HHC-5 Israel

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."

Comments

[Tyler Parsons]

Tyler Parsons
HHC
11/1/05
Likud Party Opening Statements

Objective: The objective of the Likud Party 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" (“Likud-Platform”). This party is Israeli and is difficult to move when it comes to their views on this conflict or politics in general.
Territorial Sovereignty: The Israelis are the true recipients of Israel and should be given the entire state. Ruling and inhabiting your own land is an essential element in being a nation or religious group. We, the Likud Party, are attempting to do many things in order for this to occur for the Israeli people. We are a strong right wing party, which means we are not going to allow the Palestinians to take their land or even be compensated for it. The first action taken will be to lower the numbers of Palestinian police so the Israelis are able to rule more independently. With less Palestinian military and/or police inhabiting the area, the Israelis will begin to have a sovereign state and rule freely. The Palestinian people are also expected to allow the Israelis to control almost all of the territory and as a result, rule them. "The Palestinians can run their lives freely in the framework of self-rule, but not as an independent and sovereign state" (“Likud-Platform”). This quotation explains how the Palestinians are able to live their life normally and how they want, but Israel will rule the state.
Jerusalem: Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and the Israelis should be granted their capital. "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-Platform”). The Palestinian people also find Jerusalem to be their homeland but in the view of us, Likud, the Israelis are the only ones who should be given the land. We feel very strongly that the Israelis deserve the holy city. Jerusalem and Israel are lands promised to the Israelis through the covenant, which is the basis of the Jewish faith. Without the covenant, there would be no Jews and Abraham would have been nothing more than a memory rather than a prophet. “According to the covenant, God promised to care for the Israelites, but in return, they must obey him” (Meredith 20). The covenant allowed Abraham to gain followers by giving something in return. Our main goal when following up on our plans for Jerusalem is to keep it a safe place and to allow Israel to gain complete control. We want a strong Israeli police force to protect all who inhabit there, including Arabs. By protecting Arabs as well, a good reputation is presented in our name and will encourage peace between the groups. We want Jerusalem to lie in complete Israeli control but do not have a problem with allowing some Arabs to live there.
Security: Security and peace are amongst the top contributors in ending the Arab-Israeli conflict. "The PA must not only intensify its efforts to prevent attacks, but act with determination to prevent potential terrorist acts by dismantling the terrorist infrastructure" (“Likud-Platform”). This conflict needs to be resolved as quickly as possible, and the best way to do that is to collect excess Palestinian weapons, force the Palestinian police to do all they can to catch terrorists, and to allow the Israelis to control most of Israel. Terrorism is a large reason that is it difficult to end this conflict therefore, so much time, energy, and money should be devoted to it. Regulating the Palestinians actions and/or preventing the negative actions in a peaceful manner will be essential for resolving this conflict. If all is done in peace, then less violence and terrorism will occur, but if the Palestinians feel forced, they will be extremely upset and will want to retaliate. Other security measures include: “A ‘security barrier’ [is] being built inside the West Bank [that] cuts off Palestinians from their lands and from other towns” (Isseroff 103). We believe that the construction of the wall will help immensely and is a superb security device.
Refugees: Due to our position, being a strong right wing spirit, we feel that Palestinian refugees should not inhabit Israeli territory. The reason is because of the overwhelming amount of refugees that would be present so they would then become the majority. With a higher population, the majority party will be able to control the state and will therefore be an execrable burden for the Israelis.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

20-23 Meredith, Susan. “Judaism” The Usborne Book of World Religions.London: Usborne, 1995. 18-21

100-104 Isseroff, Ami. “In a Nutshell, Israeli Palestinian Conflict.” Mideast Web. 2005. 22 Aug 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm

“Likud-Platform.” The Knesset: The Israeli Parliament. 1999 State of Israel. 25 October 2005.

