Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A Comparison of Peace Plans

A peace process should have the potential to lead to actual peace. If it does not, then it should not be considered a viable option even on a temporary basis. Each time a peace deal fails radical elements become even more radicalized. True lovers of peace, should therefore have zero tolerance for fake peace processes.

Two State Solution Based Peace Plans
  • Madrid Talks
  • Oslo Accords 1 & 2
  • Roadmap to ?Peace?
All of these have thus far been unworkable. From an International Law perspective, any compromise of Jewish religious sites, with no true expectancy of Palestinian compliance with Succession laws, is illegal from the start. The reason the Quartet are forcing Israel into a continued cycle of violence rather than using a more workable plan is perhaps threefold...
  1. Israeli governments literally asked for it.
  2. The potential economic boon for all nations from a peace deal is just too alluring to ignore.
  3. The focus is on assembling a united world against Iran, so even International Law itself needs to take a back seat, they apparently argue.

One State Solution Based Peace Plans

  • The Friedlander Peace Plan, as briefly described in the previous post. This requires the tying of West Bank/Gaza Arabic naturalization rates to the immigration rates of foreign born Jews. Nobody has to give up their homes. Palestinians slowly but surely become complete Israelis.
  • The Binational Solution, which is supported by many right wing Israelis, and parts of this plan have been accepted even by some American Republicans, including former Presidential candidate, Sen. Sam Brownback. Essentially it calls for Arabs in the East Bank of the Jordan and Jews on the West Bank, in the spirit of the Balfour Declaration. This is consistent with some aspects of Kahanism, in that the Arabs relocate; only in this case it is to a legally declared target country. Such a target country's population would increase in Palestinian favor, rather than what would occur in being sent to a random country. Thus Palestinians would at least get the benefit of increased political power from this forced exile than what they currently have in the West Bank.
  • The Saudi Plan calls for a Palestinian Right of Return whereby the goal is possibly to overwhelm the Jewish population of Israel with an influx of many immigrants of Palestinian descent, who have been living in Arab lands since either 1967 or as far back as 1949. The ultimate result would be to vote in a Hamas like government over the entire state of Israel, not just Gaza. The Saudi plan, therefore, is consistent with terrorism. ...If there should be a Palestinian Right of Return, it must be decided upon by Israelis, all Israelis. Jew and Arab alike. The Friedlander Plan allows for this debate as to whether there should be further Palestinian immigration in the future, but the Saudi plan attempts to prejudge, preempt, forestall and force dangerous and economically destructive immigration practices down Israel's collective throat. Saudi Arabia could become a force for peace in the future, but this current plan of theirs doesn't come close to fulfilling that role.
Thus out of all the plans reviewed, the Friedlander Peace Plan sounds like the most fair and therefore the best plan of all of these. It seems to be the most consistent with true American values, and therefore should be the selected vehicle of American Foreign Policy towards the Palestinian issue. I recommend that all parties involved adopt this plan immediately.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

An Alternative Peace Plan

"Israeli Government Supports Kahanism - Only Against the Jews! ...Enough! ... Here is the Alternative Peace Plan You Have Been Waiting For!!"

Or

"An Alternative Peace Plan" by Alan Friedlander


In the March 30th 2008 Israel National News article, "Livni in Favor of Paying Jews to Leave East-of-Wall Towns" Left wing Jewish supporters describe the ethnic cleansing of the East Jerusalem suburbs of Jews as "relocating (them) back (home) to Israel." Either Kahanism is legitimate or it is not. If it is, then it is stupid to do it against yourself. I claim, however, it is not, so even against the "other side" I do not support ethnic cleansing and even by non-violent means. The key question then is what then is the alternative? An important question to address as for the sake of the lack of a workable alternative alone did Israel succumb to the dreadful Oslo Accords.

In an effort to end the cycle of self-destructive false peace deals, by the grace of God, I will suggest an alternative that is consistent with democratic ideals and does not embrace relocating any one who desires to live in peace.

The current roadmap to a Two State Solution is unworkable in practice and under International Law.

A One State Solution has previously been rejected by Israeli governments due to fear of a potentially overwhelming Palestinian Arabic birthrate.

Many Palestinians in the West Bank wish they were full fledged Israelis, but the Israeli governments have refused to allow them such an option.

But there exists a missing key that has eluded opponents of a One State Solution that is hidden deep within the recesses of bureaucratic organizational theory.

