<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div><span></span></div><div><br></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><a href="http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090112/avnery">http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090112/avnery</a><o:p></o:p></i></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><i>The Nation<o:p></o:p></i></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b>A Memo to Obama on Israel<o:p></o:p></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><i>Comment<o:p></o:p></i></div> <div class="MsoNormal">by<b> <a href="http://www.thenation.com/directory/bios/uri_avnery">URI AVNERY</a><o:p></o:p></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><i> <o:p></o:p></i></div> <div class="MsoNormal">December 29, 2008<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><i>This article originally appeared on Uri Avnery's <a href="http://www.avnery-news.co.il/"><b>website</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></i></div> <div class="MsoNormal">The following humble suggestions are based on my seventy years of experience as an underground fighter, special forces soldier in the 1948 war, editor-in-chief of a newsmagazine, member of the Knesset and founding member of a peace movement:<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">1) As far as Israeli-Arab peace is concerned, you should act from Day One.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">2) Israeli elections are due to take place in February 2009. You can have an indirect but important and constructive impact on the outcome, by announcing your unequivocal determination to achieve Israeli-Palestinian, Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-all-Arab peace in 2009.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">3) Unfortunately, all your predecessors since 1967 have played a double game. While paying lip service to peace, and sometimes going through the motions of making some effort for peace, they have in practice supported our governments in moving in the very opposite direction. In particular, they have given tacit approval to the building and enlargement of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories, each of which is a land mine on the road to peace.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">4) All the settlements are illegal in international law. The distinction sometimes made between "illegal" outposts and the other settlements is a propaganda ploy designed to obscure this simple truth.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">5) All the settlements since 1967 have been built with the express purpose of making a Palestinian state--and hence peace--impossible, by cutting the territory of the prospective State of Palestine into ribbons. Practically all our government departments and the army have openly or secretly helped to build, consolidate and enlarge the settlements--as confirmed by the 2005 report prepared for the government by lawyer Talia Sasson.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">6) By now, the number of settlers in the West Bank has reached some 250,000 (apart from the 200,000 settlers in the Greater Jerusalem area, whose status is somewhat different). They are politically isolated, and sometimes detested by the majority of the Israel public, but enjoy significant support in the army and government ministries.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">7) No Israeli government would dare to confront the concentrated political and material might of the settlers. Such a confrontation would need very strong leadership and the unstinting support of the President of the United States to have any chance of success.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">8) Lacking these, all "peace negotiations" are a sham. The Israeli government and its US backers have done everything possible to prevent the negotiations with both the Palestinians and the Syrians from reaching any conclusion, for fear of provoking a confrontation with the settlers and their supporters. The present "Annapolis" negotiations are as hollow as all the preceding ones, each side keeping up the pretense for its own political interests.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">9) The Clinton administration, and even more so the Bush administration, allowed the Israeli government to keep up this pretense. It is therefore imperative to prevent members of these administrations from diverting your Middle Eastern policy into the old channels.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">10) It is important for you to make a complete new start, and to state this publicly. Discredited ideas and failed initiatives--such as the Bush "vision," the Road Map, Annapolis and the like--should be thrown into the junkyard of history.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">11) To make a new start, the aim of American policy should be stated clearly and succinctly. This should be: to achieve a peace based on the two-state solution within a defined time span (say, by the end of 2009).<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">12) It should be pointed out that this aim is based on a reassessment of the American national interest, in order to extract the poison from American-Arab and American-Muslim relations, strengthen peace-oriented regimes, defeat Al Qaeda-type terrorism, end the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and achieve a viable accommodation with Iran.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13) The terms of Israeli-Palestinian peace are clear. They have been crystallized in thousands of hours of negotiations, conferences, meetings and conversations. They are:<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.1) A sovereign and viable State of Palestine will be established side by side with the State of Israel.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.2) The border between the two states will be based on the pre-1967 Armistice Line (the "Green Line"). Insubstantial alterations can be arrived at by mutual agreement on an exchange of territories on a 1:1 basis.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.3) East Jerusalem, including the Haram-al-Sharif ("Temple Mount") and all Arab neighborhoods will serve as the capital of Palestine. West Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and all Jewish neighborhoods, will serve as the capital of Israel. A joint municipal authority, based on equality, may be established by mutual consent to administer the city as one territorial unit.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.4) All Israeli settlements--except any which might be joined to Israel in the framework of a mutually agreed exchange of territories-- will be evacuated (see 15 below).<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.5) Israel will recognize in principle the right of the refugees to return. A Joint Commission for Truth and Reconciliation, composed of Palestinian, Israeli and international historians, will examine the events of 1948 and 1967 and determine who was responsible for what. Each individual refugee will be given the choice between (1) repatriation to the State of Palestine, (2) remaining where he/she is living now and receiving generous compensation, (3) returning to Israel and being resettled, (4) emigrating to any other country, with generous compensation. The number of refugees who will return to Israeli territory will be fixed by mutual agreement, it being understood that nothing will be done that materially alters the demographic composition of the Israeli population. The large funds needed for the implementation of this solution must be provided by the international community in the interest of world peace. This will save much of the money spent today on military expenditure and direct grants from the United States.