Middle East Peace Plan 2020

February 7, 2020

Middle East Peace Plan 2020 

Padmini Arhant

Middle East Peace Plan – Israel and United States presented the latest proposal as

Deal of the Century.

Review and Solutions.

The Middle East peace plan key points deviates from the path of peace and instead legitimize illegitimate occupation of Palestine and annexation of other territories by Israel following Israel’s six days aggression in 1967 and unlawful settlements in West Bank, Palestine until now.

Nonetheless, the peace plan with appropriate recommendations and solutions furnished for mutually reasonable and acceptable peace treaty.

Deal of the Century (DC) bullet points:

DC: Borders Israel will retain 20% of the West Bank and will lose a small amount of land in the Negev near the Gaza-Egypt border. The Palestinians will have a pathway to a state in the vast majority of territory in the West Bank, while Israel will maintain control of all borders.

Correction and Solution: West Bank is Palestinian territory with unlawful settlements against international laws attracting global dissent. Accordingly, the area to remain part of Palestine under Palestinian jurisdiction and authority. The settlers are to be provided an option to either return to destinations of their origin/choice or seek legal resident status subject to Palestinian authorities approval. Palestinians would have free access to their state in West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. The Palestinians elected government would deploy their own security forces and personnel on their borders while Israel would maintain only Israel’s borders in recognition of Palestinian and neighbors sovereignty and territorial rights respectively.

DC: Jerusalem: The Palestinians will have a capital in east Jerusalem based on northern and eastern neighborhoods that are outside the Israeli security barrier – Kafr Akab, Abu Dis and half of Shuafat. Otherwise, United States President Donald Trump said Jerusalem will remain undivided as Israel’s capital.

Correction and Solution: Palestinians capital in East Jerusalem entailing all Palestinian neighborhoods and specifically Al aqsa mosque would be Palestinian territory. Any other suggestion on Jerusalem as undivided Israel’s capital is contentious for following reasons.

Israel’s claim on undivided Jerusalem regardless of the holy city’s relevance to other faiths Islam and  Christianity besides Judaism not excluding non-believers and other segments from across the region is over ambitious notwithstanding Israel’s militarization of Islam’s Al aqsa mosque, the second most revered place of worship and demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem proved counterproductive thus far.

DC: Settlements: Israel will retain the Jordan Valley and all Israeli settlements in the West Bank in the broadest definition possible, meaning not the municipal borders of each settlement but their security perimeters. This also includes 15 isolated settlements, which will be enclaves within an eventual Palestinian state. Within those settlements Israel will not be able to build for the next four years. The IDF will have access to the isolated settlements. For the settlement part of the plan to go into effect, Israel will have to take action to apply sovereignty to the settlements, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to do at the upcoming cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Correction and Solution: Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea representing more than 30% of West Bank with majority approximately 65,000 Palestinians compared to 11,000 Jewish settlers living there. Furthermore, the valley long been the significant land reserve for Palestinians would constitute Palestinian territory. All settlements within West Bank and in the region would be Palestinian state territory. Palestine would be governed by Palestinian elected government with the territories monitored and defended by Palestinian security personnel. All settlement activities before, now or in the near future in West Bank and other Palestinian territories qualified as encroachment would fall under Palestinian jurisdiction related to property and real estate laws in Palestinian land. The withdrawal of Israel Defense Force (IDF) from Palestinian Territories beginning with West Bank, East Jerusalem and near Gaza i.e. inside Palestine is critical for any peace process to be sincere, serious and above all genuine. The foreign government viz. Israeli authorities action on sovereignty on illegal settlements would be null and void.

DC: Security: Israel will be in control of security from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. The IDF will not have to leave the West Bank. No change to Israel’s approach to Judea and Samaria would be needed.

Correction and Solution: Reiterating above mentioned facts on recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and rights that are in adherence as international law in most parts of the world, similar situation would apply to Palestinian state and the state of Israel confined to own respective boundaries and borders which means Palestinian security forces would be responsible and in control of the West Bank and Palestinian territory and vice versa.

With respect to Judea and Samaria – Since the reference Judea and Samaria is Israeli government’s term for administrative control over occupied West Bank, the termination of foreign rule and influence on sovereign state i.e. Palestine would be natural and inherent part of the deal.

