Stories regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict these days have been a depressing spiral of bad news. From the killings of Itamar, the bombing in Jerusalem, Israel's turn hard right with regards to internal dissent and leftist critics of it's government, and increased settlement activity in the West Bank, it is hard to find news that can be considered positive.
However, in the midst of this even Government Ministers and Members of Knesset (Israel's Parliment) are now publicly saying that something must be done and that Israel's actions are isolating it internationally and that isolation is reaching a critical stage particularly as the Palestinian Authority pushes for international recognition of a Palestinian State.
Out of Israel today though is the following hopeful report: Former Mossad, Shin Bet chiefs draft new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
Former Israeli security chiefs have drafted a new peace plan they hope to use as a platform to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to renew deadlocked talks with the Palestinians.
A spokesman confirmed the outline of the plan on Tuesday, saying it was based on a 2002 Arab initiative which Israel has avoided adopting because of its call to repatriate refugees and fully withdraw from land captured in a 1967 war.
About 40 prominent Israelis backed the project, among them dovish former political leaders as well as former heads of the Mossad, Shin Bet and Israeli military, who say they will publicize their ideas fully on Wednesday.
Pretty heady stuff.
These are not people that can be accused by the Right (well at least without getting laughed at) "traitors" to the Jewish State. I mean, former heads of Mossad, the IDF, and Shin Bet. This is the credible leadership in Israel that the Peace Camp needs.
As reported in Ynet:
We looked around at what was happening in neighboring countries and we said to ourselves, ‘It is about time that the Israeli public raised its voice as well,’ ” Danny Yatom told the Ne York Times. “We feel this initiative can bring along many members of the public.”
“We are isolated internationally and seen to be against peace,” Perry was quoted. “I hope this will make a small contribution to pushing our prime minister forward. It is about time that Israel initiates something on peace.”
The proposed initiative aims to bring an end to the Israeli-Arab conflict. As such, it acknowledges “the suffering of the Palestinian refugees since the 1948 war as well as of the Jewish refugees from the Arab countries"; adding that it shares the statement of the Arab Peace Initiative “that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties.”
Amongst leaked details are that East Jerusalem would be the Capital of a Palestinian State but that the Jewish Quarter and Kotel (Judaism's holiest site) would be under Israeli control. The Harm-al-Sharif would be under international control and the borders would be based on 1967 and the Arab League plan of 2002. Further, there would be compensation and a limited return for the refugees of the 1948 War.
Now, what kind of opposition will this face internally in Israel and externally from either Hamas or the P.A. remains as the largest question. One would assume that the Israelis who came up with this plan need to take into account the power of the Settlement movement as well as extremist nationalist movements embodied in Likud and Yisrael Beitanu (the two main parts of the ruling coalition). As well, the neighborhoods around Jerusalem will have to be discussed including neighborhoods like Givat Hatachmoshet or Ramat Eshkol as well as the corridor up to Har Ha'Tsofim and Hadassah Hospital. But also, Ariel, Hebron, Itamar and other contentious areas.
They will also have to face opposition from the Palestinians who will not settle for an agreement on the refugees, or borders and who consider the Occupation to be all of Israel not just the lands taken in the 1967 Six Day War.
Now as to the timing.... Well in February it looked like the Likud government might fall. PM Netanyahu was at a low in polls and his allies were not looking particularly strong. Then came the killings at Itamar, the bombing in Jerusalem, the stepped up rockets from Gaza and all of a sudden Netanyahu has been strengthend.
What I see here is an attempt to force Prime Minister Netanyahu's hand into searching for a solution. At the same time, I think the Israelis are trying to preempt the Palestinian unilateral declaration of a State because as Defense Minister Barak has said; (to paraphrase): the time is coming and Israel will face a Tsunami of opinion against it if it continues along the path it seems to be choosing.
However, in the end this sounds like the Peace plan those of us on the Zionist Left have been looking for. More details to follow tomorrow.
UPDATE***************
A thanks to sofia for suggesting that I update the diary with a direct link to at least what looks to be the basis for the initiative (also a thanks to Christy for posting in diary) : http://graphics8.nytimes.com/...
Shalom, Peace, Salam.