[Carey]

Carey Favaloro (Isreali Peace)
November 1, 2005

Security and Security Fence:
Safety will come when peace is present in our country, and this peace will be reached only when those passing through the security barrier are treated equally, without regard to their background. Although it is true that the number of attacks on Israeli towns have decreased since the wall was put in place, the fence can only be seen as a temporary solution. (Defining) It is widening the rift between us and the Palestinians, provoking violence and spreading distrust faster than the wall can be built. As was said by a peace activist in Defining the Barrier, “By itself the wall will not provide security for anyone, because it will plant hatred and villains in the hearts of Israeli and Palestinian children.” (Washington Post) The security wall is currently under total Israeli control. Supportive as I am to my own culture, we must be willing to compromise to reach our ultimate goal of peaceful life in the land we hold so dear. Therefore, we should be prepared to give the Palestinians the freedom to use the wall to their own advantage as well, and allow them to have their own border patrol in place, who could check Israelis as they cross through the security wall. Furthermore, the wall can negatively affect all who live near the barrier. Abdul Wahab Sabbah, a resident of a small, Jerusalem suburb described his situation, “After this wall, after they built this wall, my wife can’t live here. She must live, live in Jerusalem.” (Defining, Washington Post) A Palestinian farmer told reporters how “I need a permit to access my own lands…We are the victims of this policy.” (Defining, Washington Post) Terrorists are not the only ones restricted by the wall; innocent families and landowners are too. If the wall is to remain a source of peace and not violence, changes must be made in the way the barrier is controlled.

Jerusalem:
Jerusalem is a city of religious wonders, holding both the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. The city’s history speaks of its importance; for centuries the land has been fought over by many different nationalities. The solution to end the constant battle is to turn the city into an international site. Currently in control of the city, we Israelis left the city open to all faiths, and for this, much praise has been given. (Chessnoff) However, this does not mean that no conflict exists within the city, for the Palestinians want possession of the city. In preparation for an uprising, Jerusalem has been annexed, and divided in such a way that the territory has a Jewish majority. (East Jerusalem) If the territory was international, no such preparations would need to be made. All religious groups could freely visit the city and their holy sites. Executive decisions could be made by a supreme ruling board, with the interests of all parties in mind. The battle over Jerusalem must end and the fairest solution is to turn the city into an international site.

Refugees:
The Palestinians are still bitter about the refugee deportment of 1948 and will not forgive us until we take action on the matter. It is therefore essential that we assist refugees, improve the living conditions in refugee camps, and slowly allow a trickle of refugees to re-enter Israel. By helping in the refugees in this compromised manner, we can overcome past history, and yet we will not be presented with even larger overpopulation problems. Many refugee camps in which the refugees reside have living conditions which are unacceptable. For years, torture was used in camps and although the High Court of Justice ruled that the crimes were illegal “there have been signs indicating that the GSS did not cease using torture.” (Torture, B’Tselem) If the Israeli government can put a sure stop to the torture, we will have improved the conditions for refugees. The government should further assist refugees by following through on several proposals in the UN resolution 194. (Bickerton and Klausner) Lastly, a small number of refugees should be allowed to re-enter the country which they call their home. Each of these acts would improve the trust between ourselves and the Palestinians, and would bring us one step closer to peaceful inhabitance.

Territorial Sovereignty:
Peaceful interactions between us and the Palestinians can occur only when both parties are granted a certain level of sovereignty. Currently, all of Israel is in Israeli power, although a transfer of this authority is underway in the Gaza Strip. Once more we must be willing to compromise to reach the ultimate goal. More power should be transferred into the hands of the Palestinian government, and they should be given the right to rule their own settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Transfers should be made slowly and carefully, giving the Palestinian government time to adjust to the new responsibilities. The Israelis will still have power over most of the land; the large strip in the center running between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but the transfer of power will help us to interact with the Israelis in a democratic manner, and will improve our chances, of a peaceful state.

Bibliography:
Defining the Barrier. 2005 The Washington Post Company. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/interactives/israel/israelFence.html

Defining the Barrier. 2005 The Washington Post Company. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/interactives/israel/israelFence.html

Chessnoff, Richard. “God’s City” US News and World Report. Special Collectors EditionL Mysteries of the Faith. 2001. 10-16

UNGAR 194 [Exerpts.] Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise Historyy of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

Torture. B’Tselem. http://www.btselem.org/English/Torture/Index.asp

East Jerusalem. B’Tselem. http://www.btselem.org/English/Jerusalem/Index.asp

[Andrea Holland- Zionist Settler Movement]

Andrea
November 1, 2005
HHC Simulation Project: Phase I- Opening Statements
Zionist Settler Movement
Territorial Sovereignty
The Israeli’s should have rule over all of Israel because it is the land promised to the Israeli people by God. God promised the land to the Jews in the Covenant. “I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God" (Genesis 17: 6, 7, 8). The Israelis should have power and rule over the settlements, with little or no help from the Palestinians. The Israelis believe that the land is rightfully theres. “Israel's settler community, which numbers some 200,000 in the West Bank, as well as its conservative and religious supporters see the territory as part of the biblical land of Israel and have vowed to resist ceding control” (CNN). We are not afraid to use violence, and have used it before, like in the War of 1967. The settlements should be their own state, and not involved with the Palestinian laws or rules. The Israelis already have a government, army and other necessities set up for running a country while the Palestinians do not. The Israelis know how to run a country and are occupying most of Israel, so they are ready to run a country.

