This course explores the politics of the Middle East with particular focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict, Identity and Politics in the region, the role of Islam and the U.S. in the region's politics. Fall 2007
posted by Muqtedar Khan @ 9:11 PM
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Dr. Muqtedar Khan is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware. He is also the Director of the Islamic Studies Program. He is a Non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of American Muslims: Bridging Faith and Freedom (Amana, 2002), Jihad for Jerusalem: Identity and Strategy in International Relations (Praeger, 2004).
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Joint statement of Israel’s goals and principals entering into final status negotiations.
The ultimate goal of Israel’s participation in final status negotiations is a complete end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in normal relations between two states, Israel and Palestine, recognized by all members of the international community, living side by side in mutual peace and prosperity. Israel also seeks peaceful and prosperous neighbors throughout the entire Middle East.
Israel continues to recognize the Palestinian Authority as the sole legal voice of the Palestinian people. Under no uncertain terms will Israel negotiate with anyone other than the president of the Palestinian Authority or his representatives. As the democratically elected president of the PA, Mahmoud Abbas alone has the legal authority to negotiate on behalf of all Palestinians.
The primary concern of Israel is the long term security of the Israeli people. Such security is achievable only through secure and recognized borders between Israel and Palestine in conformance with United Nations Resolution 242.
Israel is strongly committed to enforcing any negotiated peace. We call upon the Palestinian Authority to make a similarly strong commitment to ending all forms of violence and terrorism. The leadership of the Palestinian Authority must remain publicly and internally devoted to maintaining a monopoly over the use of force and eliminating violent groups bent on destroying peace.
Israel is committed to the long term economic and political viability of the Palestinian state. We call upon the international community to make a similar commitment of resources in order to ensure Palestine’s development and security. Israel seeks cooperation and negotiation regarding such issues as water, energy, transportation, telecommunications, and commerce.
Israel accepts as a matter of principal potential territorial “swaps” in which land annexed by Israel will be matched by territory ceded to Palestine in a ratio to be negotiated. We also seek a practical solution to disputes over areas of Jerusalem that recognizes residential realities and respects the holy sites of all faiths.
Israel recognizes the full and unconditional right of all Palestinians to return to a newly constituted Palestinian state. Palestinians who lost property amid past conflicts should be justly compensated. We unconditionally refuse, however, to agree to any plan that will result in the eventual end of Israel as a Jewish state. Israel’s Jewish integrity, like its security, must be maintained.
Overall, we remain optimistic that a just and lasting peace, while difficult, is well within reach.
As the deputy prime-minister of Israel and leader of Yisrael Beytenu party, I agree with the statement of our government to the extent that it provides for the population homogenization of the state of Israel, our homeland, and the security of all the people in Israel. I also agree with the proposed idea of land swaps to be used for the goal of achieving the before mentioned goals. I strongly oppose, however, transfer of any land or settlement in the Judeo-Sumerian territory to the Palestinian Authority. It is a Biblical land that no man or government can take righteously away from the Jewish people. I am willing however to accept giving the following territories to the Palestinian authority: some parts of Negev, and cities in the region of Haifa with predominantly Arab population.
I agree with the position of my government to refuse any negotiations or talks with Hamas, and I strongly encourage the International Community to provide assurance that whatever deal is reached between my government and the Palestinian Authority, that Hamas is not going to be allowed to take any part of any future government in any Palestinian territory.
I view with certain amount of suspicion and uncertainly the future of this so-called “peace deal” and the ability of the Palestinian Authority to carry out any deal. For this reason I call for change in the way the participant of this conference view this deal; for peace is an illusive term, that requires certain amount of political commitment and government strength that I fear the PA is lacking. In view of these facts, I call for a change in the general orientation of this conference: the goal should not be achieving something that cannot be achieved at the present moment, but bringing security and stability in the region.
Press Release, Wednesday, November 14, 2007
As Prime Minister of Israel, I am proud to report that the United States and Israel have successfully bridged all gaps between their respective proposals for the creation of a Palestinian state and an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. President Bush and his administration including Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Rice rightly deserve great praise for their hard work and devotion to peace. We hope that the United States will continue to remain a close partner of Israel in the pursuit of peace throughout any negotiations and beyond. Below is the blueprint that America and Israel have agreed upon as the basis for all further negotiations.
