HHC-8 Palestine

Representatives: Please post your opening statements here before class on Wednesday.
CNs: Please post your opening statements here before class on Thursday.

To post, click on comment, and then copy and paste your statements in to the space provided and click on "post."

Comments

[Paul Toribio]

Paul Toribio
10/31/05

I have been chosen to represent the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). PLO is a group of Palestinians chosen to characterize and work for the betterment of its land and people. PLO is Pro-Islam but recently our party has been recognizing the Jewish population as something that exists and not just an obstacle we have to overcome. They deserve their rights just as any other people should. It is time we recognize their existence and comply with their demands as long as they do the same in return. We are willing to compromise if no one else has to suffer like in the past. Millions of innocent peoples lives have been ended all because of how dedicated they are to their religions and culture. This is not the best way to handle this. This problem between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the Jews and the Muslims, it must come to an end. The only way to stop the madness and insanity in the Middle East is to have a conference with chosen Palestinian authorities, and chosen Israeli authorities. PLO will participate in this conference and hopefully make a change because it is necessary if both people want to have a future that is not all consistent of war.

Territorial Sovereignty is the subject that must first be addressed in order to solve the problem. This is a very important subject because of how broad it is. Who should get what land? What military forces should be where? What police forces should be used in each settlement? These are questions that need to be answered in order for this conference to have an effect. The members of PLO have come to a conclusion and think that in order for peace in the Middle East then Palestine should have the following land. Palestine should have some of the West Bank, all of Gaza, and some of various other lands. These other various lands should be the lands with many Palestinian settlements such as the northern part of the West Bank (Collapse,114). Recently the Israeli military forces have evacuated Gaza. We are content with this decision. It is step one in the road to peace. Although we are willing to give up some of the southern part of the West Bank, we would like to have military forces outside the borders of these settlements. If we have these military forces it will only be temporarily until we actually know that we are safe.

Jerusalem is an imperative subject. Since Jerusalem is important to both Israelis and Palestinians, certain restrictions must be made on this land. It cannot have one sole owner. It should be neutral and have several representatives of Israel and several from Palestine run it. There should also be both Israeli and Palestinian military forces in this land. This will keep the land neutral. It will also make it so that the Israelis do not think that they are overpowering the Palestinians and vice-versa. Since Jerusalem is so important to the Jewish and Muslim religion it only makes sense for the land to be neutral. According to the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947 that legitimized the creation of the State of Israel, the areas which are now East and West Jerusalem (and their environs, including Bethlehem), were not allocated to either the Arab or Jewish state but were instead to be internationally administered as a separate entity (Legal Status). This states that this land does not belong to one religion or culture. Jerusalem is a place where Israelis and Muslims should be able to co-exist with no problems. Unfortunately, up until now, it hasn’t always been like that. Due to extremists from both sides, Jerusalem is not the safe place that it should be. More military forces and more police should fix that.

The security wall that Israel is building is hurting us Palestinians. We demand for you to change the route of the wall or completely remove it. It is not necessarily a bad thing to have a wall but to build it the way that you are is ill-mannered. There are four policies that the Israelis have, that are evident, and are conflicting with our needs. Policy one is forceful expulsions. From 1948 until today the Israelis have expelled over 1 million of our people from our own land. Most of this is due to the wall. Policy two is the destruction of Palestinian homes, buildings, and businesses (Land Without People). “To make way for the “security” wall, Israel has already demolished 124 businesses and 7 homes in Nazlat Issa alone and destroyed 546 greenhouses”(Land Without People). The third policy is the taking over of our land. When you destroy our settlements, you also take what is left over. “the wall is not being built on the Green Line but well within Palestinian Territory.~ Prime Palestinian agricultural land will be annexed well into Israel.~ No Israeli colonies will be dismantled. Rather, Israel intends to expand existing colonies and build new one”(Land Without People). The wall is being built onto existing Palestinian colonies and settlements forcing our people to move out. The last policy is the destruction and isolation of our natural resources. “Approximately 11,700 Palestinians, living in 11 towns, will live west of the wall (between the wall and the Green Line), while their land (689.5 acres) will be east of the wall, Approximately 20,000 Palestinians, living in 29 towns, will live east of the wall, while their land (approximately 25,000 acres) will be west of the wall, and will be de facto annexed by Israel; The wall will separate 50 underground water wells from their owners and from the thousands of people who rely on them for drinking and agriculture; “(People without Land) This is probably the biggest problem conflicting with the construction of the wall. The land is being separated from the people causing people to move out somewhere where they have sufficient resources. Not only is this crude and monster-like but it is also inhuman. No person no matter where they are should be forced to leave their home at the gain of others.

