Representatives: Please post your opening statements here before class on Thursday
CNs: Please post your opening statements here before class on Friday
To post, click on comment, and then copy and paste your statements in to the space provided and click on "post."
Brian O'Connell
Dedham Talks
Labor Party Opening Statements
The current conflict that we are involved in must be ended. There are many things that we know fight over that could be easily solved. On the terms of territorial sovereignty Israel should rule over where all of the Jewish/Israeli settlements are (“Labor”). That would mean that Israel would govern all of the pre-1967 boundaries and some satellite areas in the West Bank. The borders would be changed slightly for security needs (“Labor”). God gave this entire area to us in the bible, so this seems like a fair compromise. Even the Muslims have to agree with us keeping control over Israel. Some parts of the Koran say that Allah wants the Jews to rule over Israel instead of Muslims (MidEast Web). To be able to come to an agreement Israel will have to compromise and give all of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians for development. Israel would still control the boarders for security reasons. Also, Israel should try to use the West Bank minimally and not invade large settlements. Israel should redeploy some of their troops to less populated places in the West Bank. They can’t pull out completely because Israel needs protection so that outside threats on Israel do not advance on Israel through the West Bank. This could help the first steps towards less violence but there is still the problem of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is one of the most holy cities in the world. It is home to religious sites from the largest monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Part of the Labor groups platform is that Jerusalem remains under Israeli control. They will go as far as to say, “Labor is committed to maintaining Jerusalem as the united capital of Israel, under Israeli sovereignty. The Palestinian residents of the city will enjoy municipal rights in the quarters in which they reside, and special arrangements will be made for toe sites sacred to Christianity and Islam” (“Labor”). This means that Israel will control the city of Jerusalem but still allow the Palestinians to live in their own separate quarters. Labor wishes to keep the areas of the neighborhoods separate so that conflict does not arise between residents with different beliefs. To ensure that the entire city is controlled, the security fence would have to change its path and include Jerusalem.
Israel needs to worry about its security from Palestine and from other opposing countries, while at the same time keeping Israel a thriving country. Israel will use the River Jordan as the eastern most boundary of security (“Labor”). This means that all of Israel’s security from eastern attackers will be inside the West Bank. Israel will protect the West Bank from attacks so that they themselves do not get attacked. On the matter of the security fence, its route will need to be changed slightly to accommodate Israeli security needs. One major change is that the wall will include Jerusalem as part of Israel. This is necessary if Jerusalem is to become the capital of Israel.
Israel will not recognize the right of return for refugees that would return to an Israeli occupied area. Israel will however, negotiate the return of refugees into areas controlled by the Palestinians (“Labor”). This would mean that Palestinian refugees that had a home inside what is now the West Bank or Gaza Strip will have the right to negotiate a return to their homeland. Refugees that lived in what is now Israel will not have the chance to negotiate and will remain at large.
This whole process will take time. Decisions that will influence so much should be thought out and considered thoroughly. A gradual step-by-step approach is the best way to go about these decisions (“Labor”). If this decision is rushed it is likely not to please anyone. Compromises will have to be made but they should be thought out carefully. We should not go into this negotiation willing to meet any and all demands that they throw at us. We need to state our opinion but have some consideration with theirs as well. If we rush these decisions, no one will end up happy and the violent conflict will continue.
Works Cited
MideastWeb. 2005. MidEastWeb for Coexistance. 25 October 2005.
“The Labor Party.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2005. American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 25 October 2005. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/labor.html
Posted by: Brian O'Connell | November 02, 2005 at 07:01 PM
Jerusalem
Being a Zionist the city’s health and safety is in my hands. Our organization stated that our goal for Jerusalem was, “Not just to pray for salvation but to rebuild a desolate land” (“God’s City” 121). Jerusalem is the Jewish peoples holy land along with the lands of Judea. God promised them to us. We are the lords ‘chosen people.’ The terrorists and the Palestinians have invaded our holy lands and must be cleansed. Our settlements are the only line of defense that we have against these invaders. We will continue building these in order to preserve Jewish control over the West Bank (settlements). These Palestinians should either be killed or permanently removed. So the advice that is given is that the Palestinians should disperse now and disperse quickly. Jerusalem is not theirs.
