IMRA
Weekly Commentary
21 July '11
Given the choice between the existential threat that a sovereign Palestinian state constitutes and the challenges the Jewish state will no doubt face should it annex Judea and Samaria, annexation is most definitely the preferable option.
Annexation is anything but a theoretical option.
The Palestinian leadership itself (including PA PM Fayyad) is on record accepting Israeli annexation as a substitute for a Palestinian state. Interestingly, he mentions the annexation option without even requiring Israel to throw in the right of return of refugees into the package.
Annexation is hardly a free lunch for Israel.
Because the only way that Israel can pull it off is if the Arabs now residing in Judea and Samaria are offered the opportunity to take Israeli citizenship and vote in Israel’s elections – as was the case for the residents of the Golan and eastern Jerusalem.
Sure, all kinds of ideas have been thrown around by some annexation proponents for ways to either prevent these Arabs from getting citizenship or voting schemes to limit their say via gerrymandering.
But all these schemes have the same basic problem: the only way the international community will accept this move is if there is a simple and transparent arrangement for the annexed Arabs to become Israeli citizens.
Anything short of that would guarantee Israel a nightmare of international condemnation, pressure and sanctions.
The morning after?
The only thing preventing an Arab from Nablus from moving to Haifa would be real estate prices.
UNWRA would close down operations in Judea and Samaria since the “refugees” would no longer be “refugees”.
Israel would face a tremendous budget challenge as it struggles to put together a plan to bring municipal and other services as well as infrastructure in Judea and Samaria up to national levels.
On the flip side, the flood of worker from Judea and Samaria would help make it possible to slash back on foreign workers in the country.
Again, annexation is not a free lunch.
But given the choice between living with annexation and the existential threat of a sovereign Palestinian state I choose life.
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The idea of a "budget challenge" seems to be less challenging than one might think, since Israel is now supporting a large part of Jehuda and Shomron through direct payments to the terrorists currently exercising power there. The savings realized through the redirection these funds to non-"Baksheesh" distribution channels, should bring about large savings.
ReplyDeleteThe net effect on the budget might be positive.
Shabbat Shalom