There are more than 6.5 million refugees that have left Israel because of the 1948 and the 1967 wars. These refugees have yet to return to there homes (Refugees). They left Israel for fear of their own safety because of some military conflicts (Refugees). Throughout all this time, the Israeli government has failed to compensate the refugees with finances or with property that was destroyed or taken from them. This angers us Palestinians because you Israelis basically stole from us when we were in a time of vulnerability, fear, and confusion. We demand to be compensated. Although it might be a financial burden for you it is what must be done if we are to comply to a peace process. These compensations will make more Palestinians realize that we are not just in this as a joke like all the previous attempts have been. PLO is in this negotiation for it to be successful. By compensating the refugees, the Palestinians and maybe the Israelis also will see that this time it is serious. According to International Law, every victim feeling from war has a right to return to there home. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country(Refugees).” Israelis must allow the refugees to return to their home or else. In previous negotiations, Israel has failed to comply or even discuss this subject(Refugees). These refugees, if not financially rewarded, should be able to return to the land and have their homes still intact.

This conference will include representatives from both Israeli parties and Palestinian parties. Hopefully this peace process will not end up a failure as all others have. If we settle all four different subjects discussed then there may be a possibility that Israelis and Palestinians can co-exist. Hopefully we can achieve it.

Bibliography:

114 “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

PLO Fact sheets on negotiation issues:
[ http://www.nad-plo.org/listing.php?view=facts ]http://www.nad-plo.org/listing.php?view=facts

[Sarah Dec]