Security:
The security of our homeland is the most important thing to us Zionists and most importantly, all of Israel. We cannot allow these terrorists into our holy lands of Judea and Jerusalem. We are Gods chosen people and the muslins are our enemies. (“Chosen People” 20). The security of our country has been very stable ever since the “security barrier” was built. This cuts off the Palestinians from their land, which us Zionists believe to be an essential part of defense for our nation (Iseroff, “Nutshell”). Containing these terrorists is the first step in our efforts toward peace and we cannot allow a terrorist attack on Jerusalem. The Israeli artillery that is within range of the Palestinian state is also doing a great job of keeping the Palestinians at bay. (Iseroff, “Nutshell”). There is no real need for the state of Israel to push into Gaza because it holds no importance to Jews, but our holy lands must not be occupied. (Settlements). Our settlements in the West bank are key for Israelis security, “The settlements are seen as essential for Israel's security as a first line of defense from the east”(settlements). God promises the safety of these lands to us and therefore we enforce this rule, “Go forth from you native land/and from your father’s house/ and I will make of you a great nation/ and I will bless those who bless you/ and curse him who curses you (“legacy”). The Palestinians need to stop fighting and submit to our power. That is their only way of survival.
Territorial Sovereignty
God gave the lands of Judea and Jerusalem to us. We are his ‘chosen’ people and therefore the Palestinians must either be killed or removed from these lands. These lands were given to us by god, “Territory as part of the biblical land of Israel and have vowed to resist ceding control”(settlements) this is also proven in our holy book, the Torah. The torah clearly states, “And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:8) Our settlements in the West Bank will stay because they are the only way to remove these terrorists. These settlements are enforcing Israeli rule. The only solution for peace is if the infidels leave.
Refugees
Us Zionists believe that all of the refuges in the refugee camps should either stay there or disperse into Egypt, Syria, or Jordan. If we were to release these prisoners there would be a Palestinian majority in our holy land, which is unacceptable. (Iseroff, “Nutshell”) This release cannot happen, because if it does it will jeopardize all that we have worked for and also the word of God. This land is not theirs. It is proven in the Torah that God gave us this land so we defend it with our lives (Genesis 17:8). Those refugees will stay where they are. This refugee situation is keeping Israel safe. The other objects keeping Israel safe are the settlements. These settlements have been strategically placed in order to keep the Palestinian refugees where they are. (Map) The advise for the refugees is to stay in the camps or leave.
Bibliography
Chesnoff, Richard. “God’s City.” US News and World Report. Special Collector’s Edition: Mysteries of the Faith. 2001. 10-16
Genesis 17. The Bible: Revised Standard Version. Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia. 22 Aug 2005. http://etext.virginia.edu/rsv.browse.html
Isseroff, Ami. “In a Nutshell, Israeli Palestinian Conflict.” Mideast Web. 2005. 22 Aug 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm
“Map 12-4: West bank Showing Areas A, B, and C, March 2000.” Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004
Meredith, Susan. “Judaism” The Usborne Book of World Religions.London: Usborne, 1995. 18-21
“Palestian Borders and Jewish Settlements.” Mideast: Land of Conflict. 2005. Cable News Network. 25 October 2005.
Van Biema, David. "The Legacy of Abraham." Time. September 22, 2002. Putnam Library, Dedham, MA. 22 Aug 2005. www.proquest.com; also some images from time.com.
Posted by: Kevin O'Block | November 02, 2005 at 07:46 PM
JERUSALEM
The city of the Jerusalem is holy to many people. We cannot just decide who gets it fully, so we have to make it an international site. Richard Chesnoff, a journalist, stated, “Though central to the Jewish soul as Israel’s “eternal capital,” Jerusalem is vitally holy to all three of the world’s great monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam” (“God’s City”). This is the heart of the problem; that there are three very important faiths who want to be in the same place. Steps have been made by the UN to internationalize the city (Iseroff). This has to be done because it is the third holiest city in Islam because of the Al-Aqsa mosque, and the remaining wall of the Jewish Temple, the West Wall (Iseroff). Both are very holy sites that neither side wants to part with. We also need to take away residency and benefits of Palestinians who cannot prove that they have a reason to be there, and who are never in the country anyway (B’Tselem). This would provide more space for people to move in, who actually need to be in Jerusalem. Separation is not a route we can take. Over the years, the neighborhoods have become a very close community, and thus it would not be the answer to tear them apart (Iseroff). It would just cause violence; people wouldn't want to leave, and there would be fighting. In terms of maintaining the peace, having things remain the way they are for now is necessary. Yes, there will still be problems that eventually we will have to come up with a better solution for. But for now, what else can we do? If we split the land, no one would be fully happy and the whole movement would be difficult. If we give the land to the Palestinians, the Jews will not be satisfied. If we take the land ourselves, the Palestinians will develop an even greater hatred towards us. Right now, Jerusalem seems to be an international site because so many different people live there (Iseroff). Things would get worse if we took other routes than the one that is set for right now. Jerusalem is an area that we should not set boundries for because restricting each religious group to certain areas would upset everyone.