Jerusalem
Jerusalem should be ruled by the Israelis because it is the land that is promised to the Israelis in the Covenant. It is the Holy Land for the Israelis and what is rightfully the Israelis by God. The Israelis have a lot of history in Jerusalem, like the Western Wall, Temple Mount and the Old City. The Israelis not only have a lot of history in Jerusalem, but also have a lot of Jews living in and around Jerusalem. The Jews are dedicated to Jerusalem and their faith. Jerusalem should become the capital of Israel, and the Israelis should rule over it with no help from the Palestinians. “Israel's settler community, which numbers some 200,000 in the West Bank, as well as its conservative and religious supporters see the territory as part of the biblical land of Israel and have vowed to resist ceding control.”

Security
The Israelis need to create and maintain a strong police force. A strong police force will help us, the Israeli people be safe, and be sure that our land is protected from outside attacks, or attacks within the country. Also, a strong police force will help control the borders, so refugees and other unwanted people cannot get into the Israeli country. A security fence was put up to protect the Israelis from the Palestinians. Though it is preventing the Palestinians from reaching their jobs, and many olive groves are being killed, there have been a lot less Israeli casualties. Israelis are a lot safer with the wall in place, and the wall should stay up to increase Israeli casualties. The Israelis need to keep occupying the West Bank, because it is important land to us, and is something that we have fought for all our lives. “The Israelis disagree, saying that Israel's security needs require a presence in strategic parts of the West Bank and that some of the Jewish settlements built during the years of occupation should be incorporated into Israel” (CNN).

Refugees
The Palestinians should not be granted the right of return to any part of the Israeli territories. They should not return or try to come back to any Israeli territories, otherwise they will be prosecuted. Israel is the land that is rightfully the Jews by God and the Covenant. The Palestinians tried to take away our land, but we the Jews were not giving into them. The Palestinians should create their own state away from Israel and their refugees should live there. The Palestinians can have their own laws and religion, just as long as they are not in or near Israel. The Palestinians though will need to build a government and police force strong enough to stay stable and functioning throughout the years.

[brett Adam]

Brett Adam
Drafts of Opening Statements
Due November 1, 2005

Topics of Opening Statements

Territorial Sovereignty: The areas where Palestinians are already in control of the Palestinians should stay that way. The areas that are controlled by the Israelis should also stay the same way. The ultimate ruler of the whole of Israel should be an Israeli and a Palestinian. The State of Israel should be ruled from the Israeli and Palestinian points of view. In the duration of about ten years the leaders should be elected together by the separate councils of both the Palestinians and the Israelis. During this time the Israelis and the Palestinians should befriend each other potentially by having festivals and friendly discussions between the two parties. Once the parties have come to be friendly with each other they should elect one leader to rule them all. When the single leader or president of the state of Israel is elected, a representative from the United States should survey the country in order to see the progress of the country. When the country is determined to be at peace, the representative will leave and the Israeli president should keep contact with the US president, in order to maintain the peace that was initiated. (“Resolution 242” Security Council)

Security Fence, Security: There is a huge issue with security, the security fence, and violence. The security fence ultimately prevents Palestinians from crossing from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank. The security should be stronger in the areas on the borders of Israel. This idea is also represented by the article “In a Nutshell: The Israeli Palestinian Conflict” where it says that the Palestinian areas on the near borders of the West bank have an important role in the protection of Israel. Therefore they believe that the Palestinians should vow not to let any foreign army enter into the Israeli state. (Iseroff) I feel that for this reason the security of the West Bank is important and should be strengthened in order to protect the state of Israel. Also I think that violence is a big problem and for that reason I think that the security should increase even more so because of the Palestinian terrorism that has recently and currently plagued the Israelis with millions of deaths. Security should also be very well trained as in the past the soldiers had been quick to open fire on what they thought were suspicious vehicles. (“Nutshell” Iseroff) This has caused the AIPAC to believe that the security should be very well trained on how to identify and protect themselves against the mysterious people who are trying to cross into the borders.