Sarah Dec
HHC Opening Statements

Organization of Palestinian Refugees

The issue of Palestinian refugees is a prominent problem in Israel and Palestine, and factors such as territorial sovereignty, Jerusalem, right of return, and violence all play a key role in solving the refugee crisis.
The Palestinian Refugees feel that Palestine should own all of the West Bank and Gaza because owning these territories would create a “safe haven” for Palestinians to live and an area for refugees to return to. In many of the suggested peace treaties including the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles, which states “…withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Jericho area, a transfer of authority from the Israeli military government and its civil administration to the authorized Palestinians for this task…will commence.” Under this treaty and others, such as the UN Security Resolution 242, and Roadmap to Peace, the Israelis receive commands to withdraw, leaving Palestinians in control of the West Bank and Gaza. However there are some conflicts halting the execution of these plans. Israelis are not very inclined to allowing Palestinians to have complete control over the West Bank and Gaza because “…right wing Israelis are opposed to creating a state, because, they claim, it would be a base for terror groups” (“Palestinian Refugees”). This opposition to providing a Palestinian state makes solving the refugee problem quite difficult since many refugees would be unable to locate houses in Israelis communities and territories. As well as land in Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians should “…govern themselves to according to democratic principles…”, and “…establish a strong police force…” (PLO). If Palestinians controlled the West Bank and Gaza as well as forming their own government and strong military force, then the crisis of the refugee problem would greatly be reduced. Refugees would be able to return to Palestinian soil, since Gaza and the West Bank would provide a “house” for all Palestinians, and a Palestinian leader would govern the area, thus protecting refugees and their rights.
As well as Gaza and the West Bank being extremely important to Muslims, so is Jerusalem. To all Muslims, including Arab refugees, Jerusalem is a sacred and important city due to numerous Palestinian houses being located there, as well as important religious landmarks, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Harah-esh-Sharif, and the spot where Ishmael was nearly sacrificed. One source describes Jerusalem as a town where, “Jewish and Arab neighborhoods are closely interwoven and would be difficult to separate” (Iseroff, “Nutshell”). This description demonstrates that many Arabs live in Jerusalem; making city a prime location for returning refugees. As well, Jerusalem is a sacred city to Muslims, as well as Jews: thus provoking conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Jerusalem is a sacred site to Muslims since the shrines honoring Muhammad including the Dome of the Rock, and Al-Aqsa Mosque, lie in Old Jerusalem. As well, the Haram-esh-Sharif, or the site where Muhammad ascended to meet God, Moses, and other holy figures, during his night journey, is in Jerusalem. For Israelis, the Holy Temple, and now Western Wall is situated in Old Jerusalem (Chesnoff, “God’s City”). A constant battle over Jerusalem has taken place between the Israelis and Palestinians for many years. But, to the refugees the status of Jerusalem is not as important as being allowed back into their old houses and towns. To a group of Palestinians who have been cast out of their hometowns for many years their main desire is to live “normal” lives in their own homes regardless of the status of Jerusalem. Yet at the same time, refugees are Palestinians too, and some refugees, some belonging to Zionist groups and some belong to peace groups, also voice opinions about the status of Jerusalem.
Refugees want to the right to leave the refugee camps and return to Palestine because the living conditions in the camps are terrible and because, like most humans, refugees desire to live in their houses. The refugee issue began in 1948 and later in 1967 when Arabs were forced or choose to leave their homes. Living in refugee camps the conditions were terrible and very overcrowded. On December 11, 1948 the UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (III) addressed the issue of refugees. Under this resolution the United Nation, “…instructs the Conciliation Commission to take steps to assist the Governments and authorities concerned to achieve a final settlement…” as well as, “…resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property…” However, this resolution did not stop the dispute about refugee right of return. Israelis did not want Arabs returning to Israel for two reasons. One, Israelis claim they were not responsible for making Arabs leave, and two because if the Palestinians returned, Israel would have more Palestinians than Israelis; thus Israel would no longer be a Jewish state (“Palestinian Refugees”). “Many Palestinians say their right to return goes beyond the U.N. resolution, stemming from a right of people to live in their homeland. For Palestinians, it’s a matter of principle and historical reproachment -- Israel acknowledging the wrongs it has caused to the Palestinian people.” (Land of Conflict) Some parties seem willing to agree that instead of the Palestinians returning to the homes they left in 1948 and 1967, the Palestinians would return to Palestinians national soil, including the West Bank and Gaza. As well, many Palestinians living in remoter areas feel unconnected with Palestinian government. To alleviate this issue, “…the establishment of a Palestinian ‘Law of Return’ under which ‘every Palestinian in the diaspora so wishes would receive Palestinian citizenship, carry a Palestinian passport that would grant him international recognition and rights, and, if need be, the right to immigrate to the new state’” (“Palestinian Refugees”). In this instance, every Palestinian no matter where they lived, could be a Palestinian citizen, so long as the country where they are reside allows it. As well the issue of compensation to refugees is a prominent aspect of the refugee problem. However solving this issue continues to be unclear: who should receive the money? Should everyone receive equal amounts of money? Should money be in the form of cash? Should money be given over a period of time? Should the Palestinian Authority receive any of the money? These questions remain very important concepts to identify and answer. Lastly the idea of how many refugees would actually return to Palestine is important. Since many of the refugees have developed connections with their new countries, are too poor to move, or are content with their new lifestyle, determining how many Palestinians would return if given the opportunity would become crucial (“Palestinian Refugees”).
The Palestinian Refugees hope that violence will come to an end. Violence from the war following the creation of Israel is one of the factors that drove many Palestinians from their homeland and forced them to live in Refugee Camps (Iseroff, “Nutshell”). After experiencing the pain and terrible conditions of refugee camps, naturally Palestinian refugees would want to end violence, so other people would not have to travel to these camps and live terribly. As well, if the Israelis and Palestinians are at peace the two groups will be much more likely to talk and cooperate with each other to reach agreements, involving issues like refugee compensation and return. For example, some of the major treaty and solution ideas which could only be created if the two nations communicated in a peace-like fashion, including the UN Resolution 194, UN Security Resolution 242, and the Roadmap to Peace, address the issue of how to fairly treat and “undo” the injustice done to the refugees. So the longer it takes for Israel and Palestine to come to some level of peaceful negotiations, the longer the refugee problem remains unsolved. As well, the Security Wall remains a prominent issue in Palestine. Once the refugees do return, the fence will greatly affect their lives. The fence has negatives and positives. First, the fence will help to retain peace between Israelis and Palestinians and lower the amount of violence (especially suicide attacks) from either side. However, the fence also poses the problem that it may run through some Palestinian land, and divide cities and farms, thus making traveling from one area to another area quite difficult. However in the long run, even if traveling becomes slightly inconvenient, most refugees believe that if the wall helps to stop violence, which will enable refugees to return to their homes, the fence is worthwhile (“Israeli-Palestinian”).
The problem of Palestinian Refugees is a complicated problem involving territorial sovereignty, Jerusalem, right of return, and violence. To solve the issue, the cooperation, understanding, and compromising of both Palestinians and Israelis will be necessary.