SECURITY
The security barrier needs to be put into action, even though it separates some Palestinian towns and communities from each other (Iseroff). A barrier would ensure peace and maintain order. Since the day it was built, it has significantly decreased the number of deaths, and is said to have prevented a number of terrorist attacks. Although it is a trouble to some Palestinians, it needs to remain in its current position in order to promote peace and safety in the region (Iseroff). The security of many nations have been affected by the events of September 11. We have been tighter about security than ever before, and we crack down on the Palestinians and Israelis at the checkpoints (Iseroff). We need the border checks that have taken place between the borders, no matter how humiliating or inconvenient they may be for all who pass through (Iseroff). Security is a major issue of today, and we need to consider carefully this issue when negotiating with Palestine. This must be done to ensure the safety and well being of our people, and the Israeli Peace Organization will do their best to ensure that at least some steps of security will be taken. The border checks and the security barrier need to remain where they are, because they have reduced crime and terrorism in a significant way (Iseroff).
REFUGEES
Allowing the Palestinian refugees from 1948 to return would destroy everything we have built as a nation because it would create a Palestinian majority and overturn the Israeli state politically (Iseroff). We need to retain control of the region. In terms our specific interests, it would also cause another conflict between our two people. We are sorry and dismayed about what happened in 1948, and how those people still live in crowded camps, but this is not our fault. Allowing them to return is not our responsibility; they are not in our hands. What is in our hands, though, is trying to maintain Israel as a Jewish state (Iseroff). We will and should do what is in our best interest, which is peace, and bringing those refugees back to Israel would not be the route we would take, at least for right now. In our history, we were also refugees throughout many times in history. In many instances, we had nowhere to go and nowhere to turn. Once we have secured a solid state of our own, it is then that we will help the refugees who still live in the camps.
TERRITORIAL SOVEREIGNTY
Abbas stated that he would try to convince Palestinians to stop attacking Iraelis, while Israelis promised to end the assassinations of terrorists (Iseroff). This truce followed the death of Yassir Arafat, and was not kept by any means after it’s initial thought (Iseroff). The occupation of Palestinian troops in Israeli areas needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. If it doesn’t, we will never have peace in the region and there will be much suffering.
We need to get rid of the settlements, and separate the land into two clear and territorial states. This would end the problem of there being Israeli settlements in Palestine and Palestinian settlements in Israel (Map). This is an essential part of the issue; we need to take away the settlements so that we are all not living so close to each other. Jerusalem is a different story and should be left alone for the most part, however, we must form two states throughout the land rather than having scattered clumps of people (Map).
Conclusion:
As the Israeli Peace Organization, our main goal is to make this process go as smoothly as possible and with as little violence as possible. We believe that dividing the land into two states will help significantly in maintaining the peace. There are very few amounts of options in this conflict; almost everything we do with spark a negative reaction from at least one religion. So everything outlined above are the options we believe will be most peaceful.
Bibliography
B’Tselem. The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. 25 October 2005. <[ http://www.btselem.org/English/ ]http://www.btselem.org/English/>
Iseroff, Ami, “Israeli-Palestinian Issues in a Nutshell.” MideastWeb. 2005. MidEastWeb for Coexistance. 25 October 2005. <[ http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm ]http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm>
Chesnoff, Richard. “God’s City.” US News and World Report. Special Collector’s Edition: Mysteries of the Faith. 2001. 10-16
“Map 12-4: West bank Showing Areas A, B, and C, March 2000.” Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004
Posted by: Corey Stearns | November 03, 2005 at 11:33 AM
On behalf of The Likud Party, because of recent attacks and continuous fighting, we would like to strengthen Israelis security and diminish the threat of Palestinian military so that peace negotiations and innocent people involved in the process will be safe and the continuous terrorist threats will be depleted. The Likud party will strengthen police forces in and around Jerusalem and major cities. We will work with Lebanon and Syria to create safe boarders and under the UN 425, try and establish peace. Also, we urge Palestinians to exaggerate their efforts to annihilate terrorist and developments in terrorism after the Oslo Accords. Palestine will need to shut down headquarters and disable “warfare and all hostile acts during the negotiations” (Israeli Parliament). The Palestinian police force should dwindle and they should lose some of their military strength so that there is no threat of uprising. Also, Israel will prevent media to further teach Palestinians to hate Israelis, and instead encourage the perspective that they are friendly peaceful neighbors so that is it not promoted that Israel is a place that Palestinians should destroy. This mindset, in essence, is the main flaw. Because of the Arab Intifada, Israel will confiscate weapons and Palestinian militia past the boarders of the Palestinian Association. With the help of Palestinians, we believe we can create a safe environment where our economies and relations can prosper.
