Israel’s Move Forward
By Yossi Amrani,
Consul General of Israel in San Francisco

April 26, 2004

Four years of terrorism and suffering for Israelis and Palestinians requires a change of course. In the summer of 2000, after years of negotiations, we were closer than ever to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But now with thousands of casualties after the failure of the historic summit at Camp David, we are further than ever from a real dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

It is time to move forward. The disengagement initiative aims at reaching exactly this goal. This initiative will result in the end of an Israeli presence in Gaza and much of northern Samaria. Simultaneously, Israel will work towards removing roadblocks in Judea and Samaria and strengthening Palestinian security forces. It is not a substitute for the Road Map or for direct negotiations. The scope of the Israeli initiative is modest, its goals far reaching.

Ten years of negotiations under the Oslo process and a daily battle against terrorism has disillusioned most regarding the chance of reaching a peace agreement through direct negotiations. One should remember that for Israel, direct negotiation has always been the goal as we aspire for acceptance and legitimacy as a Jewish democracy.

Palestinian Authority President Arafat’s failure in the Oslo process culminating at Camp David, his direct involvement in orchestrating and waging a terror war, and his refusal to enact necessary political and financial reforms in the Palestinian Authority yields recognition that at this moment there is no reliable Palestinian negotiating partner for Israel. The Road Map, which Israel strongly supports, cannot proceed with a Palestinian leadership compromised by terror.

Lacking a partner for negotiations does not mean that we have to endure more violence. We are now embarking upon Prime Minister Sharon’s pioneer approach of unilateral disengagement. Israel hopes that this initiative will allow the emergence of a Palestinian counterpart who will engage in serious negotiations aimed at resolving the core issues (borders, Jerusalem, and refugees).

This initiative brings hope; it brings our soldiers closer to home, minimizes friction between Israelis and Palestinians, and reestablishes Palestinian self-governance. We know that this is not a substitute for negotiations. The war against terror will continue as long as there are groups and individuals adhering to the philosophy of removing all Jews from Israel. We will continue to uproot and destroy the infrastructure of terror. The recent killing of the head of Hamas was part of that war.

For Palestinians, this is yet another opportunity to achieve their goal of self-determination. Israeli forces will no longer serve as scapegoats for their government’s malfunction.

In dismantling settlements, Israel recognizes the need for Palestinian territorial contiguity. Withdrawing from all settlements in Gaza and four in northern Samaria does not undermine Israel’s right to maintain settlements within its territory in a final agreement. That principle was accepted at Camp David under the auspices of President Clinton and is a legitimate interpretation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 that call for the establishment of defensible borders.
In his reaction to the initiative and to the US administration’s endorsement, Arafat exclaimed that without the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the Palestinians would never accept any agreement. The Palestinian people need to seize this opportunity by relinquishing their dreams to a right of return that undermines the integrity of Israel. It is time to recognize, as successive US administrations have done before and as President Bush stated last week, certain realities exist on the ground. As such, Palestinian refugees should resettle within a Palestinian state; we will share in the responsibility of creating economic conditions that allow the people to enjoy normal life.

Negotiations must eventually lead to permanent, recognized, and defensible borders. Borders will be the outcome of negotiations and recognition of security for Israel and territorial contiguity for a Palestinian state. Israel’s initiative is a step forward in untying the difficult knots of the last few generations. The international community, especially the Arab world, should take an active role in turning this initiative into a first step.

The aim of this plan is not to preempt negotiations; rather its aim is to clear the path for peace. It is not unilateralism by choice, it is unilateralism forced upon us by a Palestinian leadership who refuses to choose peace. Israel is moving forward by withdrawing from territorial assets, dismantling settlements, and by allowing independence for all. Let us hope we will soon have a partner.