The Invalid Roadmap

The Roadmap to Peace that the new administrations in the USA and Israel currently seem to believe as still containing merit, is, in fact, already dead. The Benjamin Netanyahu of a decade ago would ask, where is there hope of reciprocity in this path with these pseudo partners in peace? Because Fatah still embraces Hamas, and Hamas is an unrepentant terror organization, the current Palestinian Authority leadership is nothing but a pure continuation of the PLO of old.

It is exasperating to consider the current diplomatic intentions of both countries. The path to false peace is when political leaders of nations become lovers of advancing diplomatic processes in the general realm of peacemaking rather than gaining true and substantial achievements in the realm of actual peace. The entire intent of International Law is to PREVENT CONFLICT between nations, not to enshrine an eternal state of war with pretend legitimacy. You cannot say that because the U.N. Security Council supports a path that leads to war and calls it peace, that it is now a legitimate peace plan and indeed consecrated as International Law itself. Nothing could be further from the truth. A treaty between nations cannot include the suicide of one of those nations. That would violate Fundamental Law (Jus Cogens). For example, when American demanded an unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945, that did not grant the USA a right to commit genocide against the Germans once they surrendered. If the roles had been reversed and the USA had to surrender to the Nazis. And the USA knew for a fact that Nazi Germany would only slaughter USA citizens if the USA surrendered, then such a document of surrender would be a violation of the Jus Cogens of the citizens of the USA. Similarly, if a peace treaty were to be signed with any ACTIVE enemy of Israel by any government of Israel that Israel should surrender land to it, and/or if a U.N. Security Council Resolution were to call such a peace treaty absolute law, the treaty would STILL remain invalid, because it would be predicated upon an implicit and highly credible assumption of impending violation of Jus Cogens.

Allow me to clarify that my intent is not to attack PM Netanyahu with abandon. I have confidence that he can come to the correct conclusions on his own without my having said anything. I feel that all he needs is a few days, weeks or months to reacquaint himself with the Palestinian leadership for him to come to the same realization that I am at. What I am trying to do by speaking about this now is to help breakdown the false philosophy of those political opposition forces that are trying to encourage him to make extremely unwise and unhealthy choices for his constituency, and what negative implications that would mean for the national security of both Israel and the USA if, God forbid, he heeded their advice, which again, at the end of the day I hope and feel that he won't.

Hamas believes it is entirely legitimate to attack Israeli civilians whenever it pleases. Fatah passively supports Hamas. And even if you want to say that Hamas can be dealt with and Israel can simply sign a peace deal with Fatah, then I would remind you that Fatah itself is still truly a terrorist organization, whether or not it is currently politically expedient to admit that as the national foreign policy of the USA and Israel. If you disagree with me then please forgive me if I pain you with the use of logic. If even now Fatah is not committed to ending terror, then how can they ever be trusted to do so? If even now Fatah is not against Hamas, when the Palestinian leaders of Fatah are supposedly with their backs to the wall and suffering greatly, and have the Israeli army almost at their beck and call to wipe out Hamas, or at least eliminate the main terror cells within Hamas controlled territory so that Fatah could rule peacefully. If even now Fatah is not committed against terror, then they can never be expected to police against future terror groups that may arise to demand 100% of the land of Israel from the Israelis. Thus any peace deal signed with FATAH, not just Hamas, would be invalid from the get go as such a deal would be predicated upon an implicit and highly credible assumption of impending violation of Jus Cogens of the people of Israel.

The Quartet sponsored, and current foreign policy of the USA and Israel is the "Roadmap to Peace". But all these governments have thus far backed a losing horse. If you need to gamble with the safety of the citizens of Israel, how about at least putting your money on a pony that can win? But one thing is certain, the Roadmap to Peace is an Invalid Roadmap.

Jerusalem Defender: The First 50 Posts

Due to the fact that, by the grace of God, this blog has reached the 50 post milestone (this entry being post number 51) and many of the older posts may be needed by those researching the Everyone Wins Peace Plan, it occurred to me that a table of contents may be needed.

Whereas previously I only advertised on the the Internet for this blog, as of this month I am now running an ad in an upcoming edition of Viewpoint magazine. So our readership numbers may greatly increase and some of the new readers may not be used to "reading backwards" in the reversed chronological order of your average blog entry.

Therefore this post is something of an introductory post for those who are not as experienced with the format of the blogosphere as most of Jerusalem Defender's current readership is...

(Please note that as always, you can sign up for a free subscription to Jerusalem Defender blog's Atom-feed at this link: http://jerusalemdefender.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default for those of you who know what an Atom-feed is.)


Post #50 - March 2, 2009
The Spirit of a True Peace Plan

Post #49 - February 2009
The Everyone Wins Peace Plan Answers the Critics

Post #48 - January 2009
Religious Parties Unite!

