Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Get 'em out by Friday.... Displacing the Arabs as a Humanitarian Solution
The so-called "Jerusalem Summit", an Israeli think tank, has met this week to discuss the issue of the "Humanitarian Resolution to the Palestinian Problem". Reading the program of the plan, http://www.jerusalemsummit.org/eng/hs_flyer.php , as well as practically any part of the site itself makes shivers run down the spine. Is there no limit to decency, I ask?
What precisely is their "Win-Win" solution? Why, elementary: get the Palestinians to move out and be absorbed by other Arab countries behind compensation to the "family breadwinner"! That is, each individual will start to renounce (for his entire family) the rights which are guaranteed to him and set off for a bright future in some other country. They will be deciding independently and the choice is either "living under Israeli control" or "under an onerous and repressive Palestinian *regime*." We've heard it all before in the Geneva Accord, but this time, there isn't even the contemplation of a remaining Arab presence.
In the view of these persons, and it is unclear just who they are, but no mistake can be made as to their Israeli-aligned positions on Security and the no-fault that Israel has. Actually, they place the blame for the persistence of the refugee problem squarely on the shoulders of the Palestinians.
They posit that since the Palestinians did not achieve a State, they do not desire one, and to go one further, don't even deserve one!
Read the "Humanitarian Win-Win Approach" to believe it.
By Dr. Martin Sherman
After decades of bloodshed and strife - the time has come
To re-think the Palestinian problem
To re-define its parameters
To re-design its solution
Attempts to reach a Political Resolution of the problem aimed at establishing a Palestinian state have brought nothing but tragedy and misery and should be abandoned.
We should focus our efforts on reaching a Humanitarian Resolution aimed at alleviating Palestinian suffering brought about by the efforts to achieve a Political Solution.
Premise 1. The Political Approach is fundamentally futile
The failure of the Barak initiative proved that any reasonable political settlement is unfeasible.
On the one hand, the vehement Palestinian rejection of the far-reaching concessions proves that even these are substantially less than minimum Palestinian demands.
On the other, as made clear by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Israel cannot offer more without critically compromising its security.
Premise 2. The Political Approach is fundamentally flawed
Palestinian conduct over the last six decades proves they neither genuinely desire nor genuinely deserve statehood.
On the one hand, the Palestinians have failed the test of history. In spite of overwhelming international support for their cause they have failed continually to achieve statehood or to produce a credible competent leadership, capable of leading them to a viable nation-state.
Conclusion: The historical record of Palestinian political ineptitude proves they are not really worthy of a state.
On the other, Palestinian deeds, declarations and decisions clearly show that they are more committed to the elimination of the Jewish state, rather than to the establishment of a Palestinian one. This severely undermines the authenticity of their proclaimed wish for independence
Conclusion: Palestinian behavior clearly shows that they do not sincerely desire a state.
Premise 3. The Political Approach is based on a fundamentally fraudulent narrative
The "Palestinian narrative" is the foundation of claims for Palestinian statehood and the source of much international enmity toward Israel.
However, as Palestinian deeds, declarations and decisions show, they neither genuinely desire not deserve statehood, the entire Palestinian narrative must be discredited and de-legitimized as a historical hoax, totally at odds with historical facts.
Premise 4. The Political Approach is fundamentally failed
The Palestinian state has the rare distinction of becoming a "failed state" before its inception.
In spite of years of strong international support, the only Palestinian "achievement" has been to establish an enclave of cruelty, corruption and chaos. The blatant and enduring failure of the Palestinian National Movement over more than half a century underscores the Palestinians' inability to establish and sustain a state of their own.
There is little hope that any more effective Palestinian leadership will emerge to make the prospect of a peaceful prosperous Palestinian state a realistic possibility. Therefore, the idea of a Palestinian state must be considered an historical anachronism and removed from the international agenda.
The Political Approach is a flawed, fraudulent, futile and failed paradigm.
Persistent efforts for a Political Settlement will only prolong bloodshed and suffering - for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Pursuing a Political Solution will never - and can never - provide a solution.
The Political Paradigm must be abandoned so that other solutions can be implemented.
The cruel stranglehold of a corrupt Palestinian leadership over the Palestinian people must be removed.
The individual Palestinians must be allowed to determine their own fate.
The individual Palestinians must be allowed to hope for a better future.
