The Saudis have pressed in recent days for Israel to accept in principle their 2002 plan for normalization in the region. Calling on the Israelis to accept a return to 1967 borders and some version of the right of return, the Arab nations endorsing the plan seem to have forgotten that the Palestinians haven’t even accepted the pacts that they have already signed with Israel:
Arab leaders on Thursday reiterated their offer to normalize ties with Israel and showed signs of flexibility in their terms for peace.
At a news conference at the end of a summit where the Arab leaders’ peace plan was the main issue on the agenda, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Arab countries would establish normal ties with Israel as soon as it had resolved its disputes with its immediate neighbors.
“We cannot change the plan because it offers peace, and changing it would mean we’re no longer offering peace,” Faisal said, echoing Arab League chief Amr Moussa’s insistence that there would be no changes in the plan ahead of negotiations. But Faisal said: “Once Israel returns occupied land and comes to an agreement with the Palestinians, returns occupied land to Syria and comes to an agreement with them, and it resolves its land issues with Lebanon, Arab states will immediately establish relations.”
Saud’s comments seemed to allow room for discussion on issues that are particularly problematic for Israel, including the final borders of a Palestinian state and the plan’s call for a right of return to present-day Israel for Palestinians who fled or were forced out when the Jewish state was created in 1948.
It seems obvious that any eventual peace plan would mean an Israeli evacuation of the land it seized from Jordan after the 1967 war, as well as settling border issues with Syria and Lebanon. The latter would probably be resolved rather easily, although the Israelis would insist on a buffer zone for the Golan Heights, due to its strategic potential. The problem for Israel is the lack of a reliable partner for the former.
Israel has not made itself pristine in this area. The building of settlements in the West Bank continued for years after the complications of the settlements were obvious. Israel refused to annex the land and make its occupants de facto citizens, for clear demographic reasons, but instead carved out the communities by encouraging the expansion among Israelis. Any Palestinian state could not abide having little chunks of its land sovereign to another state.
However, the Palestinians have made it impossible to negotiate on even these grounds. Their charters still demand the destruction of Israel. The government elected by the Palestinians made it their first act to disavow previous agreements, which removed any credibility they have for future treaties. Hamas and Fatah, the only two political parties, both use terrorist attacks on civilians as part of their modus operandi. Even now, while demanding a state, the two terrorist organizations refuse to end their commitment to terrorism in the future.
The Saudis want Israel to commit to the concept of land for peace. Yet when Israel withdrew from Gaza, pulling out their settlements along with the IDF, did peace erupt all over? Most decidedly, no. The Palestinians used Gaza as a launch pad for their rockets, dropping them indiscriminately into Israeli towns, with only Palestinian incompetence keeping more civilians from dying. When that stopped amusing them, Hamas crossed into Israel to abduct Gilad Shalit, whom they still hold for ransom. Under those circumstances, why would Israel accept land for peace when they know they will not get it?
Israel would like peace and quiet. They don’t want the peace and quiet of annihilation. Too many of their relatives got that kind of peace from the Nazis. When the Arabs give them true partners for peace, the Israelis will be only too glad to meet them.
Easy solution to the demographic issue, but one which would cause screaming among the Left and the Arab states: offer an emigration subsidy (say $30K) to any Muslim woman 18-25 who leaves Israel for someplace else. Couple it with a new passport with a new name if she wants to avoid hassles with the old family.
The problem is solved within a generation
Why did the Arabs not just accept the borders as drawn in 1948?
The Book of Obadiah is one short chapter, a soon-to-be fulfilled prophecy towards those who try to strip Israel, after God has Himself regathered her to her own homeland.
Anyone who thinks that supporting that Saudi plan for “peace” in the region needs to consider the Wisdom of siding with a vast region who sent their refuse to Israel – the tiny postage stamp-sized nation which was a garbage heap for 2,000 yrs, that had even been stripped of DEAD tree trunks, by Turkey, for their usefulness as railroad ties – because God Himself is her defender.
We know this is true because if such a vast region wanted her gone as bad as the Middle East and half the population of Europe and Asia all want her gone, and God were NOT on her side, then she would be gone, indeed!
John Hagee went through a list the other day of events that History shows, that whatsoever the enemies of Israel have thought and tried to do to her, has in fact dictated their very own end.
So the warning is plain towards those who think they’ll “devise a “PEACE PLAN” for the Middle East that divides Israel like a spoil among other despots of the region, according to their own liking – if a nation helps split Israel to pieces, and strip her of the ability to protect herself from mortal enemies, that nation will find those destructions ripping that same nation to shreds within the lifetime of those leaders.
America needs to repent of the participation we have engaged in, in such “peace accords” as the Oslo Agreement.
We need to stop participating in the line-up of her enemies, according to the battle lines prophesied in Ezekial 38 and 39.
It should terrify the worst atheist to see themselves alligned with a 3,000 yr old prophecy against the enemies of Israel.
But it will not.
Meanwhile, anyone who needs a blessing in their life – know this for a certainty, if you need a blessing, find some way to bless Israel, and then God will bless you!
