Israel’s Worst Enemy is Israel

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu is meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May where the two are expected to talk about how they can work together and pursue mutual interests. It is commonly thought that since BREXIT that Britain separating from the European Union (EU) might actually side with Israel on matters which would naturally be opposed by most leaders of the EU membership. Where this might be valid for many members of the British public, one need remember that there is an entire party, one of the larger parties, the Labour Party which has been having a devil of a time with anti-Semitism within its ranks. It comes as little surprise that this was also the part most opposed to BREXIT. We may as well state what many believe from all evidence to be true, the membership nations of the EU largely hate Israel due to their undertow of anti-Semitism, something Europe has never really found a means to get around. Anti-Semitism is pretty rank across the EU and they show it most when it comes to Israel. This is not to claim that such feelings are universal, fortunately they are not. Still, many members and politicians across the EU hold a visceral hatred of all things Israel and by their actions make it appear that their best served interests would lead to the end of Israel once and for all, a seeming cherished outcome. Way back in ancient history when anti-Semitism was better received, 2001 to be exact, French Ambassador to the United Kingdom Daniel Bernard was quoted of having stated during a conversation with Conrad Black of the Daily Telegraph at a private dinner party Black was hosting, “All the current troubles in the world are because of that shitty little country Israel. Why should the world be in danger of World War III because of those people?” He pretty much summed up the feeling of many in Europe then as well as now as the EU and its member nations remain amongst the major contributors to the various Arab agencies working towards the annihilation of Israel. What can we conclude from all of this? We can have fairly low expectations of earth shaking results coming from the meetings between our two Prime Ministers, that is all.

 

Later this month there will be a slightly more important meeting, or at least it could be if and only if Israel is not sabotaged by her own Prime Minister. Israel still appears to be working in the service of those who wish to do her harm. Partly this is a result of the Israeli desire for two items which often appear to be mutually exclusive. The first is the demand that Israel do everything out in the open in the light of day because, as the Talmud teaches, sunshine is the best cleanser of corruption, by dealing in all things openly, Israel avoids conflicts of interest and other pitfalls from government malfeasance. Secondly, Israel wishes to be liked and accepted by the rest of the world, but as this is ever so unlikely, by being open and above board in so many government and private business dealings she opens herself more to criticism than acceptance. One might ask what other government works so hard at being upright and free from backroom dealings and where would even what other nations consider doing business get new elections other than in Israel. It is partly due to this openness that Israel receives regular scorn and the proof is the method by which new residences and office buildings and other such constructions are permitted especially beyond the Green Line. The method consists of announcing the government taking bids, tenders, for the project. Then there come public debate over whose bid is the best for the lowest price. Then there is a second round of this bidding, why we will never know as rarely does it alter who wins the bid. Then there are more hearings where those opposed to such building are given privileged opportunities to state their case, and they are legion and very boisterous. Then the proposed date is publically debated, then announced and then eventually the building starts and it becomes obvious that something is actually being constructed. Everything leading up to the surveying the landscape and breaking ground takes over two years and countless announcements each and every minor step along the way. This leads to Israel being raked over the coals for every building project beyond the Green Line multiple times for over two years before anything solid even takes place on the ground. Most, if not all, of the process could just as openly be conducted in private government operations which would still allow for public review without making formal declarations to the world and give every newspaper the world over the particulars of projects which often never get off the ground or ever become reality. This has been the reality for all too many projects to build anything anywhere in Israel, particularly if the buildings will benefit the Jews and double so if it is on what Mahmoud Abbas will scream is land belonging to his Arab Palestinians, which for your information is anywhere in Israel between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. And once Mahmoud Abbas or any other Palestinian authority (PA) or PLO leadership goes public with an outcry over any single part, or each and every step along the two year plus procedure, the EU and member nations amongst others, often President Obama these past eight years, along with whomever was serving as Secretary of State, would all scold Israel for building on lands which belong to Israel and will remain Israeli until such time as Israel signs any treaty gifting the lands to some other entity. This all but demanding a public flogging at each progression along the winding road to any project has got to come to an end if Israel is ever to be a normal nation, something she seems very proud not to be considered as she acts so above board and carefully in all actions of governance. Such is of course needless agony brought upon herself.

