As the violence between Israel and the Palestinians enters its 16th month, prospects for peace, or even a cease-fire, look gloomy.
A question frequently posed to shaliach (Israel emissary) Nir Barkin at the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s Israel Resource Center is, “Will Israel be able to extract itself from the ongoing violence, and if so, how?”
Barkin believes Israel can extract itself from the morass of Palestinian initiated violence. He discussed some of his ideas in an interview with The Chronicle this week.
What, if anything, can Israel do to help end the ongoing violence?
Sometimes mature married couples in a relationship have to realize that the best thing for their kids would be to separate.
So you are proposing Israel unilaterally separate from the Palestinians by pulling out of the West Bank and Gaza Strip?
I am saying that if the Palestinians don’t want to, or refuse to, negotiate the problematic issues, like the status of Jerusalem and the Palestinian refugees, then Israel should withdraw from 92 to 94 percent of the territories.
After Israel unilaterally withdrew from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah claimed military victory over Israel. Won’t an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza likewise be interpreted as Israeli weakness and perhaps invite more violence?
When Israel pulled out of southern Lebanon, the government announced a date. I am saying that Israel should not announce to the world a date. Rather, Israel should time its pullout in coordination with external events in the Middle East, such as a potential U.S. attack on Iraq.
So, if the U.S. were to bring its war against terrorism to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime, at that point you are suggesting that Israel should initiate its plan to unilaterally withdraw from most of the West Bank and Gaza Strip? What is so important about the timing?
We can’t afford to look like losers to the Arabs, as if we are pulling out because of the intifada. We have to look strong to the Arab world because they need to know that Israel is moving its forces out because it wants to.
When the Arabs see a powerful Arab nation like Iraq or even the Islamic Republic of Iran getting attacked by U.S. forces, that would be the time for Israel to act because then it will not appear as if Israel is pulling out in response to Palestinian violence.
What if these particular events don’t happen? How can Israel still withdraw?
Unfortunately, opportunities present themselves all the time in the Middle East. I used Iran and Iraq as examples only. Last week’s seizing of the freighter loaded with 50 tons of ammunition in the Red Sea that the Israelis believe was funded by and headed toward the Palestinian Authority would have provided an excellent opportunity to withdraw as well.
How much support is there in Israel for this idea?
I think, and polls have indicated, the majority of Israelis would go for withdrawal if the decision is made in the right context and the timing is right.
Won’t some settlements have to be evacuated if Israel were to unilaterally withdraw?
Both Prime Ministers [Ehud] Barak and [Ariel] Sharon have publicly announced that [Israel will have to make] painful concessions in order to live in peace in the area. In my opinion, aside from the main clusters of settlements — Ma’ale Adumim, the Beth El/Givat Ze’ev/Givon area, Ariel and Gush Etzion — we will have to [evacuate] the smaller, isolated settlements. Besides, everybody knows that is what a final settlement will look like, more or less, when it comes in the end.
And the status of Jerusalem will remain as it is today, under complete Israeli rule?
Yes, because as I said, Israel will be making this unilateral withdrawal only after it is clear that the Palestinians refused to negotiate seriously. If they don’t like that Israel controls all of Jerusalem, they only have themselves to blame since they refused to negotiate over its status in a serious manner.
What if this quasi-independent Palestinian state wants to continue negotiations with Israel over Jerusalem or other issues after Israel has withdrawn?
When Israel withdrew from the Sinai following the original Camp David peace talks with Egypt, the status of the city of Taba was not resolved, but the parties signed a peace agreement anyway. Later, they took the issue of Taba to the International Court in The Hague to have it resolved. Israel and the Palestinians can do likewise regarding unresolved issues.
And what if this quasi-independent Palestinian state attacks Israel?
Israel will react appropriately to any [attack] or crossing of any kind of the newly declared borders between the two entities.
Won’t Israel suffer international condemnation for retaliating, especially if it crosses the border to retaliate against targets in the Palestinian state?
I think Sharon has done a good job of getting the international community to understand that the terror that occurred in the U.S. is happening daily in Israel. This has allowed Sharon to act with a heavier hand in the last three weeks.
Now Arafat is asking for a cease-fire. If Israel were to unilaterally pull out, it would generate a lot of international goodwill and support since Israel would be seen as taking huge steps for peace.
We lived happily for 19 years in our recognized boundaries [prior to 1967]. If we unilaterally withdraw from most of the territories, we are still going to end up with even more land then we had prior to 1967, a lot more than what [first Israeli Prime Minister David] Ben-Gurion agreed to. We have to show courage and leadership and take the risk.
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