Why did the Arabs not just accept the borders as drawn in 1948?
Because they were arrogant, greedy fools who thought they could take it all by force.
It’s all a charade. From 1948 to 1973 the Arabs believed that a military solution would destroy Israel. In 1967, just like in every other war in history, Israel’s victory meant more territory, the West Bank and the Sinai desert–from Jordan and Egypt. (I’m missing the point where Ed feels it’s somehow a mistake for a nation to settle and develop territory that is legally under its own jurisidiction.) But there was never a point where any reasonable person thought that the Arabs were going to stop trying to destroy the Jewish State and the Jewish People.
All Arab leaders have learned too well the great teaching of Anwar Sadat, who led by example–don’t make peace with Israel or someone in your own country will kill you. Don’t even speak the words.
The charade only continues because the US and Europe want it to be true pinky swear. And so Egypt and Israel dutifully go through the surface motions while the Syrians and Iranians help the displaced unwelcome former citizens of Jordan to dig tunnels underneath.
There never was a time when peace was at hand, there never was a time when the Arab and Persian world wasn’t trying to destroy Israel or just Jews living there before Israel was founded. It never stopped.
There is no peace plan on the table!
All the saudis have is Bush’s willing cooperation. And, condi.
It’s a bet against the house, actually. Since the Jews are in no way tied up to Iraq. And, the saudis? Seems they thought they’d become the “head” of the arab league. When this is as far from the truth as you’ll go.
The arabs pay lip service, with the europeans, every time they can beat up on the Jews at no cost.
On the other hand? The man upstairs has always exacted “costs.”
As to Bush? He’s more like Jimmy Carter every day. Time passes. But nothing changes.
One of the things Jimmy Carter did, was bust the democratic LOCK that had appeared with FDR. How? Well, Ronald Reagan wasn’t elected by just one segment of the GOP party. (And, he wasn’t “liked” all that much by the ROckefeller’s or the Bush’s.) But Reagan WON! It was the size of the win that offered some clues as to what happened on Jimmy Carter’s watch. That’s actually never been fixed.
SInce the saudis buy American and european politicans by the boat load.
But are they advancing?
Given that the saudis have not been handed a bill for 9/11; all Bush has managed to do is dirty the water. As he continues to seek ways from which the saud’s can “pick up” real estate. Well, that’s Bush’s bet on the table.
While a lot of members of the GOP, who prefer being called “independents,” these days. Have switched monikers because of the Bush’s! And, their very creepy plans.
When? The nut in Iran stepped up to the plate. And, forced UP the price of OIL. Which is sustaining everything you see.
The nut in Iran, and only he, pushed the saudi menace, and their Riyadh “convocation” into the dead letter territory.
Bush? Blair’s not calling him!
The tragedy of seeing the unprotected hostages on TV? Well, we’ve been there, before.
And, nobody seems to know what to do. Since there was a side benefit. The saudis came up cold on Bush’s bet. WHICH IS A GOOD THING!
In Israel? Heck. Even in England. And, Germany. You’ve got an array of elite stinkers in top jobs. Nah. It’s not running down hill. There’s an old “proverb.” That if your business is successful, it could be run by monkeys.
You want top talent? That’s when things are facing disasters, that the Ulysses S. Grant’s come to the rescue. Sure. They’re there, now. But they’re not in charge.
And, so far from Bush? No comic relief, either.
Sure. You can believe anything you like.
You can even believe it wasn’t OBVIOUS that AG Gonazles was incompetent. And? TOLERATED!
In other words? How does this Bush operate? He sends POTTED PLANTS to meetings! Because they wear fancy suits. And, they don’t fall asleep and snore. They are so “polite” you could puke.
The donks? Meanwhile, their tent’s not expanding. Do you iknow why? They have no talented horses to race.
While the GOP? That’s the “other party.” And, no matter what the donk’s do, they can’t hurt all of the horses and all of the men that are r e v v i n g up for the battle of 2008.
You think the body of voters isn’t smarter? I disagree. I think the voters are learning a lot. Including how to keep the GOP from the primary mistakes that led to both Bush’s. Because it’s easier to cheat the system during primaries; than during the race, itself.
Bottom line? Bush will get no better at what he’s doing than Jimmy Carter ever did. He’ll just develop a skin coating that blocks out sunshine. And, reality. We’ll learn more, ahead.
Meanwhile, it’s not an atmosphere, yet, for truth-tellers. Jesus doesn’t come down the pike every day. But don’t be so foolish as to gamble against the man upstairs.
One of the things both Americans and Israelis, teach. WE. ARE. NOT. LIKE. THEM!
The arabs are animals.
I read today that Olmert thinks the Saudi proposal is revolutionary.
The Israelis will do this to themselves. Why? because they will vote for “Peace” over sovereignty. In doing so they will be the seeds of their own destruction.
Why do Carol Herman’s posts all read like computer generated stuff?
Carol – Are you an actual himan person, or some sort of AI experiment?