To address the human suffering directly.
To approach the individual victims of the conflict directly.
To offer individual Palestinians a realistic chance for a better life.
De-legitimizing the Palestinian narrative and removing the issue of a Palestinian state from the international agenda will not eliminate the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians.
This however is a problem that can be dealt with money.
A Comprehensive Solution based on the Humanitarian Paradigm: What would it entail?
Generous financial compensation to Palestinians who relocate and resettle elsewhere in the Arab or Muslim world.
The offer will be equivalent to the lifetime earning (50-100 years of GNP per capita) in host countries.
Offers made directly to Palestinian breadwinners, circumventing any formal Palestinian organizations with a vested interest in thwarting the acceptance of the offer.
This "atomization" of the offer will significantly reduce the veto power of the corrupt Palestinian leadership.
A Comprehensive Solution based on the Humanitarian Paradigm: Would it be feasible?
All solutions based on the Political paradigm (involving large-scale Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of a self-governing Palestinian entity) have proved tragically unfeasible.
For the individual Palestinian, the alternative to rejecting the offer of the generous relocation and the chance of a better life for him and his family would be either life under continued Israeli control or life under a Palestinian regime which has proven even more onerous and oppressive.
For the host countries, absorption of the Palestinians would be a tremendous boost, involving the influx of hundreds of millions, possibly billions, of dollars into their economies.
The economic cost of the relocation would be definitely affordable (between US$ 35-52 billion for refugee population and US$ 70-105 billion for the entire population) and would be only a fraction of the estimated cost of Iraq War to date (US$ 140-200 billion).
If the cost were spread over a decade to a decade and half, it would constitute a negligible burden on the economies of the developed world and a significant boost to the economies of the developing world.
Even on its own, Israel with a total GNP of around US$ 100 billion, could bear the cost of the relocation if it devoted 5% of GNP annually to this objective over a decade to two decades. The cost of the failed Oslo Process, already over a decade old, has also cost tens of billions of dollars - and produced nothing but tragedy and failure.
A Comprehensive Solution based on the Humanitarian Paradigm: What would be the benefits?
The proposed initiative constitute a "win-win" proposal which will:
Alleviate and even eliminate the humanitarian plight of individual Palestinians
Ensure the continued security and survival of Israel as the National State of Jewish people
Provide a Significant Boost to the Economies of the Developing World
What precisely is their "Win-Win" solution? Why, elementary: get the Palestinians to move out and be absorbed by other Arab countries behind compensation to the "family breadwinner"! That is, each individual will start to renounce (for his entire family) the rights which are guaranteed to him and set off for a bright future in some other country. They will be deciding independently and the choice is either "living under Israeli control" or "under an onerous and repressive Palestinian *regime*." We've heard it all before in the Geneva Accord, but this time, there isn't even the contemplation of a remaining Arab presence.
In the view of these persons, and it is unclear just who they are, but no mistake can be made as to their Israeli-aligned positions on Security and the no-fault that Israel has. Actually, they place the blame for the persistence of the refugee problem squarely on the shoulders of the Palestinians.
They posit that since the Palestinians did not achieve a State, they do not desire one, and to go one further, don't even deserve one!
Read the "Humanitarian Win-Win Approach" to believe it.
By Dr. Martin Sherman
After decades of bloodshed and strife - the time has come
To re-think the Palestinian problem
To re-define its parameters
To re-design its solution
Attempts to reach a Political Resolution of the problem aimed at establishing a Palestinian state have brought nothing but tragedy and misery and should be abandoned.
We should focus our efforts on reaching a Humanitarian Resolution aimed at alleviating Palestinian suffering brought about by the efforts to achieve a Political Solution.
Premise 1. The Political Approach is fundamentally futile
The failure of the Barak initiative proved that any reasonable political settlement is unfeasible.
On the one hand, the vehement Palestinian rejection of the far-reaching concessions proves that even these are substantially less than minimum Palestinian demands.
On the other, as made clear by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Israel cannot offer more without critically compromising its security.
Premise 2. The Political Approach is fundamentally flawed
Palestinian conduct over the last six decades proves they neither genuinely desire nor genuinely deserve statehood.
On the one hand, the Palestinians have failed the test of history. In spite of overwhelming international support for their cause they have failed continually to achieve statehood or to produce a credible competent leadership, capable of leading them to a viable nation-state.