Jerusalem will be the capital city of Israel, and only Israel because of its ancient connection to the Israeli peoples. Likud will not negotiate any terms of controlling the hold city or east Jerusalem. It has 3,000-year-old bonds with the city and will not compromise any of the city. The Likud party blatantly rejects any proposal to split up the city. The Likud party will also increase security and police force in the city to ensure its safekeeping. Jerusalem serves religious purpose to many of the Jewish people and has historical significance. When much anti-Semitism after World War two occurred, many Jewish Israelis fled to Jerusalem and so it is rightfully still is in their hands. There has been much suffering in the past to hold on to Jerusalem, and Likud will continue to. In 638 AD Muslims took control of Israel and we will maintain the safekeeping of our beloved city.
On behalf of the Likud Party, Israel will control and defend much of the west and Jewish Settlements (with Jerusalem as its capital) because it is inclined to do so to start to keep an orderly Israeli State. The Jordon River will define the territory of Israel and Palestine. Where the river flows is where the boarder between Israel and Palestine will stand and there will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordon. Also, we will maintain control over the Golden Heights and the Jordon Valley. Israel will have power over Jewish Settlements, and most of the west to ensure safety and prosperity of the Jewish peoples. “The unassailable right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel and constitutes an important asset in the defense of the vital interests of the State of Israel. The Likud will continue to strengthen and develop these communities and will prevent their uprooting” (Israeli Parliament). Israel will keep the ancient Jewish lands in hands of the rightful Jewish people, and we disagree with the Labor Party Leader’s plans to give Nigev to Palestine and withdrawal of any territorial sovereignty. Palestinian needs must correlate with Israelis on a nation and foreign basis. Although Israel will control much land, boarders will be open between Palestine and Israel and tourism, economic improvement, and technology will be common partnering goals. “The overall objectives for the final status with the Palestinians are: to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of a stable, sustainable agreement and replace confrontation with cooperation and good neighborliness, while safeguarding Israel's vital interests as a secure and prosperous Zionist and Jewish state” (Israeli Parliament).
Because of the conflicts that arose in past years such as Israelis will detain the Palestinian Refugees until the peace negotiations conclude. The conflict has derived from the continuous containment of certain Arabs. Peace negotiations will last for no longer than five years and so the refugees will be released after territorial settlements are configured. Likud will ensure the security of the Palestinian Refugees but will not hesitate to explicate the use of force to make sure that the refugees are under the control of Israelis. The Holocaust, which occurred in 1940’s, has scarred our people and there has been much anti-Semitism towards Jews. The Jewish peoples have suffered immensely and although we are not blaming any Palestinians for this doing, we ask for cooperation and understanding for our reasoning. We want to halt all active educational negativity towards Israel from Palestinians and want the media not to frame Israel as a place that Palestinians should destroy, but as a place of peace and a good neighbor. We hope that our short holding of refugees will not taint the image of our people, we just feel we need to obtain a certain balance of power to help ensure security. “Israelis oppose the return of the refugees because that would create an Arab Palestinian majority and would put an end to Israel as a Jewish state”(Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in a Nutshell) The Jewish people have a right to the land and a right to be independent. The return of Refugees depletes any chance
Bibliography
“Likud-Platform.” The Knesset: The Israeli Parliament. 1999 State of Israel. 25 October 2005. http://www.knesset.gov.il/elections/knesset15/elikud_m.htm
Iseroff, Ami, “Israeli-Palestinian Issues in a Nutshell.” MideastWeb. 2005. MidEastWeb for Coexistance. 25 October 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell
Smith, Huston, “Judaism” The Illustrated World’s Religions a Guide to our wisdom traditions. Labyrinth Publishing (1994).