December 2008
The Bearing of Leadership: National and Religious ...
(Full title: "The Bearing of Leadership: National and Religious Parties, Let Your Platforms Bloom")
Finally Action in Gaza: Now Make it Final!
Ending the Era of Weakness: Annex the West Bank an...
(Full title: "Ending the Era of Weakness: Annex the West Bank and Gaza")
Hybridized Political Thought on the Middle East Co...
(Full title: "A Statement of Hybridized Political Thought on the Middle East Conflict")
The Violence at Beit Hashalom: How the Olmert Admi...
(Full title: "The Violence at Beit Hashalom: How the Olmert Administration is Inciting Radicalism")
The Problem With Kadima: A Lesson in Pseudo Politi...
(Full title: "The Problem With Kadima: A Lesson in Pseudo Political Centrism")

November 2008
The Saudi Peace Plan is Roadmap to Armageddon

October 2008
Compassionate Zionism
The Difference Between Racists and the Enraged

September 2008
Land for Peace is Fuel for Terror
Ezekiel's Jerusalem
The Unsubstantial Nature of Past Peace Plans

August 2008
Israeli Settlements Are Legal Under International ...
(Full title: "Israeli Settlements Are Legal Under International Law")
Foreign Policy Toward Russia

July 2008
Individualistic Moral Accountancy: The Ideological...
(Full title: "Individualistic Moral Accountancy: The Ideological Foundation of Healing Societies")
Healing Societies: The Ideological Foundation of t...
(Full title: "Healing Societies: The Ideological Foundation of the Everyone Wins Peace Plan")
The Upcoming War With Iran
MK Rabbi Binyamin Elon is Now Aware of the Everyon...
(Full title: "MK Rabbi Binyamin Elon is Now Aware of the Everyone Wins Peace Plan")
How to Deal with International Hostage Crises

June 2008
Sarkozy Too Cozy With Division of Jerusalem
A Critique of the Elon Plan and a Summary of the E...
(Full title: "A Critique of the Elon Plan and a Summary of the Everyone Wins Peace Plan")
Palestinian Leaders Indicate Trust in the IDF
A United Jerusalem is the Only Chance for True Pea...
(Full title: "A United Jerusalem is the Only Chance for True Peace")
Russia & Iran: Avoiding a New Cold War

May 2008
Making Peace With Syria
The Friedlander Peace Plan Is The Everyone Wins Pe...
(Full title: "The Friedlander Peace Plan Is The Everyone Wins Peace Plan")
A Statement Against Arrogance
The Friedlander Peace Plan: An Evenhanded Policy f...
(Full title: "Toward an Evenhanded Policy for Peace in the Holy Land, Part 3: The Friedlander Peace Plan: An Evenhanded Policy for Peace
A Discussion on the Mechanics of the Naturalizatio...
(Full title: "Toward an Evenhanded Policy for Peace in the Holy Land, Part 2:
A Discussion on the Mechanics of the Naturalization of West Bank and Gaza Arabs to the State of Israel)
A New and Revised One-State Solution to Peace in t...
(Full title: "Toward an Evenhanded Policy for Peace in the Holy Land, Part 1: A New and Revised One-State Solution to Peace in the Middle East")

April 2008
A Comparison of Peace Plans
An Alternative Peace Plan
Why I Still Reject Kahanism Despite Palestinian Su...
(Full title: "Why I Still Reject Kahanism Despite Palestinian Support of Terrorism")

March 2008
How the Palestinians Can Redeem Themselves
Palestinians Choose Violence Over Peace
Succession in International Law
The Massacre At Mercaz Harav Yeshiva

January 2008
Diaspora Jews Are People Too
A Democratic Messianic King
The Iranian Dilemma

December 2007
The Definition of True Peace: Truth
Jerusalem & Jus Cogens
Temple Mount Is the Holiest Site in Judaism
Temple Time?
The Pollard Fiasco
Judaism and Jewish National Loyalty
Post #1 - Jewish Freedom of Religion and Jerusalem

The Spirit of a True Peace Plan

A true peace plan should create peace first inside and then out, not outside and then in. As we find in the Kaddish prayer “He who makes peace in His Heights should make peace between us and upon all Yisrael.” Why do the Rabbis of the Talmud place “we”, i.e. societal peace, before “all Yisrael” i.e. national peace? One would have thought that if we achieve external and global peace, we would instantly have Heaven on Earth even in private matters. But the Rabbis are teaching us an important lesson. Only once societal peace is assured, then can world peace be sure to follow.

Using this lens let’s look at what would have happened at the societal level if the Oslo Accords would have been successful. The left would have rejoiced as the right wing mourned. Now let’s consider what if the right wing had succeeded with a Kahane type plan. The right would have rejoiced as the left wing mourned. In either scenario only one side wins and perforce the other side MUST lose.

This is akin to the battle for property in the West Bank. The extreme Left wishes to make the West Bank Jews homeless, while the extreme Right wishes to make the West Bank Arabs homeless (the kinder and gentler Israeli Initiative Peace Plan wishes them to relocate their homes to the Kingdom of Jordan, but as far as the Arab’s current homes go, it is similar in effect as the Kahane plan). In either scenario again we find only one side can win and perforce the other side MUST lose.