DC: Palestinian state: The plan does not include immediate recognition of a Palestinian state; rather, it expects a willingness on Israel’s part to create a pathway toward Palestinian statehood based on specific territory, which is about 70% of Judea and Samaria, including areas A and B and parts of Area C. The state will only come into existence in four years if the Palestinians accept the plan, if the Palestinian Authority stops paying terrorists and inciting terrorism and if Hamas and Islamic Jihad put down their weapons. In addition, the American plan calls on the Palestinians to give up corruption, respect human rights, freedom of religion and a free press, so that they don’t have a failed state. If those conditions are met, the US will recognize a Palestinian state and implement a massive economic plan to assist it.

Correction and Solution: The recognition of an independent Palestinian State barring foreign nations viz. Israel or any other state intrusion, interference in administrative governance, security and all other matter deemed internal and related to Palestinian population affairs and welfare would be instantaneously effective. The establishment of Palestinian statehood and self-determination rights with requirement on withdrawal of foreign viz. Israel’s occupation and deployment of troops as well as administrative authority in West Bank and other Palestinian Territories such as Gaza and East Jerusalem to commence immediately preventing any unnecessary delay and procrastination in this regard.

Once again, Palestinian territory elaborated with respect to all areas pertaining to West Bank i.e. Israeli government reference Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem and Gaza would be returned in entirety conforming to meaningful and authentic peace accord.

Violence and terrorism to cease on all sides enabling youth and citizens in Palestine and Israel to co-exist in peace. Additionally, the peaceful outcome aimed at long overdue economic progress and development among Palestinians would promote unity and harmony between the two states otherwise wasting time and resources in politically motivated tensions and confrontation.

As for the American plan calling on the Palestinians to give up corruption, respect human rights, freedom of religion and a free press, so that they don’t have a failed state – this is a universal problem in varying proportions and prevalent more so in governments espousing fundamental values with utter disregard for constitution and democratic principles affecting the idea of democracy, individual freedom on religion, free speech and free press endangering normal existence that could lead to any nation’s failure. Not to mention corruption, a global epidemic in politics with widespread impact on integral systems in society.

The political consciousness and remedy to eliminate corruption is applicable without exception to all nations and governments in power as well as opposition for a corruption free system prioritizing transparency and accountability exempting none above law.

DC: Refugees: A limited number of Palestinian refugees and their descendants will be allowed into the Palestinian state. None will enter Israel.

Correction and Solution: This is a matter concerning Palestinian people and their independent nation granting them exclusive discretionary power to approach the humanitarian issue best suited to their economic and social conditions. Though Palestinian refugees and descendants having been forced to leave their native land exercising the right to return to Palestinian state would not be uncommon in semblance to Israel’s policy inviting Jewish citizens from anywhere to Israel.

DC: Triangle: The plan leaves open the possibility that Israel will swap the area known as the “Triangle” – consisting of Kafr Kara, Arara, Baka al-Gharbiya, Umm el-Fahm and more – into the future Palestinian state. According to the plan, “the Vision contemplates the possibility, subject to agreement of the parties, that the borders of Israel will be redrawn such that the Triangle Communities become part of the State of Palestine.”

Correction and Solution: Israel’s preparedness to swap areas known as the “Triangle” is welcome. The plan transforming the possibility to eventuality in the above enunciated manner is paramount. Once again the peace plan in the corrected format with eligible solutions is a great opportunity towards sustainable peace and security to both Israel and Palestine. Not only the citizens in Palestine and Israel deserve peace and stability, the regional experience is pertinent for global peace and security.

The political will on this historic peaceful resolution ending the prolonged Middle East conflict is the responsibility of political leaderships and society in Israel and Palestine demonstrating commitment to an independent sovereign Palestinian state alongside sovereign state of Israel forging normal relations benefitting in trade, cultural, education, technology, environment and more enhancing comprehensive gains.

Hopefully, rationality and wisdom would prevail in accepting the accord for long lasting peace, economic growth and prosperity desired by the citizens in Palestine and Israel.

The amended peace plan fruition could further benefit Israel in bringing the ongoing domestic political stalemate to conclusion.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

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