It is completely possible and even likely to workout a completely evenhanded policy of immigration rates between Jews and Arabs that will allow the slow but sure immigration of West Bank and Gaza Arabs into the State of Israel, without endangering the State one iota. I have written an extended work up of how this can work exactly, but skipping to the key point, all that needs to be done is to tie West Bank/Gaza Arabic naturalization rates to the immigration rates of foreign born Jews. As there are more Jews world wide that plan to "one day" make Aliyah than there are Palestinian Arabs who reside in the West Bank and Gaza, it does not take a mathematician to see how this can work out.

A major problem with this plan, you may say, is that at the current rate of immigration, this plan could take decades to complete. I would answer, well, if it took 60 years to get into the current quagmire, then 30 years doesn't seem like such a long time to work things out slow, sure, safely and fairly. But the truth of the matter is, once there is true peace, and people know that 1) Israel will not be endangered not just by Arabs, but by any weak leadership in the future, and 2) the economy will improve exponentially after such true peace occurs, then the Aliyah/Jewish immigration rate will more than triple current immigration rates and correspondingly hasten Palestinian redemption as well.

If this occurs, it will not be because you heeded the good advice of this political scientist, but because you heeded the Holy Word that the God of the Jews commanded through His servant, Moses, (Exodus 12.49) "A single law you shall have for the native born and the
stranger who dwells among you."

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Why I Still Reject Kahanism Despite Palestinian Support of Terrorism

You may be wondering the following: If I am blaming the majority of Palestinians for supporting terror in their hearts and with their votes, then why do I still reject Kahanism despite Palestinian Arabic support of terrorism. It's simple, the Bible says that there should be a single law and single ordinance for the stranger and the native of the land (Numbers 15.16). Kahanism removes voting rights from Palestinian Arabs. Not all Arabs would be ejected from Israel under Rabbi Meir Kahane's plan, those who swore allegiance can stay, only without voting rights.

Obviously whoever is chomping at the bit for bloodshed has no place in the Israel of the future. So what Kahanism is effectively saying is that those Israeli Arabs who befriend Israel should be rewarded with no right to vote. The Torah is always current. The Torah is always vibrant. Therefore how can a belief system like Kahanism fit within the context of a Torah nation that exists in an age of democracy? To have less democracy than the Kingdom of Jordan is not the way to honor the God of Israel. Therefore, in my opinion, pure Kahanism is inconsistent with Torah ideals.

That being the case, why do more than a few religious Jews support Kahanism? Because they are grasping at halachic straws out of desperation at the seemingly endless cycle of bloodshed, and we all know how important saving lives is to Judaism. Judaism is all about life (Deuteronomy, Chapter 30). The one thing that is true about Kahanism is that it is an effective method to eliminate immediate danger to the state of Israel by eliminating the policy of accommodation to terrorist organizations like Fatah that recent Israeli governments seem to be willing to put up with. Long term though, where does Kahanism place the friends of Israel? Where is the Jewish Light unto the Nations? Where then is the sanctification of God's Holy Name for which Jews have been willing to be martyred over throughout history? Only by focusing on God's long term plan for the Jewish people can we rise above knee jerk reactions to punish any relatives of our enemies, even if they wish to befriend us. But such a reaction misses a very important concept in the nature of God himself...

We are commanded to emulate the Lord of Yisrael. What then is His nature? Come and see that the nature of the God of Israel is not like the nature of mortals of flesh and blood. What is the nature of flesh and blood? If a man has a mortal enemy he will endeavor to destroy him and any and all who support him, lest they rise up again to cause danger at some later date. But what does God do with His enemy? Which nation is God's greatest enemy in the Bible? Amalek would be a good choice for God's eternal nemesis (Deuteronomy 25.17-19). Now even though there are some nations that were so perverted that God forbade their entry into Judaism, lest they harm the spirituality of His people, God did not prohibit the Jews from accepting a true convert from Amalek. Why? For the Lord is filled with kindness. Also, the Almighty Lord knows that His enemies cannot harm Him. Whereas with the enemies of His people, to those He is not so forgiving of. But of His own enemies? God is forgiving of the truly sincere penitent.

As we are commanded to emulate God (Deut. 28.9), we must accept that it would take a direct prophecy from God or the equivalent in order for Jews to be empowered to reject "true converts" i.e. true friends, from any specific nation. Therefore we must cultivate and not utterly reject true friendships
wherever we may find them. The first step is stopping the violence by eradicating the forces of terror. But then what? We have to plan for the day after victory. You do that with the Will of God toward your friends in mind. I can understand if you may bear skepticism at the likelihood of success, but neither should you reject the possibility thereof.

Today you may think of peace loving Palestinian Arabs as the brothers and sisters of our enemies, and potential enemies of the future. But w
hen we keep our faith in God close to us, it keeps the heart too warm to become cold to our friends. May God bless us with true friendships and true peace speedily in our days.