Settlements seems to be the buzz word now....
President Obama repeatedly refers to settlements as the main impediment to peace in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Of course the media promptly selects this topic as its headliner. After all, Obama said to Shimon Peres "erect no new settlement and begin dismantling existing communities in the West Bank"; Obama met Netanyahu and again said... "erect no new settlement and begin dismantling existing communities in the West Bank"; finally, Obama went to Egypt and told the Arab World: "It is time for these settlements to stop."
Hillary also added: "He wants to see a stop to settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not 'natural growth' exceptions..."
I would like to give a different perspective on this issue of settlements, hopefully one that would allow for an even-handed solution.
Let's first look at some facts:
a) There was always (for centuries) a Jewish presence in different parts of Israel and the West Bank, including and not limited to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho and Hevron to name a few. As, of course, there was also Arab presence in these areas.
b) Israel never demanded that Arab growth be frozen within its internationally recognized borders, neither population nor construction of new homes.
c) Israel never suggested throughout its entire history that it should be an "Arabischefrei" (free of Arabs) country, although the Arab countries and certainly the Palestinian Authority want their land to be "Judenfrei" (free of Jews).
d) Countries dictate their immigration policies according to their different interests.
Based on the above facts, this is how I would suggest that the settlements issue be handled:
a) The Israeli government needs to inform the settlers that settlement activity - especially natural growth - will not be halted, but settlers need to accept the fact that the same way Arabs are currently living within the borders of a Jewish State, some settlers could one day - within the context of a Palestinian-Israeli agreement - be living within the borders of either an autonomous Palestinian area or country.
b) The international community should accept the existence of those settlements and settlement activity - especially activity prompted by natural growth - the same way Arabs have been accepted within Israeli borders;
c) Israel should demand total assurance from the Palestinian Authority that settlers' lives will not be endangered by living within the borders of the area under control of the Palestinian Authority; the same way Arabs have never been in danger by living within the borders of the State of Israel
d) Once an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel is reached regarding the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority's conduct regarding Jewish settlements would dictate Israel's conduct regarding its Arab population: if a freeze is imposed upon the settlements' natural growth, the same would be imposed upon the Arab population in Israel.
In short, the freezing and removal of the settlements is nothing more than ethnic cleansing of one community living as a minority in the midst to another. The international community has always rejected the concept of ethnic cleansing (although it always did little to prevent it from starting), and therefore, Jews should not be singled out when it comes to the West Bank.
So...in my opinion, the suggestion outlined above, represents an even-handed solution for this issue, and I hope the readers will agree.