[Sarah Dec]

“Palestinian Refugees and Final Status: Key Issues.” Palestinian refugee ResearchNet. 25 October 2005.

Mideast: Land of Conflict. 2005. Cable News Network. 25 October 2005.

"The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." WashingtonPost.com. 2005. Washington Post. 25 October 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/issues/mideastpeace/

Chesnoff, Richard. “God’s City.” US News and World Report. Special Collector’s Edition: Mysteries of the Faith. 2001. 10-16

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

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

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

[Brooke Hammer]

Brooke Hammer
Opening Statements
11/1/2005

Opening Statements: The League of Arab States

The League of Arab States is an organization consisting of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Algeria, Somalia, and Sudan (League, “Member States”). The league supports the Palestinians in their mission to restore peace in the land that is rightfully theirs in the area that is currently under Israeli control. The League is in favor of a peaceful settlement to the conflict.

Territorial Sovereignty:

The League of Arab States stands “opposing settlements in all forms” (League, “Palestinian Issues”), because these settlements are used not just for the Israelis to delay Arab attack, but also to disrupt every day life for Arabs living in areas settled by Israelis (League, “Palestinian Issues”). The League is also against all settlements because they are often surrounded by land mines or tanks and are used as checkpoints, which further disrupt Arab lives each day (League, “Palestinian Issues”). We believe that Israel should return the land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip fully to the Palestinian people (League, “Palestinian Issues”) and those areas should be ruled by Palestinian authority. The League does not support the “Provisional State” proposed in The Quartet Roadmap because we do not feel that a Palestinian state should have borders that are defined before agreeing on other issues (Isseroff, “Nutshell”). It is essential that the borders of the state be decided before any agreements are made because the borders of the state are one of the most important issues to be settled. Also, the Arabs do not want to compromise on another topic before knowing if the Israelis will be willing to compromise for them.