Refugees: On the issue of the refugees that were kicked out of the state of Israel, ultimately they should be allowed to return, because they deserve to get their land back or somehow be compensated for. When they do return they should be taken in and hospitalized and be taken in by somebody. They should get their rights as a citizen and be able to get a job there. They should also be allowed to live in the hospital until they have raised enough earned money to buy a house and live on their own. Those who cannot return because of over-population or other related issues should be offered money to compensate for the property they lost during the war. This idea was also suggested in the UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (3) where it said that the people who were kicked out of their homes by the Israelis who moved in after the WWII was over and the British offered them the space in the current Israel (Bickerton) I do not agree that everyone should return all at once but I do agree upon the people who refuse to return should be compensated somehow with what they lost in sequence with the being kicked out.

Final Status of Jerusalem: In the past, the rulers of Jerusalem and it’s heritage have been long but undetermined and very confused. One of the first rulers of Jerusalem was King David. Then his son, Solomon, ruled them for a while. After Solomon it became very confused and sort of short. The rulers have included Muslims, Crusaders, etc. This relates to the state of Israel because the rulers are still being swapped over small areas of Israel. The Old City should be an area where all people are alike. Palestinians and Israelis need to work out the issues in order to live together in harmony. Where Jerusalem stands I think that people of all races; Palestinians and Israelis alike, should be able to live together in this city. As for the areas most fought over I think that the people should be able to live in harmony and peace in both areas of the Old City and Jerusalem. Again, the harmony can be created by a number of peaceful negotiations and festivities that involve both parties. Overall, I think that the Palestinians should return to the Palestinian state and not Israel and that in Jerusalem, the people will have to find some way in which to create a peace that will last a long time as they both live in the city and they both have religious events that have happened in these cities. (“Nutshell" Iseroff)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

105 UNGAR 194 [Excerpts]. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

106-107 UNSCR 242 [Excerpts]. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

100-104 Isseroff, Ami. “In a Nutshell, Israeli Palestinian Conflict.” Mideast Web. 2005. 22 Aug 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm

[Jessica Anderson-Nelson]

Jessica Anderson-Nelson
Opening Statement- Peace Conference
Ariel Sharon

I, Ariel Sharon, represent the Likud Party and all Israeli people in these negotiations. We all hope to achieve a peaceful solution that both sides will find acceptable. However, we will not stand for our rights to be taken away, or infringed upon. This should not be a major roadblock in these proceedings, because we know the Palestinians have chosen an able leader, one who is devoted to peace and cooperation between our two communities and cultures. Therefore, we all have faith that these talks will succeed.

Territorial Sovereignty

Israelis believe in a fair and just compromise on the issue of land distribution. Both sides have been unreasonable in their demands in the past, but a solution is possible. Dividing the land into the divisions in place in 1949 is a sensible and realistic solution. God promised to “bring (Jews) up out of the affliction of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites” (Exodus 3:17). Although Israelis should own all of the land bestowed upon us by God in his Covenant with Abraham, we understand that there have been Muslim peoples living here for thousands of years, and that they have good reason for wishing to control the land. Therefore, we are willing to share the land between our people, as we both have strong ties to it. However, the division of the land by the U.N. is unsatisfactory. Israelis won the additional territory that we deserve during war. All countries expand their territory by fighting wars. Therefore, Israelis had the right to invade Palestinian lands, and today we have a right to the lands we acquired in 1949. We understand that the Palestinians want their own land, which is why they will gain control over the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (Likud). They should also be allowed to remain in their settlements within Israel. Any communities which are close to the Palestinian/ Israeli border can choose to be governed by either government. There will be a vote in each community, and they will be able to democratically decide which state they wish to be a part of. However, once the election is over, the borders will be defined, and will not change. Also, whichever state the settlement is in geographically will have military control over it, but civil matters will be decided by the government of the state it democratically chooses to belong to. Hopefully, both sides will be willing to compromise; because neither can have exactly what it wants if we wish to live together in peace. Both sides want sovereignty over all the land, but that is impossible, so we must find the solution which works best for everyone.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the holiest city of the Jewish faith. It is our only holy city. King David, a Jew, was the first person to rule there, and the original temple of Judaism is found in the old city. Clearly, we have many ties to the city, and we have no intention of giving it up. It is our capital, both spiritually and politically (Likud). Palestinians can look to two other cities, both considered to be holier to the Muslim faith than Jerusalem. They have Mecca, their own holy city, and they have Medina. The Ka’ba, in Mecca, is the most important place in Islamic tradition, and Jerusalem is only a minor part of the faith in comparison (Smith 153). It would not be devastating to their faith to continue not having sovereignty over Jerusalem, while it would be extremely detrimental to Judaism to lose our only holy city. Therefore, Jews should remain in control of the city, especially the old city. Muslims would, of course, be given access to Muslim holy sites, and be allowed to pray there. However, at least until suicide bombings and other terrorist activities cease, Muslims would not have access to Jewish holy sites, as a protection measure against possible attacks by extremists. “Jerusalem is the eternal, united capital of the State of Israel and only of Israel” (Likud) so Israel should have complete sovereignty over it.

