"Natural Growth": Netanyahu's Road Map to a Mid East Roadblock

Taking on the sacred cow of Israeli settlements construction in the West Bank has historically been a fool's errand for American presidents.

Caught between Israel's concerned supporters at home (many of whom do not appreciate the complexity of the issue) and domestic Israeli politics, no amount of presidential arm-twisting between strong allies seems to have slowed their growth or stopped their spread, even though successive Israeli governments since 1993 have pledged to ice the construction.

Both Labor and Likud leaders have talked the talk, but rarely walked the walk away from that ever so tantalizing next hammer swing. But each swing of that hammer has only dealt another blow to the vision of a viable Palestinian state, as well as a safe and secure Jewish and democratic state of Israel.

I commend President Obama for demanding a deep freeze on settlement construction. Unlike his predecessors, Obama appears no longer willing to engage in the vexing winking and nodding that has characterized American attitudes to settlement growth in the past.

I take that stand as a passionate Zionist dedicated to Israel's freedom and security, who just as passionately believes in the right of Palestinians to have their own state living peacefully and viably side-by-side with a Jewish and democratic state of Israel.

One only need know first-hand the true situation on the ground in the West Bank to understand why these two beliefs inherently are at peace with each other.

When I undertook the first Congressional assessment of the plight of Palestinian refugees for Senator Kennedy's Senate Subcommittee on Refugees back in 1973, I realized then, as I know now, that the construction of settlements, let alone their so-called "natural growth" is patently self-defeating to Israel's desire for Palestinians to drop their demand for the so-called "Right of Return."

How can Palestinians establish a viable homeland if there is no land on which to resettle refugees on the West Bank?

All one need do is to visit those squalid camps to appreciate how important it is to get those thousands upon thousands of Palestinian refugees resettled into normal lives and out from the poverty-provoking extremism that is bred through every open sewer that permeates so many refugee camps - thanks no less to a Palestinian leadership, particularly Arafat, who found it politically expedient to maintain the camps.

On Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu characterized President Obama's demand to freeze all settlement construction east of the so-called Green Line as "unreasonable," thus needlessly putting his government at risk for creating a first, public breach of confidence with the new President.

"Unreasonable?"

What appears to many "unreasonable" is an Israeli leader arbitrarily instigating a rift with the White House for purely domestic political calculations at a time when President Obama is packing his bags for a critical trip to the Middle East to rebuild support for a two state solution which would reduce the region's threats to Israel.

What is even more "unreasonable" is failing to incentivize those settlers who demand "natural growth" to do so back inside Israel if desire bigger homes. How about some subprime mortgages for those willing to resettle back inside Israel?

In an attempt to quell the contretemps, Netanyahu dispatched Defense Minister Ehud Barak to negotiate an exception for the "natural growth" of existing settlements, which Netanyahu's coalition is trying to peddle as something authorized by President Bush to then Prime Minister Sharon.

Hogwash! There was no such bargain and Barak should have saved the airfare.

Indeed, U.S. intel shown to Israelis proves that the Israel continued its construction AFTER the 2007 Annapolis Summit whereat Prime Minister Olmert pledged to end settlement expansion.

But that begs the point about the nature of these settlements and the broader goals and objectives of the United States in helping to restore much needed American credibility to the peace making process.

My close friends in the American Jewish community who reflexively empathize with Israel need to understand what really is going on here because the Netanyahu Government is trying to have its cake and eat it, too.

Given so much emotion and understandable ignorance over what exactly is taking place in West Bank settlement construction here is a basic primer.

About 280,000 Israeli citizens populate 121 West Bank settlements, excluding Israelis living in East Jerusalem.

There are roughtly 3 categories of Israel settlements on the West Bank:

1. Contiguous settlements blocs (composed of communities like Maale Adumim east of Jerusalem) now so fully integrated into Israel that even Palestinian negotiators recognize they will inevitably become part of Israel in exchange for territorial concessions elsewhere in a final status negotiation. It is in these communities where the vast majority of the almost 300,000 Israeli settlers now reside.

2. Approximately 80-90 settlements that have been constructed east of the so-called Green Line outside the integrated settlement communities around Jerusalem (which under both Labor and Likud Governments have been placed on Israel's utility grids and linked by roads to Israel) which are the subject of President Obama's rapt attention.