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.6) The West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip constitute one national unit. An extraterritorial connection (road, railway, tunnel or bridge) will connect the West Bank with the Gaza Strip.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.7) Israel and Syria will sign a peace agreement. Israel will withdraw to the pre-1967 line and all settlements on the Golan Heights will be dismantled. Syria will cease all anti-Israeli activities conducted directly or by proxy. The two parties will establish normal relations between them.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">13.8) In accordance with the Saudi Peace Initiative, all member states of the Arab League will recognize Israel and establish normal relations with it. Talks about a future Middle Eastern Union, on the model of the EU, possibly to include Turkey and Iran, may be considered.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">14) Palestinian unity is essential for peace. Peace made with only one section of the people is worthless. The US will facilitate Palestinian reconciliation and the unification of Palestinian structures. To this end, the US will end its boycott of Hamas, which won the last elections, start a political dialogue with the movement and encourage Israel to do the same. The US will respect any result of democratic Palestinian elections.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">15) The US will aid the government of Israel in confronting the settlement problem. As from now, settlers will be given one year to leave the occupied territories voluntarily in return for compensation that will allow them to build their homes in Israel proper. After that, all settlements--except those within any areas to be joined to Israel under the peace agreement--will be evacuated.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal">16) I suggest that you, as president of the United States, come to Israel and address the Israeli people personally, not only from the rostrum of the Knesset but also at a mass rally in Tel-Aviv's Rabin Square. President Anwar Sadat of Egypt came to Israel in 1977, and, by addressing the Israeli people directly, completely changed their attitude towards peace with Egypt. At present, most Israelis feel insecure, uncertain and afraid of any daring peace initiative, partly because of a deep distrust of anything coming from the Arab side. Your personal intervention, at the critical moment, could literally do wonders in creating the psychological basis for peace.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><i>About Uri Avnery<o:p></o:p></i></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><i>Uri Avnery is a veteran of Israel's 1948 war, a former Member of the Knesset, founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement and winner of the 2001 Right Livelihood Award, often called the "alternative Nobel Peace Prize." His book "1948: A Soldier's Tale, the Bloody Road to Jerusalem," which was published in Hebrew soon after the 1948 war and was a bestseller in Israel, has just been translated into English for the first time by Oneworld Publications.<o:p></o:p></i></div> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><br></div><div>------- </div><div><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Bold"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Bold"><b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/opinion/08khalidi.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/opinion/08khalidi.html</a><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Bold"><b>January 8, 2009 - New York Times<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Bold;color:#525551"><b>OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Bold"><b>What You Don’t Know About Gaza<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Bold"><b>By RASHID KHALIDI<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">NEARLY everything you’ve been led to believe about Gaza is wrong. Below are a few essential points that seem to be missing from the conversation, much of which has taken place in the press, about Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">THE GAZANS Most of the people living in Gaza are not there by choice. The majority of the 1.5 million people crammed into the roughly 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">THE OCCUPATION The Gazans have lived under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel is still widely considered to be an occupying power, even though it removed its troops and settlers from the strip in 2005. Israel still controls access to the area, imports and exports, and the movement of people in and out. Israel has control over Gaza’s air space and sea coast, and its forces enter the area at will. As the occupying power, Israel has the responsibility under the Fourth Geneva Convention to see to the welfare of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">THE BLOCKADE Israel’s blockade of the strip, with the support of the United States and the European Union, has grown increasingly stringent since Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006. Fuel, electricity, imports, exports and the movement of people in and out of the Strip have been slowly choked off, leading to life-threatening problems of sanitation, health, water supply and transportation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">The blockade has subjected many to unemployment, penury and malnutrition. This amounts to the collective punishment — with the tacit support of the United States — of a civilian population for exercising its democratic rights.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">THE CEASE-FIRE Lifting the blockade, along with a cessation of rocket fire, was one of the key terms of the June cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. This accord led to a reduction in rockets fired from Gaza from hundreds in May and June to a total of less than 20 in the subsequent four months (according to Israeli government figures). The cease-fire broke down when Israeli forces launched major air and ground attacks in early November; six Hamas operatives were reported killed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">WAR CRIMES The targeting of civilians, whether by Hamas or by Israel, is potentially a war crime. Every human life is precious. But the numbers speak for themselves: Nearly 700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since the conflict broke out at the end of last year. In contrast, there have been around a dozen Israelis killed, many of them soldiers. Negotiation is a much more effective way to deal with rockets and other forms of violence. This might have been able to happen had Israel fulfilled the terms of the June cease-fire and lifted its blockade of the Gaza Strip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia">This war on the people of Gaza isn’t really about rockets. Nor is it about “restoring Israel’s deterrence,” as the Israeli press might have you believe. Far more revealing are the words of Moshe Yaalon, then the Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, in 2002: “The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Georgia-Italic"><i>Rashid Khalidi, a professor of Arab studies at Columbia, is the author of the forthcoming “Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East."<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div></body></html>