Refugees:

The League of Arab States is in full support UN resolution 194 in which The UN states resolves that “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practical date,” (Bickerton and Clausner, Concise History). These returning refugees who return should be paid in full for any damage or loss in their property. Also, those refugees who chose not to return home should be fairly compensated for the land they had taken from them (Bickerton and Clausner, Concise History). Israel should have to pay the refugees who chose not to return a fair amount because they are responsible for creating the current situation and allowing it to continue (League, “Refugees Issue”). The League is in favor of the return or compensation guidelines laid out in the resolution because we believe that it was unfair for the Palestinians to be forced out of their homes in the first place. We recognize that it is also out duty of the neighboring Arab nations to host and aid the Palestinian refugees, and also aid and fund the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) which is making a large effort to assist in the return of the refugees to Palestine (League, “Refugees Issue”).

Security:

The main goal of the League of Arab States in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to restore peace, allowing all to live in peace among neighbors (League, “Palestinian Issue”). There should be not hostile or violence to any refugees who return home (League, “Refugees Issue”). In addition to the previous statements in which the League’s opposition to settlements was expressed, Israelis who are living in settlements should not be allowed to have access to abundant personal weapons (League, “Palestinian Issue”). This is the case in the current situation. The league is also against the Security Fence because it is unnecessary and has “completely enveloped the city” (“Moussa”). In the same article, the fence is also referred to as “turning Qaqilia into a somewhat large prison (“Moussa”). It is clear from these two statements that the fence has obviously taken a toll on the Arabs living in Israel because they feel boxed in and not free, as they should. As for the request of the Israelis that the Palestinians not allow any foreign armies into through their borders, we agree but for this to happen the Israelis must also agree to take down the fence. We agree because if the Israelis comply with our requests generously it is fair to assure them some sort of security for giving up their posts in Gaza and the West Bank.

Jerusalem:

The city of Jerusalem is one area of negotiation in which the League does not feel that there is much room for compromise because it is a sacred city in Islam and because was originally Palestinian territory, that was taken away in 1967 (League, “Jerusalem”). The League feels that Jerusalem, referred to by Arabs as Al-Quds, should be the “capital of an independent Palestinian state” (“Al-Quds”). Not only is the city of Jerusalem a religion center of the state, but a great geographical center as well. The one kilometer of city inside the walls is surrounded by mountains, protecting it on all sides (League, “Jerusalem”). The Dome of the Rock and Al-Buraq, also known as the Western Wall, are key religious spots in Al-Quds. The Israelis have fewer religious ties to the city than Arabs. It is not right for the Israelis to claim the city because of just the Western Wall. They use the Western Wall as a sacred temple, but there is little evidence to actually support their use of the Wall in reference to the First Temple (League, “Jerusalem”). The League of Arab States stands strong on the issue of Al-Quds, because “the city represents a red circle that should not be trifled with or squandered with under and condition,” (League, “Jerusalem”).
Bibliography:

League of Arab States. “Palestinian Issues.” 25 October 2005.
http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/level2_en.jsp?level_id=277

“Moussa Calls Annan for a Firm Stance Concerning Palestinians in Qalqilia” 11 August 2003.
http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=2287&level_id=219

League of Arab States. “Refugees Issue”.
http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=776&level_id=282

League of Arab States. “Al-Quds”. http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=1678&level_id=6&page_no=1.

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

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

League of Arab States. “Member States”. http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/level2_en.jsp?level_id=11

[Tess Lippincott]

