A Palestinian peace plan Israelis can live with

[dtotire]

A Palestinian peace plan Israelis can live with
By Bradley Burston


Ray Hanania is a compassionate and, in fact, delightful person, with rare insight into the aspirations and failings of Palestinians and Israelis. In the eyes of many, that alone ought to disqualify him from consideration as a leader in the Holy Land.

Add to that, the fact that the acclaimed journalist also happens to be a first-generation Palestinian-American married to a Jewish woman, as well as a stand-up comedian who has appeared alongside Jewish comics, and the self-destructively polarized electorate of the Holy Land will need to expend not a whiff of thought in dismissing him out of hand.
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The following is the text of Hanania's outline. I have taken the liberty of numbering the clauses, with an eye toward facilitating discussion:

1. I support two-states, one Israel and one Palestine. As far as I am concerned, I can recognize Israel's "Jewish" character and Israelis should recognize Palestine's "non-Jewish" character.

2. I oppose violence of any kind from and by anyone. I reject Hamas' participation in any Palestinian government without first agreeing to surrender all arms and to accept two-states as a "final" peace agreement. But I also reject allowing Israeli settlers to carry any weapons and believe Israelis must impose the same restrictions on them.

3. I can support some settlements remaining - given the reality of 42 years of time passing - in a dunam-for-dunam land exchange. If Ariel is 500 dunams with a lifeline from Israel, then Israel gives Palestine 500 dunams in exchange.

4. Jerusalem should be a shared city and Palestinians should have an official presence in East Jerusalem. The Old City should be shared by both permitting open access to the city to all with a joint Palestinian-Israeli police presence.

5. Palestinian refugees would give up their demand to return to pre-1948 homes and lands lost during the conflict with Israel. Instead, some could apply for family reunification through Israel and the remainder would be compensated through a fund created and maintained by the United States, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations.

6. I also think Israelis should find it in their hearts to show compassion and offer their apologies to Palestinians for the conflict.

7. I support creation of a similar fund to compensate those Jews from Arab lands who lost their homes and lands, too, when they fled.

8. I think the Wall should be torn down, or relocated to the new borders. I have no problem separating the two nations for a short duration to help rebuild confidence between our two people.

9. All political parties, Palestinian and Israelis, should eliminate languages denying each other's existence, and all maps should be reprinted so that Israeli maps finally show Palestine and Palestinian maps finally show Israel.

10. A subway system should be built linking the West Bank portion of the Palestine state to the Gaza Strip portion of the Palestine State. Palestine should be permitted to build a seaport access to strengthen its industry, and an airport to permit flights and too and from the Arab and Israeli world.



http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1130354.html

[David__77]

1. It's not relevant to the specifics of the plan, but is this possible within a pluralistic framework?

Would this effectively ban parties that advocate different borders? Would it also ban crypto-nationalist parties that advocate a "Greater Nation" but not officially? Would it be a crime to have maps with different borders?

[LeftishBrit]

2. Sounds reasonable - which is exactly why the leadership on both sides are unlikely to support it

[proteus_lives]

5. Yep.

It's a plan that the average Israeli or Palestinian on the street would accept. Therefore it would be buried and ignored by the leadership and die-hards on both sides.

[BunkerHill24]

3. #5 is unacceptable appeasement, imo.

"Palestinian refugees would give up their demand to return to pre-1948 homes and lands lost during the conflict with Israel. Instead, some could apply for family reunification through Israel and the remainder would be compensated through a fund created and maintained by the United States, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations."

[oberliner]

4. Sort of ironic that you have Jimmy Carter as your avatar

Considering he has been an outspoken supporter of what you are calling "unacceptable appeasement".

[BunkerHill24]

8. LOL...Maybe you are hallucinating?

It's rather likes of you; the "Allan Dershowitz Supporters" who mistrude the former president. Indeed, I think, you are trying to put on a dumb suit, or a treasonous snake who care not the truth.

[oberliner]

9. Remarks on Middle East Peace By Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter

The Geneva initiative is completely compatible with the final vision of the Quartet's Roadmap fashioned by the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia. What is important is that the initiative overcomes what can be a fatal flaw of the Roadmap: the laborious and easily aborted step-by-step procedure. It includes:

* Secure borders for Israel and overwhelming recognition by the Arab world;
* A sovereign, contiguous, viable state for Palestinians recognized by the international community;
* A harmonious sharing of Jerusalem with arrangements that ensure unfettered access to holy sites for all; and
* The resolution of claims for displaced Palestinians that focuses on re-settlement in the new Palestinian state or equivalent compensation. The responsibility would not be on Israel, but on the world community.

http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc2280.html

Take a close look at that last bullet point cited from President Carter's remarks and compare it with the clause that you labeled "unacceptable appeasement"

[BunkerHill24]

11. YES...

"The resolution of claims for displaced Palestinians that focuses on re-settlement in the new Palestinian state...OR,....?

.."OR" ?

There has to be a return of the refugees, or else! This "Or else" must be looked at a way of removing all settlement created after 1948 in Israel if there is a peace between the JEWS and the Palestinians.

[oberliner]

12. Your position is not President Carter's position

If you want to know more about his position, you can read the Geneva Initiative which he has often promoted (as he does in the remarks I've cited for you).

http://www.geneva-accord.org/

[BunkerHill24]

13. We seem to agree to disagree what Mr. Carter sais about the peace process

Maybe we can agree on removing an inch of growing settlements to achieve a Palestinian state?

[oberliner]

14. I certainly agree with you regarding the settlements

Sadly, things appear not to be headed in the right direction with the current leadership in the region.

[shira]

6. Hanania for PA president!

Hanania seems a FAR better, moderate alternative to a Fatah stooge like Mustafa Barghouti (who was on the Daily Show recently with a known Israel bashing bigot - Anna Balser).

[oberliner]

7. Don't mix up your Barghouti's

I think it is Marwan not Mustafa that is more likely to run (and possibly win).

[shira]

10. Marwan is the terrorist in prison who will run and probably win if released in a deal for Shalit

Mustafa and Anna Balser were recently on the Daily Show....and Mustafa has as little chance as Hanania to win in any election.

[excess_3]

15. Jerusalem is sacred to Muslims, in the same way the Vatican...

Jerusalem is sacred to Muslims,
in the same way the Vatican is sacred to Muslims.

Both places are sacred to someone else.
any other story is historical
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