Dear Friend of FLAME:
At last week's J Street conference in Washington, D.C., the allegedly "pro-Israel, pro-peace" organization hosted Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian doctor and politician and one of the primary advocates of the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel) movement. BDS is a blatantly anti-Semitic effort, since it selects only Israel among all nations for persecution and denies the self-determination of the Jewish people.
At J Street, Barghouti was promoting the latest anti-Zionist attack theme, the idea of "one democratic free state" in Palestine, since, as he asserted, "the failure of a two-state solution is near," and "this time it is an Israeli responsibility."
The so-called one-state solution, of course, is no solution at all. It's just one more strategy that radical Palestinians and Western ultra-lefts are using to delegitimize Israel, as they tried to do last month at "Israel/Palestine and the One-State Solution," a student-run conference held at Harvard.
Let's just put the one-state solution to rest. It's not going to happen. Israel controls its land, and it's never going to give it up to a concept like one-state, which would make Jews a minority in their own nation. As Shmuel Rosner wrote in his New York Times Latitude blog, "The one-state solution isn't just impractical and improbable. It is a recipe for bloodshed."
But the one-state solution is worse than a bad idea. It's a deceit. Those who advocate BDS and a single state want one thing only---not a free, democratic state (which Israel already is), but an Arab-majority state in which the Jews are outnumbered, reduced to second-class citizens under Sharia law and ultimately driven off the land.
A demonstrator at last week's fizzled non-event, the much publicized and little attended Global March on Jerusalem, summed it up for a New York Times reporter who asked him if he favored a two-state solution: "We want all of Palestine. The Jews have no right to even one inch." We only wish Dr. Barghouti would be so honest.
This week's FLAME Hotline article, written by Israeli-Palestinian journalist Khaled Abu Toameh, brings bold reason and realism to this discussion. Forget the one-state solution and, for now, forget the two-state solution, since the Palestinians are incapable of agreeing even to that. Better for now, says Toameh, we should satisfy ourselves with the current three-state solution: Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
I urge you to pass this brief, but powerful piece to friends, family and colleagues using the "send to a friend" button at the bottom of this email, or using the buttons above to share it via social media.
Thanks for your continued support of Israel, and thank you for your support of FLAME.
Best regards,
Jim Sinkinson
Vice President, FLAME
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As I mentioned above, Israel has for years been attacked worldwide by the so-called BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement---an insidious attempt to slander Israel in the name of "ending the occupation" and "freedom for Palestine." To get the truth about this hateful group and the lies it tells, I hope you'll review the FLAME position paper on BDS that's been published in media that reach more than 10 million Americans. Please read this outspoken position paper, "The BDS Movement: Does it stand for Middle East peace or does it seek Israel's destruction?" If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel's behalf is critical, I urge you to support us. Remember: FLAME's powerful ability to influence public opinion comes from individuals like you, one by one. I hope you'll consider giving a donation now, as you're able---with $500, $250, $100, or even $18. (Remember, your donation to FLAME is tax deductible.) To donate online, just go to http://www.factsandlogic.org/make_a_donation.html. Now more than ever we need your support to ensure that Israel gets the support it needs---from the U.S. Congress, from President Obama, and from the American people. |
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The Practical Three-State Solution
by Khaled Abu Toameh, Gatestone Institute, March 26, 2012
Despite massive opposition on both sides to a "one state solution," the campaign for it, according to Palestinian sources, is being organized by some EU-funded organizations. Large, expensive-looking posters advocating the "one state solution" have been appearing on billboards in major Palestinian cities, drawing sharp condemnation from many Palestinians. On instructions from the Palestinian leadership, the posters were torn down and the organizers were rebuked and told not to repeat the "provocation".
Ahmed Qurei [aka: Abu Ala], one of the major architects of the failed Oslo Accords that were signed between Israel and the PLO in 1993, is now advocating a "one-state solution" for Jews and Arabs.
According to Qurei, the "two-state solution" is no longer realistic and should therefore be abandoned in favor of a democratic and open country where all Jews and Arabs live together under one government.
Of course Qurei blames Israel for the failure of the two-state concept because of construction in West Bank settlements and Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem. He says that in light of the new facts on the ground that Israel has created, especially over the past two decades, the two-state solution, which he once strongly supported, has become infeasible.
However, the idea of creating one state for Israelis and Palestinians is also infeasible, not to mention unrealistic.
A majority of both Palestinians and Israelis, according to public opinion polls, are opposed to the idea.
The last thing Israel wants is to turn millions of Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and refugee camps in the Arab world into Israeli citizens. For Israelis, that would mean the end of Israel as a homeland for Jews.
Most Palestinians are also opposed to the "one state solution": they want to be separated from, and not integrated into, Israel. For decades, the Palestinians have been struggling for independence,
The Palestinian Authority leadership in the West Bank has repeatedly come out against the idea of "one state for two peoples." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has emphasized again and again in the last few years that the "two-state solution" remains the "number one, two and three and only option" for the Palestinians.
Yet despite the massive opposition on both sides, a few Israelis and Palestinians have launched a campaign to promote the the establishment of one state. The campaign, according to Palestinian sources, is organized by some EU-funded non-governmental organizations in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
In the past few weeks, large, expensive-looking posters advocating the "one-state solution" have been appearing on billboards in major Palestinian cities in the West Bank, drawing sharp condemnations from many Palestinians. On instructions from the Palestinian leadership, the posters were torn down and the organizers were rebuked and warned not to repeat the "provocation."
Qurei and those who are working to promote the "one-state solution" are ignoring the facts on the ground: namely that the Palestinians already have two separate "states" next to Israel - one in the West Bank and the other in the Gaza Strip.
They are also ignoring the reality that the two Palestinian entities have been at war with each other since 2007, when Hamas seized control over the Gaza Strip and threw out the Palestinian Authority.
If the Palestinians cannot live together in peace in one country, how can they be expected to live in peace with Jews in one state?
The three-state solution is, for now, the only, and best, option on the table. The two-state solution should be put on hold until the Palestinians reunite and start speaking in one voice. Meanwhile, those who are trying to promote a one-state solution are just wasting their time and the time of most Israelis and Palestinians.