Opening Statements November 2, 2005
HAMAS
Tess Lippincott

Palestine has been our land for centuries. Our ancestors, families and friends have lived here. But, in the fairly recent past, our lives have been torn apart by the Jews. In 1948 and later in 1967, members of our Islamic communities and neighborhoods were uprooted from their homes and placed in refugee camps without fair compensation. A fence has been built around our communities and neighborhoods, isolating them from others, and even from their own land. We must act in order get our lives back that we lost so many years ago.
“Liberation of Palestine is then an individual duty for every Moslem wherever he may be. On this basis, the problem should be viewed. This should be realized by every Moslem.” (HAMAS Charter)
Palestine has always been an entirely Muslim state, and that’s how it should stay. In 1948, the UN and Britain announced that the Jews could come to Palestine, and take over our land. Land was taken away from Palestinians again in the Six Day War in 1967. Today, over 4,000,000 Palestinians live in refugee camps. Any Muslim is another Muslim's brother (HAMAS charter), and to watch one's own brother have his land taken away from him is wrong. The Jews should evacuate the West Bank and Gaza, and give land back to the Palestinians, its rightful owners. All the Jewish settlements should evacuate, and all Israeli Military should leave our country. Only then can our lives return to a normal that we haven’t experienced before 1948. Allah chose this land for the Muslims, and now Jews are taking it from us.
Jerusalem is a holy city for both Muslims and Jews, and that presents a problem, because everybody wants control over it. Since Palestine is and Islamic country, Jerusalem should be controlled by Palestinians.
"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory)." (HAMAS Charter), and the same is true for Jerusalem. The Muslims will do anything to get it back, including great acts of violence.
The security fence should be taken down immediately. It wraps around villages, separates people from their own land, and prevents access to certain areas. It also restricts HAMAS attacks, and is, therefore, keeping the Jews here longer. The only way the Jews can be forced out of Palestine is if we, the Islamic Palestinians, make them go. These attacks scare the Jews, and each one brings us closer to an entirely Muslim nation.
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors." (HAMAS Charter) Violence is the only thing that works, so HAMAS will continue to attack. “And fight in the way of God with those who fight against you, but aggress not: God loves not the aggressors.” (Reader) Allah says to attack when Muslims are being attacked, and putting up this fence is a direct act of aggression against our religion.
Refugees should be returned to their homes as soon as possible. People who haven’t had a real home since 1948 are living in refugee camps, waiting to return to their homes, or else be fairly compensated for what they have lost. The refugees should be able to return to the land they came from, that is now used for Jewish settlements. 57 years is too long to have lived without a proper home.
“We should not forget to remind every Moslem that when the Jews conquered the Holy City in 1967, they stood on the threshold of the Aqsa Mosque and proclaimed that "Mohammed is dead, and his descendants are all women."” (HAMAS Charter) People who say this about Islamic women, and God’s prophet, should not be anywhere near our land.

Bibliography:
HAMAS. “The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS).” MideastWeb. 2005. MidEastWeb for Coexistance. 25 October 2005. (HAMAS Charter)

Andrea, Alfred J., and James H. Overfield, eds. “Islam: Universal Submission to God.” The Human Record. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998, 225-233. (Reader)

[Ben Knott]

Opening Statement Sim. Project: Palestine-Abbas
Ben Knott-10/30/05

Territorial Sovereignty:
As a representative of the Palestinian effort and the leader of this effort, I have many arguments on what I would like to do with the land in the current states of Israel and Palestine. First of all I would like to have the state of Palestine keep the West Bank. I would also like to expand the Gaza Strip to approximately three times its current size and then connect the two parts. If that is not possible I would like to take the West Bank and expand that into the Northern tip of the current state of Israel. My belief is that our priority as a people is to gain all of our land back. First we must gain back the Gaza Strip completely and then the West Bank until there is no more Israeli military or police in the country. After that we would also like more land. As there are so many refugees who will be returning to Palestine we need more space for these people. My thoughts were to expand the Gaza Strip and then connect it by a piece of land with the West Bank so we could truly be one country and not be separated. The other option that I considered was to take the current West Bank and extend it up into the northern section of Israel taking over that general area.

Refugees:
Currently refugees are a major issue for all Palestinians. After the war in 1967 there were over 800,000 refugees who left the states of Israel and Palestine and currently there are over 6.5 million refugees. My goal as leader of Palestine is to allow all of those refugees return to their homes. They have been persecuted throughout all of these years and they must be allowed to live normally like everyone else. I will supply them with places to live, with food, and water. Any resources that we have, we will give to these people, so once again they can live their lives as they once did. All of the refugees should not only be able to return to their homes but they should be able to return to Palestinian land. Jerusalem may be a place where they can return to. I also believe that if it isn’t an option for them to return to their old homes they must be compensated for by the Israeli government. It is very important to the lives of many Palestinians that these refugees return to Palestine unharmed and they can live in peace and harmony for the rest of their lives.