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees are not guaranteed the right of return to their former homes. If we were to allow them all to come back, it would ruin our economy and possibly cause Israel to lose its Jewish majority. This is something that can not be allowed. However, the Israeli people respect the refugees’ rights, and are willing to let a few back each year, once they go through a process to attain citizenship. They will not be reimbursed for their land, but the government is willing to help some of them until they can support themselves. Also, the Israeli government is willing to donate money to help refugees get on their feet again in other countries, and to improve the condition of refugee camps for those who can not move. Refugees who move to Israeli territory would have to become citizens before they could vote, and they would have to agree to submit to all Israeli laws. If refugees wish to return to Palestinian territory, they will have to work out an agreement with the Palestinian Authority. The PA can do as it feels is best, but should not count on the financial support of Israel in reimbursing refugees. Israel believes that allowing Refugees return as regular immigrants, and improving the living conditions of refugee caps in other countries for those who can not return is “a just settlement of the refugee problem” (U.N. 242) that the PA should accept as reasonable and supporting.

Security

In the present, the security of both Israelis and Palestinians is very important, because only with good security can attacks be prevented and peace preserved. The Israeli army will not cease retaliation against militant groups for attacks on civilians, nor will the Israeli government allow the PA to plead ignorance to these attacks (Likud). In order for the terms of this negotiation to be put into effect, Palestinians have to be willing to support peace, both by not attacking Israel and by capturing terrorists and fighting the war on terrorism within their state (Roadmap). As stated in the Oslo Accords, Palestinians will not have the ability to create an army, but will be required to create a strong police force to protect both Palestinians and Israelis from attack. “Israel will continue to carry the responsibility for defending against external threats” (Oslo 109). The security fence will be maintained, and construction will continue, because it is a safety precaution for the Israeli people (Likud). However, the Israeli government also recognizes that the fence is not a permanent solution, and that an alternative will have to be found, and the fence will have to be removed once there is less conflict between the two parties. “Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other Israeli cities are within artillery range of any Palestinian state” (Iseroff) so the wall is essential in protecting these cities until attacks stop. There will continue to be an Israeli military presence in a Palestinian state, helping to train police, finding terrorists, preventing attacks and protecting Israel from invasion by foreign nations.

Bibliography

Bush Road Map to Peace. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

Exodus 3, 19-20. The Bible: Revised Standard Version. Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia. 22 Aug 2005. http://etext.virginia.edu/rsv.browse.html

“Likud-Platform.” The Knesset: The Israeli Parliament. 1999 State of Israel. 25 October 2005.

Smith, Huston “The Migration That Led to Victory” The Illustrated World’s Religions. San Francisco: Harper, 1994

UNSCR 242 [Excerpts]. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

[Jake Greenstein]

