UI – Part 625 – Trump Israel-Palestine Plan 2020

Trump Israel-Palestine Plan

Trump, with Netanyahu at his side, announced a Plan for settlement of the age-old conflict between Arabs, that refer to themselves as Palestinians, and the Israeli State. Call it a two-state solution.  In agreement was Netanyahu’s rival for the position of Prime Minister – Gantz. At the announcement there was no one to represent Palestine. They claim had they been there (Mahmoud Abbas) Trump would have suggested they were in accord.

The Plan had as its objective security for Israel and the potential for a productive development for the so-called Palestinian people with the application of $50 billion as a contribution to such an effort.  Areas, now quite dispersed, would be somewhat unified with better defined borders for Palestine.  It would receive a capital in East Jerusalem, its own capital, a wall separating the two, and a US Embassy.  The Gaza strip, not forgotten, would be connected by a tunnel and possibly a high speed railway. 

 But it may not be the ‘Deal of the Century’ as suggested.  For the Gaza contingent, backed by Hamas via the pocketbook of Iran, their hatred towards Israel would need to be controlled, Gaza demilitarized, and the pay-to-kill-Jews practice would need to end.  The hardest hurdle may be a change in the Arab areas domestic laws to provide for freedom of religion and basic human rights for all, men, women, rich and poor.  Equality has not been historically reflected in any Islamists governed zones of influence. 

From the perspective of Abbas (Palestine National Authority – PNA – head), the Plan demonstrates a USA (or Trump) bias towards Israel. Israel, under the Plan, would get all the West Bank settlements now recognized.  Also the Jordan Valley, between the West Bank and Jordan, would be under Israeli control, and this for the purpose of security. 

Statehood

One aspect of the Plan that is most significant, in my view and that of many others, is ‘Palestine’ would be recognized as a State.  This is in fact a triumph for those historically claiming the area for Palestine.  I even posted a blog on 2/5/2020 (last week) entitled “Palestine – An Area Not a People” (Read here).  The prevailing argument has been that the Arabs displaced in 1948 during the 1948 War were ‘Arabs’ and not ‘Palestinians.’  The name Palestine was given to the area by the Roman emperor Hadrian (Emperor 117-138CE) as a rebuke to the Jews and others for not supporting Rome (he called it Palastina).  The Arabs would pronounce it ‘Falastin’. From the referenced Blog, “The Arab-Muslims took the land as their own in 638, by conquest. It was occupied then primarily by Christ followers and pagans, some Jews.  The residents were not referred to as Palestinians.  The Arabs had no name for the area so they adopted the Roman appellation, calling it ‘Falastin.’ “  What was Roman Judaea became Palastina, and it was not occupied by Arabs, but mostly Christians and Pagans, some Jews.  So the claim by Arabs for ‘Palestine’ is somewhat frivolous and lacks a historical perspective.  Nevertheless with the Trump Plan acknowledging Palestine as a State, if accepted, the issue might be resolved. A major win for the Arab world.

It wasn’t until 1967, under the PLO, that the people, the refugees, were referred to as ‘Palestinians.’ So this effort to recognize Palestine as a State is ‘huge.’  If the Islamists refuse this offer, this acknowledgement, they are providing proof positive of their position to never accept any two-state solution, preferring their hatred for Israel, even America, to continue to fester.  An indication on their part towards settlement is only rhetoric; following through is not in their DNA.  They desire the recognition, the continued conflict, and the whole territory, the Holy Land, as their own.  Peace is not an objective of Islam, not in this area for certain.

Refugees

Another important issue, the refuges.  Many Arabs in the area that is Israel during the 1948 War left, while others remained.  Many dedicated religious Jews remained in Jerusalem for centuries, as did Christians too.  Towards the end of the 1800’s Jewish families with relatives in the Holy Land migrated there, from Romania and Russia, due to anti-Semitic pogroms.  They lived with Arabs and their population grew.  It was not always friendly.  Tel Aviv was established in 1906. The Jewish population continued to grow, especially with increasing oppression of Jews in Germany. A governing structure was established and enthusiasm towards a dedicated area for the Jews became more apparent with the Balfour Declaration in 1917 (Read – from Wikipedia). Jews and Arabs lived in peace, for the most part, with more strident Islamists troubled by the presence of those their Quran, Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, instructed them to hate.  So when the State of Israel was declared by the British, 1948) a war took place, the Islamists left (still just Arabs) and those that remained, after the war, were welcomed as residents of Israel.  Those that left, the refugees, were not allowed to return. The Plan would not allow their descendants and any from the time to return.  It would be the hope that other Arab Nations, or the recognized Palestine, would take them in.  That was not the case in 1948 when the refugees were looking for help.  Some, although not welcomed with open arms, went to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia said no.  Now at least they could go to a place they have been calling their home for over 70 years. 

Abbas Saying Nay

Still Abbas would be saying, “no, no, no, no, no to the deal of the century.”  Why, because he is a strident jihadist.

It is true there would be territorial gains for Israel.  But that is a subjective debate. Those that harbor a want for ‘Palestine,’ the leadership or fomenters of the conflict, see any land occupied by the Jews, to include Jerusalem, as theirs.  They are not historians, that is certain.  The new Palestine would have their Jerusalem, to the East of Jerusalem, separated by a Wall. 

Gaza would be enlarged.  The refugees, their descendants could return there too, and be connected to the West Bank Palestine by tunnel, high-speed rail or highway. 

The Arabs as current Palestinians would be compensated and provided the opportunity to become productive, have jobs and make something of themselves.  Why they have not been encouraged to do so with the funding received from Iran and other Arab Nations is a mystery.  For over 25 years the Palestinians have received aid amounting to just short of $400 per person (estimated). That amounts to $50 Billion dollars.  However the likes of Hamas preferred the funds be used for rockets and other efforts to attack Israel.  Now the Trump Plan is proposing, if all else is agreed to, $50 Billion to be used to make this State of Palestine productive, while being humane, accepting freedom of religion, and stopping payments to Arabs killing Jews. The desert region (Negev) near Gaza would or could be appropriated for establishing industrial centers. 

Still Abbas would be saying, “these conditions are too strict!”

That last straw for Abbas, and Hamas, would be giving up Gaza.  The Palestinian Authority, which is the controlling influence in the West Bank, would be in charge.  Hamas gone.  Security would remain in the hands of the Israeli’s.  Gaza would dis-arm, becoming a demilitarized zone.  You can just hear Abbas squealing.

Abbas sayin ‘no’, from article in NY Post (Read here).

Thoughtful

The Trump Plan, if nothing else, is ‘thoughtful,’ so said the WSJ’s editorial board.   It provides a ‘high-profile’ recognition of  ‘Palestine” as a State, with Gantz and Netanyahu in agreement.  It calls for peaceful co-existence.  If successful, if indeed ever implemented, it could provide for a more stable area, to include its neighbors – Jordon, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Grace and Peace

Plan Summary