Conclusion: The historical record of Palestinian political ineptitude proves they are not really worthy of a state.
On the other, Palestinian deeds, declarations and decisions clearly show that they are more committed to the elimination of the Jewish state, rather than to the establishment of a Palestinian one. This severely undermines the authenticity of their proclaimed wish for independence
Conclusion: Palestinian behavior clearly shows that they do not sincerely desire a state.
Premise 3. The Political Approach is based on a fundamentally fraudulent narrative
The "Palestinian narrative" is the foundation of claims for Palestinian statehood and the source of much international enmity toward Israel.
However, as Palestinian deeds, declarations and decisions show, they neither genuinely desire not deserve statehood, the entire Palestinian narrative must be discredited and de-legitimized as a historical hoax, totally at odds with historical facts.
Premise 4. The Political Approach is fundamentally failed
The Palestinian state has the rare distinction of becoming a "failed state" before its inception.
In spite of years of strong international support, the only Palestinian "achievement" has been to establish an enclave of cruelty, corruption and chaos. The blatant and enduring failure of the Palestinian National Movement over more than half a century underscores the Palestinians' inability to establish and sustain a state of their own.
There is little hope that any more effective Palestinian leadership will emerge to make the prospect of a peaceful prosperous Palestinian state a realistic possibility. Therefore, the idea of a Palestinian state must be considered an historical anachronism and removed from the international agenda.
The Political Approach is a flawed, fraudulent, futile and failed paradigm.
Persistent efforts for a Political Settlement will only prolong bloodshed and suffering - for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Pursuing a Political Solution will never - and can never - provide a solution.
The Political Paradigm must be abandoned so that other solutions can be implemented.
The cruel stranglehold of a corrupt Palestinian leadership over the Palestinian people must be removed.
The individual Palestinians must be allowed to determine their own fate.
The individual Palestinians must be allowed to hope for a better future.
To address the human suffering directly.
To approach the individual victims of the conflict directly.
To offer individual Palestinians a realistic chance for a better life.
De-legitimizing the Palestinian narrative and removing the issue of a Palestinian state from the international agenda will not eliminate the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians.
This however is a problem that can be dealt with money.
A Comprehensive Solution based on the Humanitarian Paradigm: What would it entail?
Generous financial compensation to Palestinians who relocate and resettle elsewhere in the Arab or Muslim world.
The offer will be equivalent to the lifetime earning (50-100 years of GNP per capita) in host countries.
Offers made directly to Palestinian breadwinners, circumventing any formal Palestinian organizations with a vested interest in thwarting the acceptance of the offer.
This "atomization" of the offer will significantly reduce the veto power of the corrupt Palestinian leadership.
A Comprehensive Solution based on the Humanitarian Paradigm: Would it be feasible?
All solutions based on the Political paradigm (involving large-scale Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of a self-governing Palestinian entity) have proved tragically unfeasible.
For the individual Palestinian, the alternative to rejecting the offer of the generous relocation and the chance of a better life for him and his family would be either life under continued Israeli control or life under a Palestinian regime which has proven even more onerous and oppressive.
For the host countries, absorption of the Palestinians would be a tremendous boost, involving the influx of hundreds of millions, possibly billions, of dollars into their economies.
The economic cost of the relocation would be definitely affordable (between US$ 35-52 billion for refugee population and US$ 70-105 billion for the entire population) and would be only a fraction of the estimated cost of Iraq War to date (US$ 140-200 billion).
If the cost were spread over a decade to a decade and half, it would constitute a negligible burden on the economies of the developed world and a significant boost to the economies of the developing world.
Even on its own, Israel with a total GNP of around US$ 100 billion, could bear the cost of the relocation if it devoted 5% of GNP annually to this objective over a decade to two decades. The cost of the failed Oslo Process, already over a decade old, has also cost tens of billions of dollars - and produced nothing but tragedy and failure.
A Comprehensive Solution based on the Humanitarian Paradigm: What would be the benefits?
The proposed initiative constitute a "win-win" proposal which will:
Alleviate and even eliminate the humanitarian plight of individual Palestinians
Ensure the continued security and survival of Israel as the National State of Jewish people
Provide a Significant Boost to the Economies of the Developing World