Opening Statements for the Dedham Accords

Backed by the Jewish people, I, Arial Sharon, have certain views on the issues facing our developing nation. On issues such as Jerusalem, territorial sovereignty, security, and refugees, I am generally a right wing conservative. However, I am willing to make compromises in order to reach a final agreement. Peace must be made between us Israelites and the Palestinians.
Jerusalem is the heart of our faith, and is ours by right. We have suffered and endured, and have retained ownership over Jerusalem this whole time. The land is ours, and we should not be barred from it. My people should not only have unlimited access to this region, but be welcomed. If this land is not to be under the Israeli’s control, let it not be under Palestinian control either. They have no better claim to the land than we do. Before the L.O.N. got involved in this, we bought the land with solid money. Then the British gave us the land. In Genesis 17 7-8 God promised the Jews the land of Jerusalem, and what is now Israel. If Muslims argue they have religion roots in the land, not only do we have roots, but also according to religion the land is ours. For free and unlimited access to Jerusalem, I am willing to give up my control of the land, but only to a third party. A board shall be put into place that will make all executive decisions. This board wills be made up of members of all three major religions, and a delegate from the third party. Members of each government shall be on the board as well. No Muslim should rule the land, and desecrate the monuments of our faith. Muslims will be allowed to pray at Mosques and visit the holy sites of their religion. To prevent the damage of Jewish sites, Muslims will not be allowed near them, and restricted to certain areas in Jerusalem. As time passes, and the peace settles, Jerusalem will become open to everyone. Israelites should have control of all of Jerusalem.
This land that we Israelites are living on belongs to us. We have won it with our lives in battle, given money for it, signed treaties for it, been promised it by the British and United nations, and have been promised it by God. The least land we are walking away with from these negotiations is the land that we occupied in 1949. When the United Nations decided to split the land between the Palestinians and us, a deal was made. The land that us Israelites took after was won in war. We established boundaries like every other country, why should ours not stand? I propose two separate nations with their own sovereign governments. Besides a separate agreement over Jerusalem, one change will be made to these borders. A segment of land connecting the Palestinian land will be an international zone, solving travel issues. Also, I want both governments to take responsibility for travelers between communities in opposing territory. Travel should not inhibit our peace talks. I believe that Palestinians and my people can live side by side, and in faith of that I will give up some land. We will not exhibit force and command Palestinians leave their homes unless they don’t comply with our wishes. Communities have co-existed side by side for years, and this practice can continue. Each community shall nominate an ambassador to solve problems between the two. In return for this generous offer, I want the stoppage of military violence. If it were up to the military, we would have won this battle years ago, and retained all the land from the six-day war. There shall be a Jewish government on the lands, but followers of all religions can immigrate to the land. However, true citizenship and full rites to vote and participate in the government will only be granted to incoming Jews. There is no need for the immigration process to be stopped. On the Palestinian land, there shall be an ambassador elected to communicate with our government. Also, border patrol shall be erected by each nation. For the first five months after territories are declared, only government-cleared personnel shall be permitted to cross the border. The security fence has prevented a number of causalities so far (Isseroff), and this principle should apply to the borders. Our settlements in the West Bank shall follow the same rules as Palestinian settlements in Israeli lands. On our land, the Israeli government should govern, but Palestinians will be permitted to live here and follow our rules.
Refugees forced out of land by military procedures can return to the land they left, and immigrate into the country following procedures set by the government. Because settlements can continue to exist, new refugees shall not be created. Therefore, people leaving after these changes are set into effect, will be on their own. Refugees can return as immigrants through a process set by an agreement between the two governments. These immigrants cannot vote, until they are registered citizens. To become a citizen, the immigrants will apply and take a set test. They cannot run for positions as it should be a Jewish national homeland, and only Jews can run. A Jewish government will control Israel. We Israelites have been forced to leave our homes too, and are refugees as well. These refugees will follow the same protocol as the other refugees, and are allowed to return. Refugees who comply with our wishes of peace will be allowed to return in large number once the process stabilizes. Refugees can apply for citizenship, and undergo tests. These refugees will have to legally buy land, or be granted land by the government. Jews