While of course there is no easy ending to the occupation nor is one in sight for the immediate future that does not equate to settlement and continued civilian presence in the area.
In fact, it could be argued, that there is a consensus among the majority of Israelis to never end the occupation, but to continue to entrench it by means of continued civilian settlement. As such, the settler movement have achieved their objective of creating a status quo which makes withdrawal from the West Bank impossible and de facto apartheid like conditions in the West Bank the acceptable, to Israel, status quo for the indefinite future.
I do not agree, the majority of Israelis would be willing to give up the settlements in return for peace. However, they are not willing to engage in a civil war with the settlers for anything less than peace, that our tragedy
You are quite correct in stating that in purely abstract theory the majority of Israelis would be willing to give up the settlements in return for peace. However, when faced with the price for doing so, a return, more or less to 1967 lines, East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, evacuation of the Jordan River Valley, etc. etc. a very small minority of Israelis is prepared to pay that price.
And… as you quite rightly state, the price for doing so would be a civil war. So… it’s fine to state that you want peace when in actual fact you are not prepared or able to pay the price for gaining that peace.
Does that not make the statement “We want peace” rather hollow, false, hypocritical and meaningless when in actual fact you (the Israelis) are not prepared or willing to pay the price to achieve such peace. BTW when I say Israelis I include myself, an Israeli citizen.
I disagree the majority of Israelis would be willing to pay the price. They just do not believe that the Palestinians will ever be ready to make a final deal. If a Palestinian Sadat arrived on the scene who knows. But as long as the Palestinians are not willing to accept the Clinton plan (post Camp David) there is no chance for peace.
Which means that settlement will continue unabated thereby ensuring there will be no peace. I fear that a single state solution is the only feasible outcome, if that does not de facto already exist.
While of course there is no easy ending to the occupation nor is one in sight for the immediate future that does not equate to settlement and continued civilian presence in the area.
In fact, it could be argued, that there is a consensus among the majority of Israelis to never end the occupation, but to continue to entrench it by means of continued civilian settlement. As such, the settler movement have achieved their objective of creating a status quo which makes withdrawal from the West Bank impossible and de facto apartheid like conditions in the West Bank the acceptable, to Israel, status quo for the indefinite future.
I do not agree, the majority of Israelis would be willing to give up the settlements in return for peace. However, they are not willing to engage in a civil war with the settlers for anything less than peace, that our tragedy
You are quite correct in stating that in purely abstract theory the majority of Israelis would be willing to give up the settlements in return for peace. However, when faced with the price for doing so, a return, more or less to 1967 lines, East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, evacuation of the Jordan River Valley, etc. etc. a very small minority of Israelis is prepared to pay that price.
And… as you quite rightly state, the price for doing so would be a civil war. So… it’s fine to state that you want peace when in actual fact you are not prepared or able to pay the price for gaining that peace.
Does that not make the statement “We want peace” rather hollow, false, hypocritical and meaningless when in actual fact you (the Israelis) are not prepared or willing to pay the price to achieve such peace. BTW when I say Israelis I include myself, an Israeli citizen.
I disagree the majority of Israelis would be willing to pay the price. They just do not believe that the Palestinians will ever be ready to make a final deal. If a Palestinian Sadat arrived on the scene who knows. But as long as the Palestinians are not willing to accept the Clinton plan (post Camp David) there is no chance for peace.
Which means that settlement will continue unabated thereby ensuring there will be no peace. I fear that a single state solution is the only feasible outcome, if that does not de facto already exist.
I fear the same thing