It is these settlements where all of the bilateral controversy has broken out over so called "natural growth." Many, but not all of these are those that would have to be "deconstructed" to pave the way for a two-state solution.

3. Outposts (numbering perhaps 22 or so) constructed since 2001 by extremist zealots which even the Netanyahu government admits are patently illegal which Netanyahu has signaled his intention to tear down, using force if necessary.

Just as importantly, there are thousands of religious settlers (many of whom are fundamentally fanatics) on the far ideological right of Israeli society who are the dominant inhabitants of the #2 and # 3 type of settlements.

They include Israelis who voted overwhelmingly for Likud and who are determined to create "facts on the ground" in Judea and Samaria to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. And if they have to engage in a scorched earth policy to have their way (including, according to a very few of them, justly maiming and murdering other Israelis who disagree with them), so be it. It was this type of fanatical settler who deemed fit to assassinate former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

These settlers believe it is God's will to create a "Greater Israel" throughout Judea and Samaria -- a religious oxymoron if there ever was one since by definition their vision of a "Greater Israel" could ONLY be realized by the repatriation of Palestinians out of the West Bank. On the Israeli political spectrum they are the real obstacles to peace.

To put it bluntly, Netanyahu's support for #2 type settlements expansion and their so-called "natural growth" (let alone taking merely public relations steps to tear down some of the #3 type outposts) on West Bank lands east of the Green Line fundamentally constitutes a violation of Israel's pledges under Road Map and are a road block to any peace agreement.

Netanyahu simply should not be humored so he can have it both ways: he cannot justify settlement expansion, oppose a Palestinian state and expect the United States to continue business as usual given this president's determination to reset relations with the Muslim world and help Israel break out of the strategic threats it faces in the region. I am all in favor of avoiding collisions between the U.S. and Israel, but Netanyahu and his immediate predecessor, not Obama, picked this fight.

I can confidently report that most Israelis share President Obama's view regarding the settlements in question despite the rightward drift of Israel's electorate.

And while America's Jewish supporters are understandably concerned with what appears to be a growing rift between Netanyahu and Obama, they should take a deep breath, exhale, give Obama the benefit of the doubt and not overreact to some necessary tough love from steadfast allies Madame Secretary or Mr. President.

In the end, a bullet-proof settlement construction freeze may not be palatable to some in Netanyahu's coalition. But an irreversible freeze and a change in Israeli policy toward these settlements will go a very long way in forging a crucial period of trust and confidence in U.S. -- Israeli relations at a time when Israel needs a strong American president who can deliver the goods.

Only the very narrowest of parochial political machinations seem to be driving Netanyahu's calculations, and those calculations lack merit since they collide with Israel's long term security and its deep and abiding strategic friendship with the U.S.

It's not even a close call.

Comments

[FebM]

Bibi, make history and bring Peace and Security to Palestine, Yes U Can

[billw8017]

I can understand the 'two state" solution: If Israel and Palestine were integrated, the Jews would soon be a minority there. What exactly that would mean is harder to say. In another but real world, Baghdad was a major Jewish center with leadership on the teachings of the Talmud. After the creation of Israel, there was a bitter joke about a Palestinian standing in the street looking at a home. The owner asked what he did there. He replied, he was looking upon and grieving for a home that had been in his family for centuries. The owner was sympathetic and offered to give the Palestinian the title of his family home in Baghdad.

Israel is a small country. The wars there amount to mere battles in a continuing war. When it loses one battle next year or fifty years from now, Palestine will be integrated. This is not something unlikely: Israel is not sustainable to live at water standards similar to Germany and Europe. Its wells go ever deeper and there are limits to that kind of thing. Drip irrigation amounts to sowing the fields with salt. Enterprise can only import so much. The power and authority of Western technology will yield to Mideastern realities.

Palestinians and Jews are, arguably, both the children of Jacob. They should live with more empathy.

[siegfried]

The right of return is not "so called." It is there in the U.N. resolution which created Israel.

[iLogos]

Read a little closer...

"...let alone their so-called "natural growth" is patently self-defeating to Israel's desire for Palestinians to drop their demand for the so-called "Right of Return.""

He is referring to the Palestinian and their Right of Return.

[blutigeroo]

For skeptics.
Jordan's King Abdullah II told NBC's Meet the Press that by connecting the dots we can see that all of America's major foreign-policy problems lead back to the Israeli occupations. Until this core issue is solved there will always be instability in the region. Gregory exclaimed in surprise that most Americans believe the core issue is terrorism and al Qaeda (info fed to them by the Isreal lobby dominated media).