But this is why peace has been elusive in the Middle East. The truth path to peace is not an economic equation. Its calculus should not and cannot be determined in mere economic terms of victor and vanquished. Its methodology is rather found in compromise, and not in seeking absolute terms.

The Everyone Wins Peace Plan is such a true peace plan.

The right can rejoice that the Everyone Wins Peace Plan secures an end to terrorist armies within a stone's throw of Israeli cities, it allows settlers to keep their homes, it also maintains the State's control over all the land and resources West of the Jordan River, and it guarantees freedom of religion to non-Muslims.

The left can rejoice that the Everyone Wins Peace Plan maintains West Bank and Gaza Palestinian Arabic control of their cities and allows the retention of their homes, it also frees them short term from terrorist police and long term from refugee camps, and it eventually allows them to join their cousins within the Green Line by having a right to vote in the State of Israel.

Everyone will rejoice that the Everyone Wins Peace Plan will put an end to the unhealthy segregationist environment that both sides are currently caught up in. The Everyone Wins Peace Plan also removes the main pan-Arabic excuse to discriminate financially against the State of Israel. This will only snowball the effectiveness of the plan at ending the conflict that much sooner, as improved finances and security means increased Jewish immigration rates which allows the expansion of the Arabic naturalization process that is at the core of this solution.

“May He who makes peace in His Heights soon make peace between us and upon all Yisrael, and let us say Amen.”

The Everyone Wins Peace Plan Answers the Critics

By the Grace of God.

The political right wing of Israel needs to settle on a viable path to peace as soon as possible. The ideas that the left has offered so far have been nothing more than Roadmaps to roadblocks. If the Right can find a workable solution to the decades old quagmire, then, considering the current political environment, they are primed to be able to build the political consensus needed to implement such a plan.

This must be a priority of the right; especially the religious parties. According to Talmudic law, a physical messianic war is not mandatory before world peace can come. Positive prophecies must occur, yet negative prophecies can be forestalled or even rescinded with penance and good deeds. (Maimonides, Fundamentals of the Torah, chapter 10)

Which would seem to indicate that the messiah can come even without a physical war of Gog and Magog (as was foretold in Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39). If this interpretation is true, then to avoid seeking a peace plan and waiting for a War of Armageddon as a geo-political fix-all would violate the commandment of “Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.” (Leviticus 19.16) Therefore the theoretical vehicle towards peace that we use must resolve not only all major secular issues it must also not preclude the resolution of religious ideals as well. It must be pragmatic and yet prophecy-friendly as well. Only in this way can Israeli Jew and Gentile, Arab and Bedouin, Religious and Secular achieve a lasting and secure peace that not only prevents external threats, but serves to heal internal trans-societal rifts.

Rabbi Benny Elon’s Israeli Initiative peace plan does not end false accusations against Israel of Arabic land grabbing, but the Everyone Wins Peace Plan does. In fact, any Kahane type plan, that seeks to toss out all Arabs from the West Bank and Gaza, that is not implemented only following a massive, map changing war, would not likely serve to eliminate false accusations against Israel, but would likely, Heaven forefend, only increase such slander and libel. We need to work towards bringing forth a peace plan that resolves all the problems at once, and yet does not depend on an apocalyptic war to smooth out any ruffled feathers that may remain when all is said and done.

“Apartheid State” (and other such false claims like that) would simply not hold water when the Palestinians have been accepted into Israeli society. At that point if anyone criticizes Israel, they would be criticizing the homogenized Jewish/Arabic post-conflict democracy of the Israel of tomorrow. The key is in removing terrorists and their supporters from Palestinian Arab applicants of naturalization into the State of Israel, plus doing this at a rate that does not overwhelm Israel’s immigration and naturalization infrastructure, nor significantly alter electorate configuration to give unfair advantage to naturalized Arabs. Once you do that, not only is it safe to integrate Palestinian Arabs into Israeli society, it would help to remove international animosity and slander against Israel and delegitimatize discrimination in favor of Palestinian Arabs and against Israeli Jews and Arabs as viable foreign policy. The façade of hating Israel as a pseudo-legitimate way to get away with anti-Semitism would crumble and people and nations would simply have to admit bias against Jews or pack their bags and go home. Israel’s new nickname among its former critics would then be, the “Humanitarian State.”

By implementing the principles of the Everyone Wins Peace Plan the Israeli government can find a single and straight path towards secular redemption and the requisite freedom for its citizens to choose to pursue religious salvation. As I mentioned before, however, should any peace plan that does not surrender Jewish holy sites be enacted before my peace plan could be, we should support it wholeheartedly, and not pursue the Everyone Wins Peace Plan as the better policy for the State of Israel. Life must come before anybody’s personal honor, so let me be clear on this point to any and all readers, students or fans of mine who end up in positions of power with the capacity to help implement “Everyone Wins” in actual practice. “Everyone Wins” should not be used as a hammer or an anvil to create headaches for the government of Israel. In such a case we should help the Israeli hasbara movement and help explain that true peace is good, however bumpy the road is.