Security:
Throughout the states of Israel and Palestine security has become a major issue. As leader of the Palestinians I will make a strong effort to put in many different security systems around out boarders. We would like to have our own government system, police force, and small militia for defense purposes. In addition, the security wall is becoming a major issue to our lifestyle. I believe we need to do away with the wall. In return we should have all of the military forces taken out of the West Bank. The Jews who live in the West Bank now are currently attempting to leave in small groups. The security fence is preventing this so it must be taken down as well. I also believe that we should not allow and people in Jewish settlements inside the West Bank and Gaza have the right to firearms. The only purpose that these weapons would serve is to harm the Palestinians. If the Jews feel unsafe they have the right to leave and we will not stop them.

Jerusalem:
Jerusalem is one of the most holy cities in all of the Muslim religion. It will belong to us because we are very good people. We are very religious people and Jerusalem is extremely important to us. As the leader of Palestine, I believe that we should have an agreement between out two countries. I believe that we should be able to live in peace and harmony with each other. My ideas for Jerusalem let us live together as one people. I believe that we should continue with out current lifestyle together having the city split in half. My only issue with that solution is it is splitting the most important parts of the city off to each side. My second proposal is to begin a democratic government system. We should begin by having a vote put together with one representative of each side (Israelis and Palestinians). Then we should have a democratic vote .The winner of this vote will be the ruler of Jerusalem for a set period of time. We could make a federal court and other systems of government similar to those of the United States and many other countries throughout the world.

Bibliography:
Isseroff, Ami. “In a Nutshell, Isreali Palestinian Conflict”. Mideast Web. 2005.
22 August 2005. http://mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm.

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

[Erin Radley]