Abdullah said that AQ expand their numbers primarily because of the Israeli occupation and plight of the Palestinians. ( a few power-hungry radicals, but their power depends on their ability to recruit adherents. E.g. Timothy McVeigh would have been much harder to capture if he had an army of followers. An all-out military offensive was not needed)

Asked about Iran, Abdullah again said "connect the dots." It all leads to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and Jerusalem. He noted that 57 nations (one-third of UN) dont recognize Israel for this reason.

Meanwhile on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," President Ahmadinejad again said that Iran would accept any two-state solution that was supported by the Palestinian people by referendum. (Scare tactics used by theIsrael-Lobby to push for war with Iran are lies. Iran +the rest of the 57 nations which dont recognize Israel would do so if Israel would abide by UN Security Council resolutions and end the illegal occupations. The Israel Lobby prefers war with 57 nations.)

[S1m0n]

If the president loses on settlements, there is no peace process, period.

The settlements are the problem. There is no attainable peace agreement in which Israel gets to keep it's settlements. The USA can no longer afford--politically or financially--what Israel's settlement policy costs. And if the US can't afford it, Israel can't afford it, because it is the huge annual subsidy from the USA that keeps Israel afloat.

[JanP]

The settlements are a problem.

Biut you forgot that Arab demands that isrel disappear (read the hamas charter - it is easy to find on the Internet) is a bigger problem. So are rockets and mortars from Gaza. After israel left Gaza, the people of Gaza launched about 10,000 rockets and mortars into Sderot, Askelon and environs.

Do you remember why israel is in the Occupied Territories to begin with? It is beacust they started a war in 1967 ith the idea of destroying Israel. If they won, do you think they would give back a inch of land?

Do you even know that the PLO was founded in 1964 when Israel was within the armitice lines? Did you know that in 1949, the Arabs demanded that the Armistice agreement not call the lines "borders" because to do so would be to recognize the existance of Israel?

Did you know that last week, Abas said that Olmert offered the palestinians (him specifically) 97% of the land plus 3% from Israel in compensation for the 3% that israel would retain, plus Jerusalem as a Palestinian capital, removal of the settlements outside the 3% area and the return of thousands of Palestinians into israel within the 1949 lines? Abbas said he turned it down because it "wasn't enough".

And you guys insist that israel is THE problem.

Amazing!

[LincolnParkChicago]

Are there outrageous things in the Likud (charter)? I have read in comments here that there are.

[billw8017]

It is nice that somebody still remembers with the PLO were demonized rather than promoted as they are now to keep an opposition to the newly popular party, Hamas. The significance of Fatah is that Israel does not wish to resolve the problems of the Palestinians.

[MMIIXX]

"Sderot, Askelon and environs." are STOLEN OCCUPIED Palestinian land.

[FebM]

Hamas came to power in 2006 besides why would Israel a super power be cowed by some noisy group when their larger security and peace issues are at stake? Anyone taken heed on what the citizens and not Hamas of Palestine really want? I am sure they want peace too

[TJCole]

Do you actually think the two state solution, is a solution....in any way..?

[Ergon]

As you ought to very well be aware, the total figure of Jews in the pre-1967 West Bank is over half a million when you include the 250,000 'settlers' in Arab East Jerusalem, which now has an expanded municipal border all the way to the River Jordan.
Israel's apologists evade this issue, which negates any possibility of a negotiated settlemnet.

[kamachanda]

It is long past the time that the United States should stop funneling so much financial and military aid to Israel. The Israelis have gotten comfortable with the ideal that they can say one thing but continue expansion into land that was meant to be the Palestinian state. This isn't in the interest of the United States, I see no reason to fund it.

[Patriot1775]

"This isn't in the interest of the United States, I see no reason to fund it."

OK. Should we also "retract" the 900 MILLION dollars of stimulus money that we are going to be giving to the PA? Hamas fires rockets into Israel on a daily basis. Looks like "we the people" are going to be helping in that effort since there are no strings attached to it. THIS is not good!

"The Israelis have gotten comfortable with the ideal that they can say one thing but continue expansion into land that was meant to be the Palestinian state."

Wrong. The land you refer to was won in the '67 war. The Arabs would have NEVER given back even an inch of land if they had won some during those 6 days.