Posted by: Lauren Martin Likud Dedham Talks | November 03, 2005 at 01:11 PM
On behalf of The Likud Party, because of recent attacks and continuous fighting, we would like to strengthen Israelis security and diminish the threat of Palestinian military so that peace negotiations and innocent people involved in the process will be safe and the continuous terrorist threats will be depleted. The Likud party will strengthen police forces in and around Jerusalem and major cities. We will work with Lebanon and Syria to create safe boarders and under the UN 425, try and establish peace. Also, we urge Palestinians to exaggerate their efforts to annihilate terrorist and developments in terrorism after the Oslo Accords. Palestine will need to shut down headquarters and disable “warfare and all hostile acts during the negotiations” (Israeli Parliament). The Palestinian police force should dwindle and they should lose some of their military strength so that there is no threat of uprising. Also, Israel will prevent media to further teach Palestinians to hate Israelis, and instead encourage the perspective that they are friendly peaceful neighbors so that is it not promoted that Israel is a place that Palestinians should destroy. This mindset, in essence, is the main flaw. Because of the Arab Intifada, Israel will confiscate weapons and Palestinian militia past the boarders of the Palestinian Association. With the help of Palestinians, we believe we can create a safe environment where our economies and relations can prosper.
Jerusalem will be the capital city of Israel, and only Israel because of its ancient connection to the Israeli peoples. Likud will not negotiate any terms of controlling the hold city or east Jerusalem. It has 3,000-year-old bonds with the city and will not compromise any of the city. The Likud party blatantly rejects any proposal to split up the city. The Likud party will also increase security and police force in the city to ensure its safekeeping. Jerusalem serves religious purpose to many of the Jewish people and has historical significance. When much anti-Semitism after World War two occurred, many Jewish Israelis fled to Jerusalem and so it is rightfully still is in their hands. There has been much suffering in the past to hold on to Jerusalem, and Likud will continue to. In 638 AD Muslims took control of Israel and we will maintain the safekeeping of our beloved city.
On behalf of the Likud Party, Israel will control and defend much of the west and Jewish Settlements (with Jerusalem as its capital) because it is inclined to do so to start to keep an orderly Israeli State. The Jordon River will define the territory of Israel and Palestine. Where the river flows is where the boarder between Israel and Palestine will stand and there will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordon. Also, we will maintain control over the Golden Heights and the Jordon Valley. Israel will have power over Jewish Settlements, and most of the west to ensure safety and prosperity of the Jewish peoples. “The unassailable right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel and constitutes an important asset in the defense of the vital interests of the State of Israel. The Likud will continue to strengthen and develop these communities and will prevent their uprooting” (Israeli Parliament). Israel will keep the ancient Jewish lands in hands of the rightful Jewish people, and we disagree with the Labor Party Leader’s plans to give Nigev to Palestine and withdrawal of any territorial sovereignty. Palestinian needs must correlate with Israelis on a nation and foreign basis. Although Israel will control much land, boarders will be open between Palestine and Israel and tourism, economic improvement, and technology will be common partnering goals. “The overall objectives for the final status with the Palestinians are: to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of a stable, sustainable agreement and replace confrontation with cooperation and good neighborliness, while safeguarding Israel's vital interests as a secure and prosperous Zionist and Jewish state” (Israeli Parliament).
Because of the conflicts that arose in past years such as Israelis will detain the Palestinian Refugees until the peace negotiations conclude. The conflict has derived from the continuous containment of certain Arabs. Peace negotiations will last for no longer than five years and so the refugees will be released after territorial settlements are configured. Likud will ensure the security of the Palestinian Refugees but will not hesitate to explicate the use of force to make sure that the refugees are under the control of Israelis. The Holocaust, which occurred in 1940’s, has scarred our people and there has been much anti-Semitism towards Jews. The Jewish peoples have suffered immensely and although we are not blaming any Palestinians for this doing, we ask for cooperation and understanding for our reasoning. We want to halt all active educational negativity towards Israel from Palestinians and want the media not to frame Israel as a place that Palestinians should destroy, but as a place of peace and a good neighbor. We hope that our short holding of refugees will not taint the image of our people, we just feel we need to obtain a certain balance of power to help ensure security. “Israelis oppose the return of the refugees because that would create an Arab Palestinian majority and would put an end to Israel as a Jewish state”(Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in a Nutshell) The Jewish people have a right to the land and a right to be independent. The return of Refugees depletes any chance
Bibliography
“Likud-Platform.” The Knesset: The Israeli Parliament. 1999 State of Israel. 25 October 2005. http://www.knesset.gov.il/elections/knesset15/elikud_m.htm
Iseroff, Ami, “Israeli-Palestinian Issues in a Nutshell.” MideastWeb. 2005. MidEastWeb for Coexistance. 25 October 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell
Smith, Huston, “Judaism” The Illustrated World’s Religions a Guide to our wisdom traditions. Labyrinth Publishing (1994).
