are of collaboration with Jews and Americans, they too are already fighting for survival.

Jordan's cooperation can and should be well-rewarded. Expanding the victory of radical jihad from Gaza into the West Bank is a major strategic goal of both Iran and Al-Qaeda, as a step towards destabilizing both Jordan and Israel. The US and its Western allies have every incentive to reward Jordan for depriving Hamas of an opportunity to conquer the West Bank.

West Bank Arabs win three ways. Citizenship in an Arab country restores Arab honor by removing the "shame" of being ruled by Jews. A more stable security situation will lead to easier mobility and access to services in Jordan and in Israel. Improved access to Israel's economy will improve the quality of life. One might think the object lesson of Gaza

Israel will need to flatten Gaza quickly so as to concentrate on Syria and Hizbullah-Lebanon.

would encourage most West Bank Arabs to accept these benefits.

Israel will achieve six highly significant strategic goals:

1. Primary among these goals is the deterrence of terror attacks on our population centers. Everything must be done to prevent missile and Kassam raids from becoming a daily occurrence throughout central Israel, as our enemies intend. This plan increases Jordan's ability and incentive to assist us in this regard, while in no way damaging our current efforts. We maintain the right to enter anywhere in the territory, as only the persons are to become Jordanian. Of course, their civil rights will be respected just as we respect the rights of any foreign national in Israel. Thus, suspected terrorists and their assistants can either be apprehended by Jordanian troops operating in cooperation with the IDF, or they can be detained by the IDF and deported to the Jordanian border for their arrest according to an agreed-upon protocol.

2. Israel's Jewish identity is safeguarded. At this juncture, dual citizenship is unthinkable, so West Bank Arabs will pay for their Jordanian citizenship by accepting their ineligibility for Israeli citizenship and their removal from the pool of potential voters in Israeli elections. Of course, they may also opt to emigrate to any country not at war with us and willing to accept them.

3. Israel will maintain control of the strategic territory for the foreseeable future, until the security of Israel is proven to be no longer at risk. Further, we are a country with a small population relative to our security needs. Our reserve soldiers, and our settlers in their strategically sited settlements, constitute an important component of our border security.

The "Just Peace" agreement must include the explicit right to expand Jewish settlements -- and build new ones -- wherever our security interests demand we do so. Clearly, this would include building a new settlement in every location where a terrorist attack occurs.

4. Jerusalem is the Jewish capital, and Jordan's capital is in Amman. The Temple Mount will be under Jewish security control. The members of the Wakf Authority and the Muslim clergy, like the rest of the Palestinian population, will be Jordanian citizens. Due to the current risks to its security, Jordan cannot allow inflammatory jihadi propaganda to be taught in the madrassas and preached at the Temple Mount mosques, and Jordan (unlike Israel) will know what to do with traitors and inciters of jihad.

5. Israeli-Jordanian cooperation in the defense against the Iranian-Al Qaida axis will be publicly acknowledged, making Israel less vulnerable to the canard that we wage aggressive war on harmless Palestinians for racist reasons.

 

6. When the inevitable Hamas, et al, war flares fully, Israel will need to flatten Gaza quickly so as to concentrate on Syria and Hizbullah-Lebanon. Completing the above deal with Jordan first will get us off to a good start, with more than the usual freedom of action.

Everyone gets to look like a hero. Jordan can be the big brother lovingly rescuing West Bank Palestinians from the murderous Hamas, and granting them new rights and dignity. Ehud Olmert and his crew can claim to have made a big breakthrough for peaceful cooperation. Zionists of the right-wing persuasion can claim redemption for their ideology. Leftists (don't gag) can claim they were never wrong: we really do have a partner for peace. Politicians from the US, EU and UN can all preen before the press and proclaim their respective contributions to a better world. The UN can even claim to have finally implemented the original Mandate solution.

 

We would have two states, Israel and Jordan, side-by-side and in peace (at least with each other).