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Developing an Israeli Grand Strategy toward
a Peaceful Two-State Solution
Seeking enabling conditions to reach a two-state solution,
necessary understandings will have to be reached between
the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, Egypt, Jordan, and other
Arab states, and the international community, to condemn
terror acts, and of equal importance, to take together effective
action, which optimally will have to be substantially supported
by the civil society on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian
divide and effectively echoed by the media.
f.
Taking Care of the Interests and the Well Being of the
Palestinian People
The good news is that Israel’s Left and Center and possibly
more important, Israel’s professional echelons among the
various Israeli security authorities, the senior professionals of
the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Economy, Energy,
Transport, Agriculture, and Environment are all aware of
the need to create a win-win strategy that will serve both
sides. However, in order to obtain right wing support, two
difficulties have to be overcome: The first, is the tendency
to belittle or even fully ignore, Palestinian suffering caused
by occupation. The second tendency, is of a milder nature,
but is not less devastating for the promotion of negotiations:
it is the conviction (or at least the argument) that Israel, and
particularly the Israeli settler movement, can take care of
the well-being of their Palestinian neighbors, i.e. of the grass
roots, but not of the Palestinian leadership and political
establishment.
The murderous attack at Duma has become a watershed in
the thinking of most right wing leaders, and has tended – at
least for the time being – to end the argument of “no wrong
doing”. The second argument is thus more dangerous. The
way to overcome it is to develop a close dialogue between
the Israeli and Palestinian ministries of Finance, Economy,
Energy, Transport, Communications, Environment and Tourism
and develop together agreed coordination and cooperation
schemes in support of Palestinian state-building, creating
hereby win-win concepts that are backed by both governments
and can obtain substantial backing from the Arab world and
the international community. The latest agreement concluded
between the Israeli and PalestinianMinistries of Finance serves
as an example of a first successful move in this direction.
In this context it would also make sense to develop a multi-
annual plan for Palestinian state-building within the framework
of the AHLC, by achieving cooperation between Israel’s
security apparatus, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with
their Palestinian counterparts and the other leading members
participating in the AHLC.
g.
Understanding the Danger Inherent in a Policy of Mere
Crisis Management
The status quo, per se, is not sustainable in the Israeli-
Palestinian arena: the situation either improves or deteriorates.
The Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza
perceive the occupation as unbearable; worse, friction
points in the territories all too easily lead to violent action.
This again causes a deterioration of the security situation and
increasing impediments on Palestinian economic activities,
causing a most dangerous vicious circle. The result tends to
be deterioration in the Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation,
growing Jordanian and Egyptian irritation leading often to a
“war of words”. The “buck does not end there”. The general
atmosphere in the region is poisoned, Israel’s enemies gain
ground in Europe and even in the United States and despair
rules the day, which again tends to cause within Israel further
friction and mutual accusations between Israel’s radical right
wing supporters and the advocates of a two state solution.
2. Palestine
I have described above (chapter two) the many stumbling
blocks that make it difficult for the Palestinian leadership
and society, to move forward toward an agreed two-state
solution, in spite of the fact that this would really be fully
in line with the collective interest of the Palestinian people.
The list of stumbling blocks includes emotional opposition
to reconciliation with Israel, the demand for justice, the
understanding that the proposed deal is already based on
a 78-22 compromise of territory, whereupon the Palestinian
side receives only 22 % of former British Mandatory Palestine,
and any further concession appears to be unfair and unjust.
These stumbling blocks are exacerbated by the fear of being
tricked by the Israeli side, the belief that the time factor
works in favor of the Palestinian cause, the Islamic religious
impediments to accept Jewish sovereignty over any part of
Palestine; the commitment to achieve full control of Eastern
Jerusalem and Haram ash-Sharif, and the sensed necessity
to assure at least conceptually an agreement on the Right
of Return of the Refugees and an official Israeli apology for
having caused the Catastrophe of 1948.
Being fully aware that several of these demands are not
achievable, the Palestinian leadership and people need three
conditions to overcome these stumbling blocks:
a. A clear strategic plan as how to build a better future with
and besides Israel for its own people, under conditions that
will lead to the creation of a prosperous and contiguous
State of Palestine, while ending the Israeli occupation.
b. Effective Arab (Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi, UAE and
Moroccan) political, financial and economic support in
favor of the Palestinian state-building effort and
c. International support.
As progress will be achieved, trust and legitimacy shall be
regained and make it possible to seek compromise solutions
with Israel. In order to achieve this, the Palestinian Authority
needs to adopt a policy of outreach to Israel’s society. The
invitation of President Abbas to address the Israeli Knesset
would be such an opportunity. A policy to stop incitement
and support a strong civil society in Palestine to cooperate
with Israeli counterparts would be similarly essential.
3. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other Arab States
Undoubtedly the role of Egypt and the other Arab states will
be decisive in creating the supportive enabling conditions