Posted by: Lauren Martin Likud Dedham Talks | November 03, 2005 at 01:11 PM
AIPAC
Introduction:
Aipac is an organization of U.S. citizens who support the state of Israel. We believe that Israel is America’s strongest and most important ally in the middle east and it is in our best interest to help it achieve its goals and to protect it. We have specific beliefs on what it best for Israel under the following topics: the refugee problem, Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the security of Israel, and the territorial sovereignty of Gaza and the West Bank.
Jerusalem:
Aipac believes that Jerusalem should rightfully be the capital of the state of Israel, and it will strive to recognize it in this way. Jerusalem is an important piece of Israeli land, and also because of it's religious signifigance it should be the center of the state of Israel. This will be done by the U.S. beginning to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on all U.S. documents, such as passports and maps. Consequently, the U.S. will begin to take legal action in moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Security:
As Israel is the strongest ally of the U.S. in the Middle East, Aipac believes that it is necessary to keep the relationship intact by helping to insure the security of Israel. Aipac plans to help defend Israel from bombing by supplying it with better American defense technology, such as [missile destroying rockets]. As well as helping Israel to defend itself, it is necessary to ensure that weapons are not in the hands of any potential enemies of Israel. Action must be taken to cut off groups such as Hamas from any funding they might be receiving that could be used to purchase weapons, and also work to isolate terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad. In order to further ensure the safety of Israel, it is necessary to contain Iran and be sure that any connections through which it might receive weapons or funding for weapons are cut.
Territorial Sovereinity:
Israel has occupied the West bank and the Gaza strip since 1967. Aipac believes that this area of land should be kept Israeli, as it rightfully belongs to them. Aipac also wishes to help Israel obtain control of Jerusalem as it's capital.
Refugees:
Aipac regognizes that there are thousands of refugees that have been displaced over the years, by various events such as the war following the creation of the state of Israel. Currently there are approximately 726,000 Palestiniean refugees. However it would be a threat to the identity of the state of Israel to allow all the Palestinian refugees back into Israel. Doing so would create a Arab Palestinian majority which would "put an end to Israel as a Jewish state" (Nutshell). Therefore, Aipac will provide $60 million in refugee assistance to help Israel absorb new immigrants. We will also provide Israel with nearly $ 3 billion in aid
Posted by: Sarah Mitchell | November 03, 2005 at 08:05 PM
Opening Statements
Overview:
I, Ariel Sharon, as Israeli Prime Minister and Head of Likud Party, propose that our main objective is to “strengthen the existing peace agreements with the Arab states and strive to achieve peace agreements with all of Israel's neighbors with the aim of reaching a comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict… and to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of a stable, sustainable agreement and replace confrontation with cooperation and good neighborliness, while safeguarding Israel's vital interests as a secure and prosperous Zionist and Jewish state.”( Likud). We will do whatever possible to reach a compromise between the two conflicting people, as long as these things are within reason. The following is a proposed plan of action to resolve the four main conflict areas: security, territorial sovereignty, Jerusalem, and Palestinian refugees.
Refugees:
The Israeli party will not allow the return of the Palestinian refugees until the peace negotiations are completed. After the negotiations for the territorial settlements, which will last no longer than five years, are decided, some of the refugees will be allowed back into the area of the country which has been given to the Palestinians, and arrangements will be made to negotiate the settlement of Palestinian refugees into other countries. Although the Israeli party will make sure the returning refugees are safe, we will not hesitate to use force to ensure that they are kept under control until we are sure that there is no threat against what will be the newly formed Israeli state. The reason why these steps need to be taken is to be sure that the Jewish people feel secure. “Israelis oppose the return of the refugees because that would create an Arab Palestinian majority and would put an end to Israel as a Jewish state”(Iseroff, Nutshell). The people of Israel have the right to be able to form their own independent state with a Jewish government, run as they want it to be run, and we will not allow the return of the Palestinian refugees to jeopardize that in any way.