should feel welcome to immigrate to Israel, the Jewish national homeland. However, they too must undergo a process so we can make sure they comply with our beliefs and not disrupt the temporary peace between the Palestinians and us. The Palestinians argue that the Palestinians should be allotted the land or be compensated for what the Israelites took from them. Palestinians demand the right of refugees to return under UN General Assembly Resolution 194. In this resolution, they also demand that the Palestinians returning to the land shall still be the owners of their land. If they do not want to return, the refugees should be compensated for their property. However, in resolution 242 all it states about refugees is "Affirms further the necessity for achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem” Both the Oslo Accords and the Bush Road Map for peace are based on U.N. resolution 242, and not 194. We do not need to compensate Palestinians. Palestinian refugees returning to Palestinian lands can deal with their government for compensation. Israeli refugees returning to communities in the new land of Palestine will have to apply for immigration with the Palestinian government, and ask for compensation. They however, are free to apply for immigration into the state of Israel. Refugees are a problem that has been created by these exchanging of land, and this problem can easily be solved.
Us Israelites should be allowed to undertake security measures to protect our people. The security fence project should be allowed to continue, and funded by the government. “Since the barrier was built, Israeli casualties have decreased dramatically, and the IDF claims that it is vital to preventing terror attacks” (Isseroff) the barrier may prevent the Palestinians from getting to their own lands and other towns (Isseroff), but that problem can be solved. Checkpoints will be set up along the wall to allow passage between the territories. This security wall has helped decrease violence, and violence must be stopped for peace talks to resume. However, the security fence is only a temporary solution. “By itself the wall will not provide security for anyone, because it will plant hatred and villains in the hearts of Israeli and Palestinian children.” (Washington Post). This wall creates problems within our own people such as travel. Abdul Wahab Sabbah, a resident of a small, Jerusalem suburb described his situation, “After this wall, after they built this wall, my wife can’t live here. She must live, live in Jerusalem.” (Defining, Washington Post) In the words of a Palestinian farmer, “I need a permit to access my own lands…We are the victims of this policy.” (Defining, Washington Post). Once peace is reached between he two nations, and a final agreement signed, the wall will gradually begin to change. Our goal is to have the security fence completely open five months after negotiations end. Will this fence helps solve problems; we have another solution to the problem of creating peace. We will trade land for peace. The Palestinian government needs to crack down on groups such as the Habbas. One person can destroy negotiations, and you need to stop it. Punishments must be harsher, and the Palestinians need to put more funding into preventing and catching terrorist groups. They also need to increase security for their own leaders, to prevent the failure of peace talks. If this happens, our government will turn over abandoned communities in our possession, and allow the creation of new communities in Israel. Third parties such as the U.S. will not continue to help us and support talks until violence stalls. Violence needs to stop, and an agreement needs to be made before Israel stops retaliating. Until the number of Israeli casualties decrease by 50%, retaliations will continue. We need to protect ourselves, and will not agree to retaliate until we know there will be no more threats to our safety. An important aspect of these negotiations will be dealing with military. We will agree to remove our military from populated areas in accordance with the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles. “In redeploying its military forces, Israel will be guided by the principle that its military forces should be redeployed outside populated areas.” (Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles). The Palestinians shall not create a military, and instead only increase their police force. With the improvement of security, and the continuation of the security fence, violence will, and must, be stopped.
Overall, the Israelites are willing to compromise on certain issues to reach peace with the Palestinians. Issues such as Jerusalem, territorial sovereignty, security, and refugees must be solved in order to reach peace. “The government of the State of Israel and the P.L.O. team (in the Jordanian-Palestinian delegation to the Middle East Peace Conference) (The “Palestinian Delegation”), representing the Palestinian people, agree that it is time to put an end to the decades of confrontation and conflict, recognize their mutual legitimate and political rites, and strive to live in a peaceful coexistence and mutual dignity and security and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement and historic reconciliation through the agreed political process.” (Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles). Both the Palestinians and we want peace between the two nations, and we believe it is possible that peace will be reached through negotiations such as these.