Practical good-peace is better than theoretically perfect-peace. For if peace is not in the realm of actuality then it is not true peace. But if Israel should find itself in a new peace venture that does not lead to peace, then we must definitely be prepared to shout out loud and clear in support of the peace plan that seems to be the most consistent with the will of God and the needs of humankind, no matter how simple its author may be.

Religious Parties Unite!

In order to fully represent the religious concerns of all Jews the world over for the continued free access to holy sites throughout the West Bank and especially enhancing freedom of worship at the Temple Mount, the religious parties must unite to offer one loud and clear voice that accurately expresses worldwide Jewish religious aspirations, rather than through many small voices that sometimes are at odds with each other, asking for things that appear to be at the polar opposite of the other party.

This is what needs to be done...

First on the Rabbinical level, a Bais Din (rabbinical court) of 5 or most likely 7 of the most premiere politically outspoken and heeded sages should formed. Each of these rabbis would then select an alternate rabbi to fill in for themselves if they are unable to continue in their duties. This advisory council of rabbis will increase the collective power of rabbinical thought, even through their surrendering of the great deal of individual power that they currently hold over their respective parties. Having this bais din of rabbis will mitigate libel (loshon hora) against individual rabbis, as it will be perceived that it is the Torah itself that is speaking, not any one person with any single agenda. The perceived agenda would then be Hashem/God's will alone. Imagine the sanctification of God's Holy Name (Kiddush Hashem)!

Second, all parties that revere the advice of the rabbis should unite into a single party. This small council of rabbis will replace the large body of less renown rabbinical advisers who currently offer direction. All those current rabbis and members of all the parties involved in this United Religious Party will instead hold a single conference to vote on political advice to give to the executive bais din of 5 to 7 gedolim (great sages) mentioned above. Except for those great rabbis on the executive bais din, all members of such a conference should run according to the concept of one man, one vote. But the lone communication point to the members of Knesset should be via the executive bais din. A single voice, a single direction.

Third, the political leaders chosen to become members of Knesset should still be chosen by the will of the people, the executive bais din should have the right to veto a candidate's eligibility (which would take place quietly, before the votes of the party voters are cast). An announcement can be made before the vote of people who have decided at the last minute to not run after all (whether truthfully it is of their will or of the bais din's command will not be disclosed) which would be a nice way to exclude those that the bais din has rejected without embarrassing anyone in public.

Fourth, the candidates must be trustworthy and trusted. Trustworthy to do the will of the people and bais din, trusted to act without consent of even the executive bais din if national security, timely diplomacy, natural disasters or other such pressing matters preclude their taking the time to inquire of the most preferred methodology as per wishes of Bais Din.

Every party has its own bias. If Judaic religious freedom is to have the most effective advocacy, which is the very reason I started this blog in the first place, then it needs its own party to represent it. A party should not just be a clique that represents a single stream of constituents, rather it should be a representative body for all the people. All the people in this case, are all the religious people. Therefore the religious party of the State of Israel must be a religious party for all the religious Jewish people.

The Bearing of Leadership: National and Religious Parties, Let Your Platforms Bloom

The newly revised National Union party in Israel is a breath of fresh air. Five parties joining into one is essential to not only serve to consolidate political power for the parties involved, but to offer true democratic choice to the voters of Israel. When there are dozens of parties running, having parties that stand for more than a single issue is a vital prerequisite for such to occur.

The reason why there have only been three parties that have actually led an Israeli government, despite the fact that hundreds of parties have been created over the past sixty years, is because only a handful bothered to make a political platform broader than one or two issues. Just as when voters look for leadership qualities in potential heads of state and those candidates who lack that charismatic aspect never seem to get into the real contest because they usually lose support long before the elections arrive, so too voters look for parties that seem competent enough to handle all the affairs of state, not just their pet issues. This is true for any party.

Because of the natural variety of opinion to be found in a mixture such as the new National Union party offers, they are bound to be more ready to represent a broader knowledge base and finer leadership qualities than other national parties have in the past. Consequently, they should garner more votes than any party on the right has in a long time; which is the opposite direction that the new Jewish Home party is currently going in. By giving extraordinary weight to former National Religious Party members, they are currently giving the appearance of a party that is trying to cling to a smaller base of political issues.

Likud did a similar thing by marginalizing right wing elements in the party, and only after that did they start to fall in the polls. But this sort of behavior does not simplify or purify the image of a party to the voter, rather it destroys the demeanor of leadership that a mainstream party must present if it is to become an upper echelon party in Israel's political future. If you are in a political party on the Israeli political right or true political center (Left wing Kadima, please sit down), then take my advice and let your political platforms bloom with diversity.

Finally Action in Gaza: Now Make it Final!