Security:
In order to maintain a safer place, we would like to strengthen Israeli security. The Israeli party will strengthen it’s police forces around Jerusalem and other important city both during the negotiations and during a span of time after they have been completed. Only after we have seen that the safety of the country has increased will we begin to relax the amount of security around the major cities. “The size of the PA police must be reduced” (Likud) and weapons of Palestinians citizens will be confiscated so that there will be no threat of uprising within Palestinians. The Israeli part also urges the PA to intensify it’s effort to prevent terrorist attacks and try to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure that has bloomed in Palestine(Likud). They will also need to shut down headquarters and disable “warfare and all hostile acts during the negotiations” (Likud). The Israelis in turn must prove to the Palestinians that they are “friendly peaceful neighbors so that is it not promoted that Israel is a place that Palestinians should destroy” (Martin). The Israelis will continue to have the security checkpoints, but they will be for every one who enters through that specific place, not just the Palestinians. The security barrier will also remain upright, for although it is a disturbance to some Palestinians, it help decrease the number of attacks and generally helps make the region a safer place.
Territorial Sovereignty
Israel will control much of the west, as defined by the Jordan River. Where the river flows is where the border between Israel and Palestine will be, Palestine being east of the river and Israel being west of the river. Israel will also maintain control of the Golan Heights and the Jordan Valley. We will keep the ancient Jewish lands, for they rightfully belong to us. Although Israel will control most of the land, the borders will remain open between Israeli and Palestinian land, and there will be no Jewish settlements in Palestinian land, or vice versa.
Jerusalem:
The Israeli part refuses to give up control of Jerusalem. “Jerusalem is the eternal, united capital of the State of Israel and only of Israel. The government will flatly reject Palestinian proposals to divide Jerusalem”(Likud), for it belongs rightfully to the Israelis. We will also increase the security around the city to ensure that it will be save, and that nothing will damage all of the important things that it contains. It is a city of great importance to all people of the Jewish faith, and it belongs rightfully to us, so we refuse to give it up. Although Jerusalem will be under Israeli control, the sacred city will still be open to people of all religions to come and worship there, for the Israelis understand that Jerusalem is important to many other religions.
“Likud-Platform.” The Knesset: The Israeli Parliament. 1999 State of Israel.
25 October 2005.
http://www.knesset.gov.il/elections/knesset15/elikud_m.htm
Iseroff, Ami, “Israeli-Palestinian Issues in a Nutshell.” MideastWeb. 2005. MidEastWeb for Coexistance. 25 October 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell
Posted by: Melissa Centeno | November 04, 2005 at 01:23 AM
Dedham Talks
Ariel Sharon
Rob Troy
Intro:
My brothers and sisters, this is a call for peace. We are one people but, our religious beliefs differ. If we follow these different beliefs we are led to the same two people, Adam and Eve. We see ourselves as descendents of these two, making us brothers and sisters. I am here on behalf of my people, the people of Israel, to convey their opinions. We are willing to sacrifice for peace. We are willing to agree upon a compromise of territorial sovereignty, the status of Jerusalem, security, and refugees.
Territorial Sovereignty:
My people have been in the minority since the Diaspora, we understand the need for every populace to have the ability to create their own sovereign nation. We are willing to sacrifice some of the territory we have gained from war, if and only if, terrorism, violence, and warfare shall cease. As we relinquish power from parts of Israel, we have several requests for this new Palestinian State. First, it shall be illegal for any member of your nation to carry a gun, unless they possess a gun license. In order to get this license, a rigorous investigation of the person’s history and background must be made. We request that no more than 15% of your people carry gun licenses. Possession of explosive material shall also be illegal. Breaching either of these two requirements shall be punishable by no less than four years of imprisonment. We also request that parties such as Hammers, have no power, save that of a political party, and that the executive branch of this Palestinian government have control over Hammas. This way we are assured that no extremist group will gain any power or garner any support that would lead to terrorist activities. In turn, we shall agree to cede a small piece of land, and it shall be up to our discretion as to the particulars of location and size. Even though we believe that the lands we occupy were promised us by God, “The land has changed sovereigns repeatedly since the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC. Do any of these sovereigns have legitimate "rights"? If we take Babylon as our example of a God-ordained conqueror ... we might argue that each sovereign was God-ordained in its period” (Jewish Settlements), we will cede the entire West bank to the Palestinians, as well as the Gaza strip. “The Gaza settlements, while also flash points in the conflict, are less populated, and the land does not carry as much biblical significance for the Israelis” (CNN Mideast stories). Neither of these lands has as much significance for us; therefore we are willing to let the Palestinians have these territories. Since the owners of this land has been the conquerors for centuries, we are the rightful owners of this land. Therefore, the land we cede to Palestine shall be determined by us, the rightful owners.