1)The creation of an effectively contiguous Palestinian state with secure and recognized borders based on the 1949 armistice line (the pre-1967 borders) in conformance with United Nations resolution 242.
a. While the pre-1967 borders are the proposed basis for the borders of the new Palestinian state, minor territorial adjustments are necessary in order to take into account residential realities on the ground.
b. Israel will annex large Jewish settlements (more appropriately deemed cities or towns) in the West Bank that contain tens of thousands of Jews including, but not limited to, Ariel, Ma’aleh Adumim, and Gush Etzion. These Jewish settlements are of crucial strategic importance to Israel (especially those surrounding Jerusalem such as Ma’aleh Adumim, and Gush Etzion) and are thus nonnegotiable . All Israeli settlements and military outposts remaining within the newly created Palestinian state will be dismantled over a period of 3-5 years.
c. After territorial adjustments, the new Palestinian state will be formed on 91% of the West Bank and 100% of the Gaza Strip, in addition to Israeli territory ceded to Palestine for land annexed by Israel in a ratio of 1:1. Israeli land ceded to Palestine as part of the “land swap” will come from land contiguous to the West Bank predominately inhabited by Israeli Arabs, such as sections of the Negev in the south and Galilee in the north.
d. Israel and the United States both understand that the lack of a contiguous Palestinian state is a potential barrier to mutual peace and prosperity. Both countries have agreed to help fund the construction of a high speed rail line and elevated highway linking the West Bank and Gaza Strip through the Negev desert. America and Israel seek the financial assistance of the international community in order to make the construction of the rail line and highway possible.
2) A just, practical, and sustainable division of Jerusalem based on the guiding principle of Israeli sovereignty over Jewish communities and Palestinian sovereignty over Arab communities, as well as respect for the holy sites of all faiths.
a. Jerusalem will be divided into two cities— a Jewish city to be known as Jerusalem which will serve as Israel’s capital (as it does now), and an Arab city to be known as Al-Quds (the Arabic name for Jerusalem) which will serve as the capital of the new Palestinian state.
b. Jewish areas outside Jerusalem’s current municipal boundaries will be annexed by Israel and officially become part of Jerusalem. Arab areas both inside and outside Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries will be granted full sovereignty and become the new Arab city of Al-Quds, the Palestinian capital.
c. Jerusalem’s ancient, walled Old City will be divided, with the Muslim quarter offered full sovereignty under the Palestinian state, while the Jewish, Christian, and Armenian quarters will remain fully under Israeli rule.
d. The new Palestinian state will also be granted full sovereignty over the Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, and Al Aqsa Mosque, provided that both Jews and Christians are guaranteed access to an area on the Temple Mount for religious observance and prayer. Israel will retain full sovereignty over the Western Wall.
e. Israel and Palestine will completely cede security control over all the holy sites on or near the Temple Mount to an international force whose mission is to ensure access and the safety of religious observers of all faiths. The Temple Mount area will essentially become a demilitarized zone for the forces of Israel and Palestine.
3)The creation and deployment of a Multinational Transitional Antiterrorism Force (MTAF) with a strong mandate to aid the Palestinian security forces in their fight against extremist groups bent on destroying peace.
a. Established by the United Nations, the MTAF will have a 3-5 year mandate to aid the new Palestinian state in maintaining a monopoly on the use of force and fighting extreme groups determine to continue violence against Israel. The MTAF must also be given the authority to pursue terrorists and their leaders directly with deadly force in the event that Palestinian security forces are unable to suppress terrorist violence against Israel on their own.
b. The United States agreed to make a significant contribution of troops to the MTAF but requests that the international community make a similarly strong commitment. European and especially Arab states must contribute troops to the multinational force in order for it to be both effective and legitimate.
c. Israel and the United States wish to make clear that the multinational force is designed to end the so-called “cycle of violence” while continuing the fight against terrorism. By ceding counterterrorism to Palestinian security forces and the MTAF, Israel seeks to avoid counterterrorist measures being perceived as Israeli aggression. It should be noted that the MTAF is in no way designed to replace the Israeli occupation and will be phased out over a period of 3-5 years, as Israeli withdrawal is completed.
