Thoughts

Why Can't Settlements
Be Part Of Negotiation?

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ithin the
ment matter in a sensible
possible
way. Yoffie is right: one state
borders of a
of Jews and Palestinians
Palestinian state called
is no solution because it
Palestine, 100,000 Jewish
soon would yield an Arab
settlers would reside. This
majority, effectively ending
West Bank settlers' area is
the Jewish state. A two-state
roughly around Hebron,
solution also favors the
between Nablus and
Palestinians; with a viable
Ramallah, east of Israel's
sovereign state, they would
security fence.
gain international recogni-
While some critics of the
tion and support. They
current Israeli government's position
may not get every inch of ground they
on settlements demand Israel imme-
believe is theirs, but statehood would be
diately commit to removing every set-
more valuable in the long run, I believe.
tler, why can't the settlements be part
"There are those who proclaim
of negotiation? It's a leap of belief to
that Israel will simply defy the world:'
think settlements alone will torpedo a
Yoffie said. "It will retain the settle-
two-state solution. Isn't Arab rejection
ments and Israeli rule — the world
of a Jewish state in any shape or form
be damned. I am among those who
a more fundamental stumbling block
believe that it cannot and will not;
than settlements?
and to suggest otherwise is to misread
"There is no way that a viable, con-
both what is happening in the world
tiguous Palestinian state can come
and the extent of Israel's power. And
into being unless they are removed:'
even if it could, how many of us would
says Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the
want a Jewish state with unrecognized
Union for Reform Judaism and one of
borders that contains a large, hostile
America's leading left-wing ideologues minority deprived of basic civil and
on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
political rights?"
"Without a
Yoffie, however, was careful to say,
Palestinian state
"We should not demonize the settlers.
living in peace and
They have done what Israeli govern-
security alongside
ments, of both the right and left, have
Israel: he added,
permitted — and, in some cases,
"there is no way for
encouraged — them to do."
Israel to remain both
Then he added, "With strong govern-
Jewish and demo-
ment leadership, I believe that most will
Rabbi Yoffie
cratic."
be prepared to relocate. But to those
On Oct. 26, Yoffie
who will not — those who embrace an
addressed the first
ugly fundamentalism and misread the
conference of J Street, a Washington-
Torah for their own purposes — we
based, high-octane, over-reaching
must be prepared to say: Enough. We
advocacy network that backs a two-
must put an end to the appeasement of
state solution and opposes settlement
those whose messianic dreams have too
expansion. In theory, America, Israel
long held Israel hostage."
and Israel's European allies all conch-
Do we as a people really need such a
tionally support a two-state solution.
confrontational drumbeat? Even Israeli
The settlements represent a major
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
dilemma primarily because it doesn't
seems inclined to hear settlement
seem plausible that Israel would try to
options.
force their entire removal. Modiin
I do like Yoffie's suggestion of
for example, is a city of 42,000 people!
America and Israel coming to grips
Why can't Israeli-Palestinian talks
with a "border first" strategy to hone
include consideration for land swaps,
with the Palestinians, thus burdening
annexations and other border consid-
the Arab world to affirm the Jewish
erations? Yoffie's idea of incentives to
state — essential to an ultimate
lure some settlers back into the State
durable peace.
of Israel is one way to thin settler
Most Palestinians yearn for better
ranks before final-status talks.
days, I believe. But I'm leery of their lead-
The specter of a "one-state solution"
ers, who seem more at ease at war with
is sufficient reason to resolve the settle-
Zionism than in talks with Israelis. 1 1

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November 5 • 2009

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