Bibliography

Balfour, Arthur. “The Balfour Declaration (November 2, 1917). The Israel-Arab Reader. Walter Laquer and Barry Rubin, eds. New York: Penguin, 2001. 16

Defining the Barrier. 2005 The Washington Post Company. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/interactives/israel/israelFence.html

Isseroff, Ami. “In a Nutshell, Israeli Palestinian Conflict.” Mideast Web. 2005. 22 Aug 2005. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm

Genesis 17. The Bible: Revised Standard Version. Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia. 22 Aug 2005. http://etext.virginia.edu/rsv.browse.html

The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles [Excerpts]. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

UNGAR 194 [Excerpts]. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

UNSCR 242 [Excerpts]. Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner. A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004

[Alexandra Piersiak]

Alexandra Piersiak November 2, 2005

Opening Statement

As head of the Israeli Labor Party, I must strive to present and support the perspectives and opinions of my fellow members of the Labor party and negotiate with other representatives and chief negotiators on behalf of the Labor Party as a whole. This course of action is necessary in order to contribute and potentially aid the chief negotiators in producing a solution regarding the current conflict involving the Israelis and Palestinians. In addition, I am obligated to compromise with other representatives. However, I must recognize the limits of compromise and do my best to suggest solutions that not only satisfy other representatives, but also are in the best interest of the Israelis and members of the Labor Party.
In order to firmly understand the views of the Labor Party, one must refer to the Labor Party Platform in which the basic goals of the party are illustrated. “The Israel Labor Party will strive to create a new reality in which there will be no more terrorism and war, and in which tremendous financial resources will no longer be committed to the arms race. Israel's peace and security policy will be aimed toward ending the Israeli-Arab conflict. The regional policy will be based on pursuing economic cooperation in various fields; mutual ties in the areas of culture, science and technology; joint development of the standard of living and welfare; and fulfilling the promise of a better future with greater opportunities for the young generation in our region. In order to achieve this goal, Israel will continue to conduct peace negotiations, while at the same time, combating the forces of fundamentalism and terrorism that aim to destroy this process. This new reality will strengthen Israel's security and standing and will encourage economic prosperity and the welfare of the state” (Jewish Virtual Library “Labor Party”).
Regarding the issue of territorial sovereignty, the Israelis should be granted sovereignty over all of Israel and continue to maintain sovereignty over Jewish settlements. However, Palestinians may establish small governments within areas in which they occupy, but Israelis will always have authority over the Palestinians in any case of conflict or disagreement. “In 1250 BC, the Israelites escaped from Egypt, where they were being used as slave labor” (Meredith 18). This escape was known as the Exodus. “About forty years after the Exodus, the Israelites reached Canaan, which they believed to be the Promised Land. Canaan became the Israelite Kingdom” (Meredith 18). Present day, the land of Canaan is referred to as Israel. The Israelites were the first to establish a kingdom on the land of Israel, therefore, this land belongs to the Israelis and they should regain sovereignty of the land on which their ancestors lived.
In discussing the issue of Palestinian refugees, the Labor Party firmly agrees that “Israel [should not] recognize the right of return of Palestinians to areas under Israeli sovereignty. Israel [should] negotiate with the Palestinians on allowing the return to areas under Palestinian control” (Jewish Virtual Library “Labor Party”). Considering that there are currently over 4 million Palestinian refugees, the Labor Party worries that returning Palestinian refugees may begin to occupy Jewish settlements and areas over which Israelis have sovereignty. Eventually, Palestinians will become the majority population causing the Palestinians to gain sovereignty over Israel. The Labor Party does not want the Palestinian refugees to intrude and potentially destroy the government that Israelis will establish in receiving sovereignty over Israel.
Regarding the issue of Jerusalem, Jerusalem will serve as the capital of Israel and will function under Israeli sovereignty. However, Palestinian residents of Jerusalem will be permitted to establish local governments within areas of Jerusalem in which they occupy. In addition, these Palestinians will be granted civic rights, or rights relating to a region that maintains it’s own government. The issue of Christian and Islamic religious monuments located in Jerusalem may present a problem for the Israelis when they attempt to govern Jerusalem. The Labor Party has yet to generate a resolution to this problem, however it is agreed upon that “special arrangements will be established for the sites sacred to Christianity and Islam (Jewish Virtual Library “Labor Party”). In 993 BC, after Canaan became the kingdom of the Israelites, the Israelite king, David, “established a capital city at Jerusalem. David’s son, King Solomon, built a temple at Jerusalem and this became the main center for Israelite worship” (Meredith “Judaism”). The Israelites were the first to occupy Jerusalem and establish it as the capital city of Israel, or Canaan. As a result, the Israelis should be permitted to control and govern this land.
In reference to matters involving security, the Labor Party makes it their goal to establish a society in which war and terrorism never occurs. Therefore, the majority of the suggestions put forth by the Labor Party involving security pertain to the prevention of war and terrorism in Israel. The most vital component to security is peace, or “the reconciliation between both people and their readiness to live and respect of mutual rights to self determination and statehood” (Jewish Virtual Library “Labor Party”) If the Israelis and Palestinians can live together under one state and respect one another, Israel will maintain a safe and secure environment. In addition, Israel will continue to develop and manufacture weaponry and materials in order to establish an advantage over Arab and other foreign armies. Once a powerful and stable army is implemented, Israel will attempt to prevent nations who have motives involving hatred and violence, such as Iran and Iraq, from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. The fight against terrorism and war will require “determination, patience, regional and international mobilization” (Jewish Virtual Library “Labor Party”). The Labor Party considers terrorism and war key elements that are significantly affecting the overall security of Israel. As a result, these elements should be pursued and the Labor Party makes the prevention of terrorism and war a top priority in creating safety and security in Israel.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“The Labor Party.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2005. American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 25 October 2005. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/labor.html

Meredith, Susan. “Judaism” The Usborne Book of World Religions.London: Usborne, 1995. 18-21