4) An unlimited right of return of Palestinians to the newly constituted Palestinian state with a very limited right of return to Israel proper for the reunification of families only. Just compensation for refugees will also be provided.
a. The creation of an international fund to compensate Palestinians who lost property during the decades of war and conflict. The fund will have a target value of $40 billion.
b. Both Israel and the United States have agreed to make a significant financial contribution to the compensation fund, but international cooperation is crucial for the fund’s success. America and Israel call upon European and Arab nations to make a similarly significant financial contribution to the compensation fund.
Israel and the United States believe very strongly that the above blueprint represents the most practical and realistic hope for a just and sustainable peace. Both President Bush and I are optimistic that through this plan, the hopes of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples for peace can finally be realized.
Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister, State of Israel
For my simulation blog post, I didn't see any general blog set up for reflection, so I'll just post here as this is the group I participated with.
There are many things that I have learned as a result of this simulation, and it has given me great insight into the Arab-Israeli conflict. Prior to the simulation, I have personally always viewed the conflict as being purely between two parties, namely, the Israelis and the Palestinians. However, the first thing this simulation has taught me is that the process to peace, and the conflict in the Middle East in general, goes far beyond the simple notion that two nations must come to peace with each other through compromise. For starters, my role alone exemplified that there are outside factors that influence, or should influence, the peace process. As a lobbyist, one is to use his connections and the influence he has on the involved parties to reach his goals. Being a Christian Zionist lobbyist, my goal was to make sure Israel did not trade land for peace. Other lobbyists with the same overall objective included AIPAC and several American Zionists. Additionally, there were other nations that factored in as well, such as the United States, several European nations, Arab nations, Hamas, and others.
A second thing the simulation has given me insight to is the involvement of the media. Reporters, representing such news stations as Fox and BBC, were in constant contact with all those involved, and often gave the opposing sides insight as to what was going on. In fact, at one point during the simulation, the media leaked Israel’s willingness to divide Jerusalem.
Lastly, the simulation had given me a much better idea as to the extent of sacrifice that would have to come on both sides for a compromise to be reached. Israel had given up much more land than expected, while the Palestinians did not get all the land that they wanted, in addition to not getting a complete right to return. Instead, they had to settle for a rough estimate of about ten percent of all the Palestinians claim right to land in Israel.
DOWN WITH THE PALESTINIANS! Remember: This was a land without a people for a people without land.
These Palestinians only came back when they realized we wanted the land! That's how they got so many Arab terrorist armies to invade! The same sub-human bloodthirsty killers that terrorize us to this day!
ARE TERRORISTS HUMAN BEINGS?
These people are bent on the destruction of the Jewish people because they hate our freedom and our religion. How dare people say they are oppressed and merely fighting back! They use women and children as human shields in the battlefield!
GREATER ISRAEL, FROM THE NILE TO THE EUPHRATES WILL BE RESTORED!
-Yitzak Yitzak, West Bank Settler, American Citizen
[Drew Marshall]
The simulation itself was very frustrating for Christian Zionist’s, AIPAC and I. Our concerns regarding the original proposal and terms for peace on the first day were brushed off by Prime Minister Olmert. During the meeting he didn’t even give our position regarding control of Jerusalem, the Western Wall, or the West Bank any consideration. When we strongly voiced against a division of Jerusalem he said we would discuss it at a later date and that he would not propose this option to the Palestinians. He later went back on his promise and proposed a divided Jerusalem which angered many of those in his Pro-Israel group. As the simulation continued and the Pro-Israel group met with the United States we were further annexed from the discussion. Prime Minister Olmert approached the United States with a proposal which was not viewed or approved by any member of the Pro-Israeli parties. As the meeting with the United States continued, Condoleezza Rice, President Bush and Prime Minster Olmert expelled any objections made by parties from either group to the proposal. Within themselves they created and presented peace terms to the Palestinians and Pro-Palestinian parties containing conditions we were against. The frustration I felt throughout the process as my position was gravely overlooked showed me why a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine has proven to be so difficult. From this experience I learned that in order for peace to be reached, both sides will have to negotiate aspects of the terms that will ultimately anger many supporting and opposing parties and groups from both sides.
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