 

That is one point where later this month Israel may catch the biggest break possibly since the San Remo Conference formalized and gave near universal acceptance of the Balfour Declaration and led to the Mandate system which was to become a benefit and a curse for Israel. This break could come in the form of one President Donald Trump who himself also tends to announce everything he does and give it great notice, though for a far different reason. The Donald, as he becomes during such times, likes to boast and be the great pretender, even when he is actually winning, and actively seeks admirations and recognition for all he does and does in such a grand manner. Still, President Trump proved along the campaign trail and its trials and tribulations that he knew how to manage the media such that he got what he wanted out to the people for whom it was meant and worded as he would have stated such, and often had stated such. Learning some pointers on how to gain a positive image while doing that which you desired to accomplish anyway would be a valuable lesson. But President Donald Trump could go a whole lot further, though initially it might appear otherwise.

 

You see, if President Trump begins his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu with a public press conference, then President Trump could point out that he is expecting to take Prime Minister Netanyahu into private meetings where many demands and other instructions will be identified, delineated and demanded of Israel going forward, especially concerning the “Peace Process,” amongst many other items of mutual interests. Then when the two men are in private, perhaps at an informal two family dinner the two men could retire to a private session, play some mutually preferred music to mask their voices, smoke a good Cuban cigar, made in the United States from old Cuban seeds, have a sifter of brandy and get down to the one thing that President Trump may demand of Israel. That singular thing would be to shut up and get one with ending the stalemate the only way it can possibly end. Oddly enough, by using the traditional method first utilized by Joshua right before he led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Lands to start what would be the ensuing three to four millennial history of the Jewish People and their land, the solution would resolve today’s problems even more efficiently than it did in Biblical times where it took over a century to complete the conquest of the Promised Lands. The Torah tells us as well as repeating such in later books and writings that the Canaanites were given three options and some took each of these options. The first option was to live amongst the Israelites in peace, obey the seven Noahic Codes for a civil society, and cooperate with Israelite rule and be content to benefit when the Israelites would benefit. The second option was to gather all of your belongings and all the wealth you cared to bring with you which were actually yours and leave to find another land in which to reside and the Israelites would allow you to leave unmolested by them. The final choice was to war with the Israelites and refuse their other offers at which point you would be granted your war and would be erased from all future history. No matter which you chose, the one certainty was that the Israelites would have their Promised Lands and that did come to pass, though it did take a while to fully accomplish. This could be a part of the deal a President Trump would impart to Prime Minister Netanyahu, but there should be more.

 

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu

 

Further, President Trump should lay out exactly what he sees as the best alternative for the United States to assist in the solutions to come, and he should stress that things are going to be vastly different and that Israel need take their moves largely from President Trump and his agents. There is a promising deal as well as some links to other proposed solutions which can be found in Ted Belman’s article titled “The Ultimate Alternate Israel-Palestine Solution” which spells out a regional solution which could benefit all honest and true brokers for peace in the region. The deal would require much from the United States in forcing assistance from the United Nations, the EU, most, if not all, the EU member nations, some United States allies in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as Jordan as well as their leaders, and some radical changes with the Arab Palestinians basically being granted the same set of deals as the Israelites gave the Canaanites with a major difference, Israel would contribute fairly and, some might say, in mutual interest, being generous to a fault making relocation appear as the most beneficial of options. Jordan would necessarily become the Arab Palestinian State it was intended to be before the British placed the Hashemites in as the monarchs. Some of the lands where Hashemites and those Bedouins desiring Hashemite rule could be granted their own kingdom, simply smaller and without Arab Palestinians to oppress in the pursuit of continued power. The remaining Arab Palestinians could be offered, as were the Arabs of Eastern Jerusalem, a path over time to full Israeli citizenship or they could become Jordanian citizens residing legally in Israel recognizing Israeli laws as their laws. The particulars could be worked out for the most mutual benefit possible but each would need choose whether they were to be Jordanian or desirous of Israeli citizenship. It should be noted that simply desiring Israeli citizenship would not automatically grant one such status until a number of other elements and conditions were satisfied. As far as Mahmoud Abbas, the upper officers of the PA, the officers and other key personnel from Arab Palestinian Security Forces (which could be referred to seriously as the Arab Palestinian Military) would need to be dealt with largely by the United States who could find a nation which would allow their residence and see to their comfort in their remaining years, preferably an Arab or European State which would be of a welcoming nature. Wherever they are sent, they must have stipulations which would prevent them from once again being connected to terrorism or other illegal acts.