So, do you really think everyone wants "the Jews" to leave? OK. Does this mean that "everyone" will be equally "enthusiastic" about "relocating" the Arabs and Palestinians within Israel's borders to THEIR new state to make room in Israel for these "displaced Jews?" It's the same logic.

I seriously doubt it.

The biggest road block to peace is the lack of the PA recognizing Israel as a state and its right to exist. Without this ingredient there will never be true peace in the Middle East no matter how much a US President tries to brow beat the country into submission. Shalom.

[Ergon]

Patriot 1775 ignores the question whether it is in the US's interest to continue funding Israel. Ergo, he isn't American.
Shalom to you too.

[betz55]

Don't make me laugh, the PA recognizing Israel. You haven't been watching the news. Bibi and his Moldavian thug of an FM refuse, let me repeat that, refuse to recognize a Palestinian state.

When is Israel going to recognize a Palestinain state and it's right to exist?

Blame the Palestinains all you want. The facts are out there and you are wrong. The Palestinains have said over and over they would accept an Israeli state based on the '67 borders.

But Israel can't accept that because they don;t want peace, they want land. And now that they are being called out on it they can't handle the truth.

What has Israel done? During Oslo peace process in the 1990’s, Israel confiscated 40,000 acres of Palestinian land, constructed 250 miles of connector and bypass roads, doubled the number of settlers, and built 30 new settlements.

Israel also walked out of the Taba peace talks. Camp David, their 'offer' was one of totel BS. No intelligent person would have accepted it.

Whenever the United States asks Israeli governments to do anything to advance peace with the Palestinians, it comes up with excuses as to why it can't.

The '67 borders should be returned to, and any settlement can stay in the new Palestinian State, with the provision that the settlers are subject to any and all Palestinian law, up to and including dispossession. Arab towns and villages in Israel have existed for centuries and longer than all those illegal Jewish settlements.

[littleboy123]

all the land that was taken from Palestinians by Israel from the war is call spoils of war.winner rules.Israel rules.do you think that the Muslims would return any land back to the Jews if they won instead of Israel?the answer is NO! Israel knows what they are doing. U.S. has no business of telling Israel what to do.Palestinians should consider themselves lucky because the Jews didn't push them off the map.Dare they should have and i wouldn't be writing this comment.Leave Israel alone!!!!!

[betz55]

Israel doesn't have a clue to what it's doing. The proof is Bibi prostituting himself to the fanatic setllers to form a coalition to 'win' the election with his Moldavian thug of an FM.

You best be clear on something. As long as Israel takes US tax money, 10 million a day and 556 million for the illegal settlements the US public has the right to advise the government what their opinion is.

Moreover, 70 percent of Americans have said that the United States should withhold aid to Israel if it resists pressure to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

All Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank are illegal under international law because they are built on occupied land that does not belong to Israel.

If the US has no business telling Israel what to do then you better send the same message to
AIPAC/ JINSA/ WINEP/ ADL/ PNAC/ AEI because they have no business telling the US how to define Middle East foreign policy or what to do. When the Israel Lobby leaves the US government alone then maybe we'll leave Israel alone.

[JanP]

Abbas turned down a peace offer from olmert (see my previous comment) and did nto offer a coutner proposal.

At least get your facts right.

You might also read UN resolution 242 which ended the 6-days war in 1967 - a war fomented by the Arabs and the Soviet Union. It calls for the return of land - and specifically not alll the land - in return for a permanent peace agreement and for nothing less.

Jordan and Egypt made peace.

How come you don;t talk about the Rocket Launching fanatics of Hamas and Jihad Islami in Gaza - which has only 1 Jew - a prisoner.

[StopNThink]

The world would have forced "the Muslims" (nicely misrepresnting Palestinians) to give the land back because it was taken in war. This has what a civilized world tries to do - various orgs in Europe are doing just that in former Yugoslavia.

Try to force Israel do anything and they and their US puppets in Congress etc scream 'antisemitism', 'never forget', surrounded by enemies, etc.

[myhomeo]

Actually, the US has every right to tell Israel what to do when they're doing it with our money.

[bighat]

Just who gives up land they have won in war or by treaty.

Should we bive back California to Mexico.

Would Mexico even take California and all their debts

[blutigeroo]

You know it is a war crime under the Geneva convention to make settlements on disputed land like Is. real is doing.
Lol, I doubt Mexico would take Canada but that land was taken before the Geneva convention so my argument does not apply.