I wish to offer congratulations to the Kadima led government on overcoming the lethargy that restrained them and their now actively allowing the IDF to do its job and defend the citizens of the State of Israel. Action in Lebanon ended a long time ago and there is no reason to allow any failure there to make one hesitant to act in self defense if needed.


What goals do I seek from the assault on Hamas?

1. Destruction of all rocket launcher infrastructure, including ports at sea, or concealed tunnels to Egypt, if that is where the new arms are coming in.
2. Rescue Gilad Shalit.
3. Regime change in Gaza.

Pro-Abbas people in Israel and the USA are constantly whining about how he is at risk of being overwhelmed by Hamas. Time to call their bluff and eliminate his opposition. Give him a chance to renounce terrorism without opposition. If even in an environment without fear he echoes Arafat's policies, then that would prove to the left that he is not a partner in peace. Something people to the right and center already know.

If Olmert, Barak and Livni do not completely remove Abbas' enemies, Hamas, from power in Gaza, then they are effectively admitting that:

1. Abbas is not a true partner in peace,
2. that they need to allow Abbas the Hamas scapegoat eternally to cover up Abbas' terrorist leanings (don't notice the kinder and gentler terrorist (at Jerusalem's northern suburbs) when you have the pro-Iranian terrorist in Gaza), and
3. they have zero faith that Abbas will ever truly leave his terrorist ways behind him unless they hurry up and give up a lot more land than Likud ever would.
4. there is almost no hope for Olmert, Barak and Livni ever coming to their senses.
   

Perhaps if my three test goals are achieved by the current leadership in Israel, then there would be indication of hope (in the long term) for Olmert and Livni. But in the immediate future, at least, no matter what happens in Gaza, I do not expect endorsing them for reelection as the top party in Israel any time soon. This matter should have been resolved many months, and many thousands of rockets, and much, much pain, cost and fear, ago. Under no circumstances should they be rewarded with a vote for Livni at this time at least, even if you disagree with me and support their beliefs. It is just rewarding bad leadership and thus not good public policy to give them any real political clout in the very next government.

May the God of Israel protect His people from all harm!

Ending the Era of Weakness: Annex the West Bank and Gaza

A couple of days ago the man who is likely to be the next Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu said:

"...the era of weakness of the Livni-Olmert government is over". "What the citizens of Israel have been witnessing in the last few months is an ongoing weakness, a willingness to give up everything in exchange for nothing..."

"The government releases 1000 terrorists without any return. It makes concessions in Jerusalem, it is willing to return to the 1967 lines - and the most incredible thing, it is willing to absorb thousands of Palestinian refugees into Israel. I plan to make it clear to President Sarkozy and to all our friends and foes across the globe: this policy is going to end."

"A Likud government led by me will restore security to the people of Israel, will restore pride and determination to our policies. We will stand decisively for a united Jerusalem and defensible borders in every diplomatic arena. We will not agree to have a single refugee from 1948 enter the sovereign state of Israel, not to Ashkelon, not to Jaffa, not to Acre, or any other place".

My reaction is fourfold. Two praises and two admonitions to Mr. Netanyahu.

First, good analysis by Bibi regarding the Olmert-Livni government.

Two, it is nice to hear he wishes to return Israel to a policy of strength against terror.

Three, the down side of Bibi's Theory of Reciprocity, is that once the other side does actually comply, the pendulum of concessions swings back towards you. Yes to Jerusalem, but what about Hebron and the other Holy places of the West Bank?

Four, he should not call Palestinian refugees in foreign lands by the title refugees as it could seem to some that he is referring to West Bank and Gaza Palestinian Arabs who are still technically refugees under International Law. It is OK to refer to West Bank and Gazan Palestinians as refugees, because it removes the false stigma of "Occupied Territories". Israel is not the occupying force, the Palestinians are residing on unofficially annexed Israeli land.

Well, Bibi can remove both of my criticisms at the same time by merely Annexing the West Bank and Gaza with a simultaneous enactment into Israeli law of the Everyone Wins Peace Plan as their mode of resolving the refugee problem. Now that there exists a safe way to take in refugees, they morally should, because now it is merciful, not weak, to do so, but only if in accordance to a non-suicidal naturalization plan such as found in the Everyone Wins plan. Such mercy towards Palestinian Arabs would also be just, so that no one should ever compare Olmert's sin of allowing terrorists to fire at civilians indiscriminately with the lofty goal of aiding refugees.

One more issue Mr. Netanyahu raised in his statement.

"The era of weakness is about to end, and it will me my friends and I in the Likud who put an end to it and restore security to the people of Israel", Netanyahu concluded.

Bibi has to realize that humility is good, even in politics. Mentioning God's help at this point would not hurt him with Israel's religious and traditional voters, and serve to indicate that he is not at risk to fall into Ariel Sharon's trap of arrogance. Sharon "made" the settlements and felt that entitled him to take them apart as well. But the truth is that everyone in life is just God's messenger on the path that they freely choose to follow. The path we choose. But the force of causation is to God alone.

A man of Truth and Strength requires Humility and Compassion as well, in order to be an ideal leader.

