LIEBERMAN - DIPLOMATIC - NEGOTIATION

April 05 2007; 02:04PM
My Truth: The Middle East is nobody's playground
Avigdor Lieberman (Jerusalem Post)

In light of the recent inundation of peace initiatives in the region - predominantly originating from external players (such as the Saudi Plan and speaker Pelosi’s initiative in Damascus) – I would like to voice my reservations and conditions for any diplomatic negotiation.

On the Palestinian front, two points:

Firstly, I reiterate my position which I have stated publicly in the media, and privately to top US administration officials several times over the last six months: You can’t impose a political solution in the region before you ensure two basic prerequisites: Security for Israelis and prosperity for Palestinians.

Citizens on both sides of the conflict are tired of new peace plans and initiatives they have been disappointed too many times over the last 14 years. Every individual Israeli or Palestinian - has to see his own personal benefit in any agreement before endorsing it.

Secondly, any solution must take into account the status of Israeli Arabs (or as they prefer to be called, Palestinians living in Israel). The risk of ignoring this sector of the population is that we might find ourselves in the future with a Palestinian nation-state on the one hand, and Israel a bi-national state with over 20% minorities who have a strong, national bond to the neighboring state on the other.

In that occurrence, I predict we will either see an irridenta-type move to unite the predominately Arab Galilee and Negev desert regions with the future Palestinian state, or alternatively, a demand for their autonomy. Do not be mistaken - I am in favor of a two-state solution; not one and a half states for the Palestinian people and half a state for the Jewish people.

On the Syrian front:

There is no point starting any negotiations with talk about territorial concessions. Since the Camp David accords in 1978, the State of Israel has relinquished territory three times its size (Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, substantial parts of Judea and Samaria to the PA in the Oslo accords, and the Gaza strip to the PA in the 2005 disengagement), yet we are no closer to peace today than we were back then. In fact, we might be further away. The basis for peace with Syria must be peace-for-peace. This might sound revolutionary, but it is really the only formula that will ensure real peace, not a one sided real estate deal. If we can reach such an agreement, I am confident we will be able to settle our territorial disputes in an innovative way such as the long term land lease that was part of the Israel-Jordan peace deal.

Lastly, the Middle East is nobody’s playground. You don’t get to be a part of the process unless you are willing to be an integral part of the solution. This is not an experiment in political science or international relations. For example, one of the issues deemed toughest to resolve the issue of the Palestinian refugees can be easily put to rest by minimal investment ending their transitory status in the surrounding countries.