[JanP]

Maybe all non-native­-Americans need to go back to the land of their ancestors. Ditto for Australia and New Zealand.

How about the Chinese in Tibet?

The Soviet Union declared war non Japan about 5 days before the end of WW-II - when they knew about the Atom bomb. They captured a Japanese Island. The USSR and the current russian governments have no intention of giving it back to Japan.

The "Anti-Zionists" somehow seem to ignore all of this - and a whole lot more.

[Annoula]

And your point is...?
I suggest you have your comments reviewed by someone sober before posting...

[bighat]

Obama can say anything he wants. I doubt if the American people will be very happy with him if Israel is blown off the map.

Why can't the palestians find some other place to live. Why would the israelis listen to anyone that encourages them giving land to people who try to kill them daily. Let Saudi Arabia or Iran or someother Middle Eastern country give them the land.

Who wants Hamas and Hezbollah on their border. Must be the reason no other country has given them a place to live.

Go Israel. Hold tight. Let the american people know if Obama cuts off spare parts and munitions

[DC]

Huh? What???

let the American people know what "if Obama cuts off spare parts and munitions:2

Is this a threat to a sitting US President?

[bighat]

dc do you not read or listen to the news. the cutting off of spare parts and munitions been mentioned numerous times thru out the media as well as a slow down.

I knew some people behave like they are in a cult with Obama as their leader but your comment of isr this a threat to a sitting US Presedent is ridiiculouus. Even for a cult member.

[Regeman]

There is nothing "complex" about this issue.

And what is this "so called" right of return. It is a right of return. Only Jews add "so called"

"Israel's desire for Palestinians to drop their demand for the so-called "Right of Return."

Israel's only hope is a South African model. They've long ago wasted the chance for a peace more to their linking. One Palestine with Jews and Arabs sharing it may be the end of the "Jewish State" but far more preferable than the Mediterranean Sea.

[Patriot1775]

1) This is a VERY COMPLEX issue, however, it's in large part because the Palestinian Authority (Hamas and Fatah) REFUSES to recognize Israel's right to exist. (As you know, Hezzbollah and Iran also fall into this category.) It's fine to insist that the settlement construction stop, but what about insisting that the daily barrage of Kassam rockets being fired into Israel (with Israel doing almost nothing in retaliation for FOUR YEARS) stop?

2) President Obama is making a trip to the Middle East and NOT seeing the US's most staunch ally - Israel. Interesting. He seems to be conceding that Iran will have nuclear weapons, which is okay with him, and that if Israel wants something done about that, that Israel will have to stop the settlements. In other words, isolate Israel until it bends to the Arab will. Is this the equal treatment Israel gets in return?

3) Newsflash: There is a "Palestinian State." It's called GAZA. Remember when the PA was given "land for peace" by Israel (an American orchestrated move) and part of the bargain was that the PA would be autonomous in their control of The Strip and of the West Bank? The PA rejoiced. Within 6 months it became a new and CLOSER launching pad for the haters of the Jewish State. The PA got land, the Israelis got rockets.

4) Israel lives in peace with Egypt and Jordan. Why? THEY RECOGNIZE Israel's right to exist.

Appreciation for the "complexity? " You bet.

[StopNThink]

pure propaganda, and no one reading this far into the comments believes you, so save it for your uniformed friends at the office!

[Patriot1775]

"Pure Propaganda?"

Interesting. How Alinsky of you. Feel free to opine.

"...save it for your uniformed friends at the office!"

Apparently, they're in very good company, StopNThink . I know your mind's made up, so I won't bother confusing you with anymore FACTS.

[Garvagh]

Bravo! It is in Israel's own best interests to accept the Arab League peace plan (with adjustments), and to do so while Israel is in a strong position. US "supporters" of Israel are unwittingly setting up a future disaster by encouraging the continuing theft of Palestinian land, water, civil rights and dignity in the West Bank.

[RuthHenriquez]

Thank you Ambassador for calling attention to the illegal settlements. The Israelis need to come to grips with this. I am not sure why the U.S. does not attach strings to the aid they give to Israel. Don't we do that with every other country we assist?

[StopNThink]

No other country has the clout in Washington that Israel does. 2/3 of congress are on the payroll and the senate is long bought and paid for. At some poin they'y slap Obama down.