Hybridized Political Thought on the Middle East Conflict

A Statement of Hybridized Political Thought on the Middle East Conflict

By Alan Friedlander

By the grace of God, I was blessed to write previously from a religious perspective on why there should be Israeli concern for Arabic civil rights in the West Bank and Gaza, even as land-for-peace is rejected as an option in a peace process. India is a country that knows all too well how the surrender of land to a single disgruntled ethnic group to form a country of their own does not guarantee a lasting peace. I wrote from a religious perspective on this eight months ago, not in an effort to force my religious viewpoint on anyone, Israeli or Arab, religious or secular, rather my call for the disentitlement of Arabs to absolute control of the territories that they currently occupy is due only because their claims are legally unequal to Israeli claims even according to non-sectarian international legal principles as well. It is this fact that international law and the Jewish faith have a common ground in realities on the ground in the Middle East Conflict that gives a cause for hope to find a greater consensus towards lasting peace in any peace process that will seriously consider both perspectives at the same time.

Did you ever wonder why Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers of the USA decided to quote mainly from political philosopher John Locke when writing the Declaration of Independence? Benjamin Franklin personally knew several members of the French Enlightenment. So why did they skip the Philosophes of their day to quote a philosopher of the previous century? You see, in political thought, in ancient times, religion preceded secularism. During and following the Enlightenment, secularism preceded religion. But between those ages, in the early Modern Period, political philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke openly considered both perspectives in unison, in what I consider a generally healthier dose of hybridized thought, which outclasses mainstream secularist myopia that burdens many political theorists today. Hobbes and Locke, if they lived today, would outclass today’s philosophers in their ability to evaluate modern issues that stand in the way of successful peace processes and thereby be more readily able to create a new philosophic direction to cure such woes. In the Enlightenment, religion was labeled (libeled?) as less rational. But, even assuming so, in the pursuit of finding a true peace methodology, "Rationalism" alone does not adequately address the causes and does not accurately predict future reactions of opposing religious belief systems and the disparate people who possess them.

Jews are bidden, by the Creator of All, to be a ‘light unto the nations’ (Isaiah 42.6 & 49.6); implicit in this is the need for Jews to not hate or discriminate against gentiles as a chosen policy. Only true enemies of creation (such as terrorists) deserve the dispensing of hatred as policy, as per: "Those who hate You, O Lord, I hate and with those who contend against You, I shall contend.” (Psalm 139.21).

Because the ways of peace requires dealing with peoples of other religions, it is not a lack of faith to seek secularly acceptable standards for international relations. Indeed, the way of the Torah is to avoid conflict by finding a compromise solution that does not compromise one’s faith. In other words, evaluate each potential peace solution in the guiding light of the Torah, even if every last minutia is not found in the Torah. Seeking hybridized political standards in diplomacy, therefore, is consistent with the Torah attitude towards political philosophy.

I am not suggesting placing any other philosophy on par with God’s Holy Word. I mean that those who refuse to listen to religion or those that refuse to listen to any ideas from those who are not religious are leaving themselves bereft of the full picture and also the very goal of the Torah’s path to peace itself. Simply put: by hearing all sides, a common ground can be found. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes knew at least that much.

True enemies of Israel, according to Western/Lockean Theory, would be those who try to extinguish Israeli Life, Liberty, or Property; Heaven forefend. Life corresponds to true peace, Liberty relates to the right to pursue religious freedoms such as for Jews to worship at their holy sites without danger, and Property is land and the buildings upon it and the potential prosperity that they can bring.

Assuming friendly Arabs respect the concept of everyone sharing evenhanded Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Property Rights, and of all Israelis being protected under IDF rule and Jews worshipping at their holy sites, then so too Israelis must be prepared to acknowledge that West Bank and Gaza Arabs are people too, and like Israeli settlers they should be allowed to keep their homes and have affordable and legitimately achievable access to good jobs and economic improvement. But I want even more than such basics for them. To fulfill the Lord's Will, it appears to me that we must go beyond our current achievements for their betterment, but of course, only once West Bank and Gaza Palestinians as a whole go beyond their current rabid levels of opposition to even the most fundamental Israeli and non-Islamic rights in the Holy Land.

On that fateful day, when the knowledge of the Lord and tolerance of others are ingrained into Palestinian society more deeply than the worship of terror is today, then these wonderful things can occur. Then we can ask ourselves whether we are doing enough to truly respect Arabic Palestinians. This process would be hastened by a program that weeds terrorists out of normative Palestinian society.

Achieving true regard for and from West Bank and Gaza Arabs, in such an enlightened age of post-terrorism, comes by advocating an end to their current segregation from normative Israeli Arabic society. Tearing down a fence may not be enough to bring economic and other forms of equality fast enough to make them feel a part of the State of Israel. Yes, that is important. Trust me on this. Imagine if you were one of them.