Erin Radley
November 3, 2005
Palestinian-Israeli Compromise Simulation

Opening Statement from Mahmound Abbas

As Mahmound Abbas, the President of Palestine, it is my duty to make decisions about what should happen to my people and then to see that the right thing is done. Four of the most pressing conflicts today are refugees, security, territorial sovereignty and Jerusalem. After meeting with representatives from Hamas, the League of Arab Nations, the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Organization of Palestinian Refugees I have made many statements about what must happen as well as compromises that will lead us in the direction of peace with Israel.
The Palestinian refugee conflict is not a problem that just started, rather it has been around for almost sixty years. Before and during the war of 1948 approximately 800,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes by the Israelis. (“Fact sheets”) Most of these refugees “fled due to direct military assaults on their towns and villages, others were forced to leave by Zionists” (“Fact sheets”) during the war of 1948. During the war, over 400 Palestinian towns and villages were either completely destroyed or Jews moved into them in an effort to “erase non-Jewish history”. (“Fact sheets”) The UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (III) December 1948 states that “refugees wishing to return ot their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practical date.” (“Refugees”) However, Palestinian refugees are being kept out of their homes by the Israeli government who admits that the “resolution of the refugee issue would mean the end of Israel “ (Isseroff, “Nutshell”, 101) because “that would create an Arab Palestinian majority and would put an end to Israel as a Jewish State.” (Isseroff, “Nutshell”, 100) Currently there are about 4 million Palestinian refugees who are being kept in over crowded refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza.
As the Palestinian President I demand that all refugees either be allowed return to their homes or be compensated for by the Israeli government. In dealing with the refugee problem some say that “compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the governments or authorities responsible.” (“Refugees”) It is because of the Israelis that so many Palestinians are in refugee camps and now, in an effort to create peace, it is their responsibility to compensate for what they took in 1948.
We, the Palestinians, do no want the security wall to exist so I am proposing a compromise in regards to the wall. We will prohibit foreign armies from entering the West Bank, if you take down the security wall. This is a fair compromise because you are giving up the security that the wall gives you, but you are gaining much more because you will know that foreign armies cannot attack you from the West Bank. Palestine is very upset about the security wall. It is turning the city “into a somewhat large prison” (“Moussa”) By shutting us in you make us madder and consequently extremists want to attack you more, instead of less. In the long run Israel and Palestine will be better off if the security wall is removed. UN Security Council Resolution 242 states that Israeli armed forces will “Withdrawal...from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” (Reader, 106) It is crucial that this happens because Palestinian territories cannot function properly with Israeli troops surrounding them. Israel has “insisted on bases within the West Bank” (Isseroff, “Nutshell”, 102) and we will not stand for that. Having your tanks and troops in our land makes us feel insecure. We also demand that the usage of all Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza stop.
It is important to the Palestinians to govern their own Palestinian state. We demand that we have our own police and military force and to control our borders and air space. In our Palestinian state we do not want any Israeli settlements or Israeli military forces. I propose a Palestinian state made up of the entire West Bank and Gaza and other lands that are to be negotiated. I plan to expand the Gaza Strip northward and possibly gain control of another piece of land attached to either the West Bank or Gaza. Each Palestinian will have Palestinian citizenship. It will be in this state that there are no Israelis. All Jews living in the areas that become part of the Palestinian state will have to move elsewhere. We will try to be fair to them so they do not turn into refugees like our people, but we will not compensate for their homes, they will have to fend for themselves. Having our own homeland will give us the sense of security that has been taken away by the Israelis through the war of 1948, the settlement of Israeli troops in our lands and the building of the security wall.
It is very important to the Palestinians to have some control over Jerusalem because it is such a holy place. Jerusalem is home to many sacred Islamic sites including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third holiest site in Islam, the Harah-esh-Sharif and Mount Moriah, the place where Ishmael was almost sacrificed to God by his father Abraham. I propose that the Palestinians and Israelis put aside their differences and govern Jerusalem together. Some type of a representative system, similar to that of the United States Supreme Court but with equal members from each side, will be put in place and reelections will happen every few years. The representatives will have to be people who will be able to run Jerusalem well and will not get too caught up on the fact that they are working with their enemies, the Israelis. It would be very difficult to split Jerusalem up because “Jewish and Arab neighborhoods are closely interwoven.” (Reader “Nutshell”, 102) It would also not be desirable to give Jerusalem all to one side because it is currently under Israeli control and Palestine is not willing to give it up. I demand that the Israeli Law of Occupied East Jerusalem, which “allows Israel to declare abandoned any Palestinian property in East Jerusalem whose owners live in the West Bank, Gaza Strip or any Arab Country” (“Fact sheets”) be changed so that Palestinian homes may not be taken over by Jews. This is not a fair law. It also goes against the solution for the refugee problem. If this law is enforced there will always be refugees because Israelis will just keep taking any Palestinian homes that they want. Palestinians have more of a right to Jerusalem than Israelis do because Jerusalem was originally Palestinian territory before Israelis took it over. Therefore, Jerusalem is truly Palestinian land and should not be controlled by Jews who have few ties to the city.
The compromises set forth in this document are extremely reasonable and it is my greatest wish that they will be considered by the Israeli government because both sides will be better because of it. We are on the road to peace and now it is up to every Palestinian and every Israeli to take the necessary steps to reach total peace.

Bibliography

1) “Palestinian Refugees and Final Status: Key Issues.” Palestinian refugee ResearchNet. 25 October 2005.

2) “Fact Sheets.” PLO Negotiations Affairs Department. 25 October 2005.

3) Isseroff, Ami. “In a Nutshell, Israeli Palestinian Conflict.” Mideast Web. 2005. 22 Aug 2002.
< http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm>

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

5) “Moussa Calls Annan for a Firm Stance Concerning Palestinians in Qalqilia” 11 August 2003.