Jerusalem:
The city of Jerusalem will in fact remain part of this Jewish sovereign nation. The people of the state of Palestine may argue that they should retain the land, but we will retain this land, since the Arabs rejected the British partition. They chose to settle it with war. “The UN partitioned the land between Jews and Arabs in 1947, but the Arab leadership rejected the partition and chose to settle the conflict by war. Now 50 years later there is an attempt to revive the partition plan as the legitimate international status quo: quite a questionable basis for legitimacy” (Jewish Settlements). The city of Jerusalem is the most sacred city to my people, as well as a prosperous economic community. We therefore are unwilling to give up the city of Jerusalem.
Security
If we are going to live as neighbors, we must create a trustful relationship. In order to create a trustful relationship we must have a peaceful, non-violent relationship, as well as prosperous economic trade. We realize that the Palestinian government will struggle economically, but we will subsidize Palestinian goods, creating an opportunity for Palestine to thrive. We will also make a case on Palestine’s behalf so that it will receive economic assistance from other nations as well as diplomatic recognition. America, our partner will continue to support us and is particularly interested in seeing a treaty signed.. “America must continue to stand by Israel's side politically, diplomatically and economically. Not only is U.S. aid needed to maintain Israel's security during this dangerous and challenging time in the country's history, but aid to Israel supports a reliable, front-line ally in our joint battle against weapons proliferation and terrorism”(AIPAC agenda). One of our greatest supporters, AIPAC, thoroughly supports peace between both nations. In return for helping this nation off its feet, we expect to have a peaceful relationship. We expect the Palestinians to take control of radicals with military and policed force. We also expect cooperation between both government, as well as no complaining about borders.
Refugees:
Since my people have been persecuted and displaced many times for thousands of years, we understand what it’s like to be a refugee. We are committed to compensating refugees for what was taken, and to reimburse their losses. There are many nations interested in stabilizing this region, they have pledged money and resources and have pledged to do more if an accord is reached. “The World Bank has become heavily involved in dispensing aid to the Palestinian Authority, managing money contributed by donor nations through a special trust fund and providing about $460 million of its own resources as well” (Post: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict). Working with the World Bank, the Palestinian government, and our own tax dollars we hope to reimburse every refugee. Our goal is to repay 50%of the land’s appraised value at the time it was seized . These payments will be paid over a period of fifteen years, and for the fifteen years following we will repay the remaining deficit. However, this offer is void to anyone who engages in terrorism, associates with terrorists, or is a member of an extremist party. After reimbursing the refugees, we will facilitate their movement to the new state of Palestine, or a surrounding country, such as Egypt, Jordan, or Syria.
Conclusion:
My brothers and sisters for far too many years we have lived in a culture of fear, poverty and bloodshed. Far too many missiles have been launched. Far too many lives have been taken. Far too many guns have fired, and far too many bombs have exploded. This is the call for the end. We must make peace, and this is the time. Neither side will ever be satisfied until this is resolved. If this is not settled now, fighting will continue. Let us be the generation that makes peace for the ones that follow. Let us have the courage and fortitude to take the necessary steps. Please my brothers and sister, let us live like the brothers we are, descendents of the same two individuals, in harmony and serenity. My brothers and sisters this is a call for peace.
Bibliography
http://www.blessisrael.com/articles/settlers.html
“Jewish Settlements: Are you for or against?” Bless Israel. 25 October 2005.
AIPAC
summary of recent issues:
http://www.aipac.org/documents/whoweare.html#agenda
“About AIPAC: Who We Are.” AIPAC. 25 October 2005.
More in depth
http://www.aipac.org/issues.cfm
“AIPAC: Issues.” AIPAC. 25 October 2005.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/mideast/stories/issues.borders/index.html
“Palestinian Borders and Jewish Settlements.” Mideast: Land of Conflict. 2005. Cable News Network. 25 October 2005.
Posted by: Rob Troy | November 04, 2005 at 12:42 PM