Once we agree to the same goal, i.e., to transition West Bank and Gaza Arabs from refuges to immigrants as soon as possible, and that everyone in the territories who rejects terrorism deserves to keep their home and not fear eviction, Jew and Arab alike, then the only real question is what step to take next to help integrate the Arab immigrants into Israeli society. The best vehicle to this, in my opinion would be to allow a natural enhancement to the current level of immigrant Palestinian Arab civil rights in Israel, and I suggest that this should be by giving them the right to vote in Israeli elections, just as their cousins over the Green Line enjoy today, but only in a way that is not demographically destructive to the State of Israel.



Further Reading (full URLs of the above hyperlinks)…
http://jerusalemdefender.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-i-still-reject-kahanism-despite.html
http://jerusalemdefender.blogspot.com/2008/08/israeli-settlements-are-legal-under.html
http://jerusalemdefender.blogspot.com/2008/05/discussion-on-mechanics-of.html
http://jerusalemdefender.blogspot.com/2008/06/critique-of-elon-plan-and-summary-of.html


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In honor of my mother, Sarah bas Yosef HaCohain, 13 years since her passing to the World of Truth

The Violence at Beit Hashalom: How the Olmert Administration is Inciting Radicalism

The ill advised forced evacuation at Beit Hashalom took place today. It did not have to. It could and should have been delayed until a less sensitive time, assuming that the people settled there needed to be moved for the sake of the greater good of the nation, which, of course, they did not.

It was all the clumsy provocation of Defense Minister and Labor Party leader Ehud Barak.

As the United Nations representative was placing all the blame on "Settler Extremists", Prime Minister Olmert was busy praising the real culprit, Ehud Barak.

Not only the rough handling of the situation caused this violent reaction, but it was done at the same time that Israel is being attacked by rockets from Gaza, and several weeks following an either dishonest or impotent declaration by Kadima Party leader and PM candidate Tzipi Livni that if the violence occurred they would react. In an act of lunacy, or evil, or stupidity and probably in a combination of all the above, Livni's effective reaction to Hamas terror as implemented by Ehud Barak, and cheered on by Olmert, was to punish Israeli settlers for the crimes of Hamas.

I am not stating that they chose this as policy, but such was the obvious inference of the emotional reaction that would ensue from a crackdown on law abiding settlers at the same time when seemingly limitless patience is shown to terrorists. According to Lockean Theory, it may be possible to claim that the settlers had a legal right to defend themselves against such a move, in such a time as was perpetrated by the Israeli government. A government must protect its people, not subject them to such cruelty.

Further, innocent Arabs whom this government wishes to give a country to, had to deal with vandalism. If this government does not help its own citizens, nor people who they do not consider citizens, then there is no one gaining any benefit from this government!

A government that does not defend its citizens, but rather allows the enemies of its people to wantonly attack without reprisal and then implements poorly timed policies against its own people, does not deserve to be in power. Must not remain in power.

Massive non-violent rallies and possibly labor strikes must take place until the elections are pushed forward sooner than the current February timetable.

No longer is the Kadima Party/Labor Party government merely a national security risk, but now it has become an internal security issue as well; freely chosen by Israel's current leadership. The time has come for Israel to freely choose better leadership. It would be a mistake to assume this is the last foolhardy trick that the current government has up its sleeves.

The reaction required in the face of these matters is that loyal Israelis should do whatever non violent acts that are required to force elections to be held immediately!

The Problem With Kadima: A Lesson in Pseudo Political Centrism

Israel National News reported last week Deputy Prime Minister, Retired Colonel and Kadima Party member Otniel Schneller's call for the fortification of the schools in Ashkelon to protect them from Gazan rockets. That call is symbolic of the mire that the Kadima Party has become stuck in. To act one needs conviction. To possess conviction, one needs a moral or ethical base. To achieve their targeted goals, Kadima party members had to leave their philosophies behind them and go full throttle towards "peace". They used "peace" as their objective standard. Yet as their current usage of the term "peace" is linked to the failed philosophy of Land-For-Peace, Kadima's objective standard is inherently flawed. This well meaning declaration by Schneller reveals the troubled core of Kadima's pseudo political centrist nature.

Without the popular, if not always wise, instincts of Ariel Sharon leading them, Kadima has become a party that speaks tough, but does little. The antithesis of effective leadership, Kadima's leaders like to walk loudly and carry a sponge stick. They lift their sponge sticks at the enemies of Israel and say, "Don't make me use this." Then two days later they say to Israel's enemies, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Let's discuss more one sided concessions to prove that we truly want peace."

Two weeks ago it was reported that Kadima's latest leader Tzipi Livni said that Israel will do something if the shelling continued. Livni said, "There is no such thing as a partial ceasefire... If the ceasefire violations continue, Israel will see no impediment to action." It was assumed that she meant to actually do something against that group of naughty and elusive 'partners in peace', Hamas, and not towards all those 'offensive' school buildings in Ashkelon. So far that assumption is looking like overly wishful thinking.