 

There is a group in Jordan known as the Jordan Opposition Coalition (JOC) (الائتلاف الاردني للمعارضة) which has been fighting for the Arab Palestinian rights and simply requires some additional pressures to be brought to manage a solution which would be mutually beneficial for the Jordanian Monarch and the Arab Palestinian desire for secular self-rule. The main obstacles this peace proposal will face is the fact that it actually recognizes the reality that under International Law, by several treaties and conferences and by a Congressional Resolution Israel is the rightful owner of the lands between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. June 30, 1922, a Joint Resolution of both Houses of Congress of the United States unanimously endorsed the “Mandate for Palestine,” confirming the irrevocable right of Jews to settle in Palestine—anywhere between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Here also is Congressional statements concerning the recognition by the United States after a joint resolution passed both House of Representatives and the Senate which was subsequently signed by President Warren G. Harding on September 21, 1922, the Congress added additional information by attaching from the House of Representatives in the Congressional Record for the 1922 House of Representatives concerning the National Home for the Jewish People whereby on June 30, 1922 House Resolution 360 (Rept. NO. 1172) stating their feelings on the matter and was formally entered into the Congressional Record. These basic articles would give sufficient backing to any plan which President Trump cared to pursue provided it supported Israeli full rights to the lands promised them and finally removing any stigma caused by the illegal nineteen year Jordanian occupation and the British attempts to drown the Jewish State under a sea of immigrant Arabs having far less legitimate claims to the lands in question.

 

Finally, President Trump could insist that from their meeting forward, upon agreement of the Israeli leadership, follow the lead and be seen as walking with President Trump and cooperating with her Middle Eastern neighbors such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and whomever else President Trump corrals together making this an inclusive measure receiving support from numerous governments such that it has all the backing necessary to implement the details. President Trump will need to make Prime Minister Netanyahu and the people of Israel one very large promise which must be kept, namely that he will implement this peace in such a manner that the main political and other power structures, hopefully including the Arab League, finally recognizing Israel’s right to existing as the Home of the Jewish People and their ending all belligerent actions against the Jewish State of Israel. The final item would be the repealing by the Arab League of the Khartoum Resolution and especially its “Three No’s; no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel.” This in and of itself would be a major accomplishment for bringing peace and stability to a region sorely in need of such. Israel should be far less of a problem as these nations in the Arab League face threats from Iran as well as in Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and the Sudan (hopefully this list seems a tad familiar). Should President Trump deliver on such a wide ranging solution forging some credible amount of peace and stability in the Middle East, do not expect any parades, laurel wreaths, write ups in the New York Times or any recognition other than, at best, stunned silence or, at worst, attempts to make a mockery of that which their heroes could not accomplish. Whether any of this comes to pass is unfortunately up to many of us despite how much we may desire such solutions, but the most we can do is pray and write our representatives in Congress and wherever else one may have such. So, for now pray and may these prayers be answered as we wish and our celebrations be true and many.

 

Beyond the Cusp