Last week PM Olmert made some noises about peace in our time (in an apparent attempt to justify Kadima inaction to the threat against Israeli citizens) immediately before he lost his last shred of political legitimacy as voices from parties on the left as well demanded his resignation following the Attorney General Mazuz declaration of intent to indict him. As there seems to be no real difference in his policies and Livni's stated intentions, I find no reason to rush to eject him and replace him with Livni. I support the concept of innocent until proven guilty, and a Livni Premiership would not offer Israel's National Security a significant enough enhancement to warrant an exception to this rule. The real guilt lies with the Kadima Party itself and unless elections are hastened, which I believe they should be, then I do not join in the chorus that Olmert leave office immediately over crimes that he has yet to be found guilty of in a court of law. Rather, Olmert should leave office immediately in conjunction with hastening the upcoming elections. Why wait for February? The Israeli elections should be held immediately so that a real peace process can begin. A party cannot lead if it has lost its way.

Kadima's position on national security just does not make any sense. But again, I am looking at this from a perspective of one who assumes that a government wishes to protect its own citizenry. Perhaps the suggestion to fortify schools is so that Ashkelon residents can at least have a few vicarious hours of respite from terror knowing that each day their kids are safe for a few hours, at least until it's time for the bus ride home each evening; God protect. Again this is only today's apparent meaning to the weak Kadima perception of National Security. Tomorrow perhaps some more radically imbecilic statement will issue forth from Kadima leadership like plastic pearls of wisdom on a hot stove top.

God knows, even if Kadima clearly does not.

One never really knows what to expect from Kadima; not because they are so perfectly moderate in their political beliefs so that no one to the right or left can fathom their brilliant wisdom, but the very opposite, because they are so weakly attached to any guiding philosophy whether right or left. This is a complete breakdown of the entire centrist mandate that their constituency originally voted for.

Kadima's weak leadership has allowed the practiced national security policies of Israel to become extremely left wing in character. The only way to even the balance scale of Israeli leadership is for politically moderate voters in Israel to shift their political support to the politically right parties in order to tip the scale back towards the middle and restore the proper political equilibrium to the Knesset. How far to the right this shift requires the Israeli voter to go depends on how far Kadima's inaction, and the potential actions of the enemies of Israel reacting to weak Kadima leadership, serve to pull Israeli security out of kilter between now and the elections. Therefore to enhance National Security and the hope of real peace, I recommend that Israel should hold elections immediately.

The Saudi Peace Plan is Roadmap to Armageddon

Let’s look at the recent timeline of the news wires on the Saudi Arabian Peace Plan of 2002 which calls for Israel to pull back its settlements to the 1967 Green Line border demarcation, which Abba Eban had named the "Auschwitz lines".

• In March 2007 JPost reported that, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel was willing to make "sweeping, painful and tough concessions" to encourage dialogue with its enemies.

Well, how about making the concession that land for peace peace-deals do not work and then immediately holding elections?

• March 22, 2007 Jerusalem Post citing AP spoke of the USA wanting the Saudi peace plan amended to fit with the Roadmap to Peace.

The Roadmap already being a peace plan which fails to guarantee protection of Jewish rights to their holy sites.

• March 29, 2007 Haaretz reported that Arab states unanimously approve Saudi peace initiative.

Saudi Arabia gave an ultimatum of Israeli acceptance or else no peace, indicating a rejection of the entire concept of negotiations toward peace. Thus this plan should be called the Saudi Ultimatum Plan, and rightly leave the hallowed word “peace” out of the whole sordid affair.

• October 19, 2008 NY Daily News quoting AP Ehud Barak said that Israel was considering the Saudi peace plan

• October 23, 2008 IsraelNationalNews.com Shimon Peres praised the spirit of the Saudi Plan
  
• November 12/13, 2008 BBC and JTA reported that Shimon Peres lauded and praised the Saudi plan The Saudi-led peace initiative is a "serious opening for real progress," Shimon Peres told a United Nations gathering.(JTA)
  
• November 16, 2008 JPost: 'Obama to endorse Arab Peace Plan'

Clearly, from a close read of all his statements on the matter, Peres intends that Israel should try to edit the plan somewhat closer to the imperceptibly less offensive Roadmap to Peace. Yet the Saudi plan is build upon zero compromise by the Arab League. Where are Olmert, Livni, Barak and Peres trying to lead Israel? I do not care anymore about how noble their intentions may be. Look at the precipice before you, People!

The current Israeli government itself is leading President Elect Obama in this direction. This makes the statements by the current Israeli government insidious as it is an attempt to preempt the likely right leaning results of the impeding elections. A party placing its agenda before the best interests of the voters clearly loses it mandate. The Obama Administration should keep in mind that it is the current Resigned Prime Minister Olmert led government of Israel that is “changing its mind” and that change is non representative of the will of the people of the State of Israel.

It is vital that before Obama’s Middle East Policy is solidly in place that a more rational alternative is presented by key leaders in the Israeli government opposition. The time has come for the Israeli Right to decide firmly on an alternative peace plan that protects Jerusalem and run with it.