As a private individual, Yossi Beilin tramped off to Geneva to secure their endorsement of his "Geneva Plan". In order to give himself a measure of credibility, he created a political party called Yachad. If Yossi Beilin can do it, so can I. In order to provide myself with a measure of credibility, I created Israel's newest political party, Pachad.[1] As the party head, and its sole member, I formulated "The Bulgarian Plan" and have obtained widespread international support from the best government leaders that money can buy, including Abu Mamzer.

Preamble: Every algorithm that required reciprocity from the Palestinians failed. Israel incessantly tried courting peace with the so-called Palestinians, making one painful concession after another, and one one-sided gesture after another, only to be made a fool of again and again. All this to negate one inalienable truth: There is absolutely no justification in perpetuating the delusion that the West Bank is not Israel. Palestine was a name the Romans gave Israel when they conquered it in 77 CE. It was always a colony, first of the Roman Empire, then of the Ottoman Empire, and, after WW I, a colony of the British Empire. The British divided Palestine along the Jordan River: the East Bank, 80% of Palestine, was given to Arabs and renamed Jordan, and the territory of the West Bank of the Jordan River to the Mediterranean was returned to the Jews for a Jewish homeland. This became Israel - a mere fraction of its original size. In 1948, the Egyptians and Syrians attacked the new Jewish state, and, until 1967, Jordan illegally occupied the West Bank. In the Six-Day War, Egypt committed an act of war by blockading the Straits of Tiran and Israel used military force to remove the blockade. After the second day of the Six-Day War, Jordan attacked and the West Bank was restored to Israel. The United States takes the position that as Israel fired the first bullet, it technically attacked Egypt and therefore is unjustified in retaining Gaza. However, even the United States must agree that as Jordan attacked Israel, they have no legal claims to the so called West Bank (Judea and Samaria).

• All of Judea and Samaria must be annexed. Israeli annexation does not need to be an overt action. Applying Israeli law to this region as it applies everyplace else in Israel will have the same effect.

• The fiction of the Palestinians must be brought to an end. The so-called Palestinians are not Palestinian. They are Jordanian citizens residing in Judea and Samaria.

• Just as Bulgarian citizens who wish to remain in Israel can acquire permanent residency status if qualified, Jordanian citizens that want to remain in Judea and Samaria can apply for a permanent residency visa. According to existing Israeli law, permanent residents can vote in local municipal, county and state elections.

• Permanent residents that join a terror organization have their visas revoked and are deported. The lawlessness of the Palestinian Authority must be brought to an end. Israeli law must apply to the permanent residents who live in Areas A and B. Anyone who is either a security risk or participates in the violent overthrow of a government is routinely deported in every democratic country. Just as a Jewish, non-Israeli malcontent who foments racism or is guilty of incitement is deported to their country of origin, Arab malcontents must similarly be deported. The entire terrorist infrastructure from top to bottom must be deported. Israeli law must be equally applied to all residents, Jews and Arabs alike.

• Israel must evict any so-called Palestinian who does not possess valid title to their land and homes with the same authority and verve that Israel has in removing Jews from "illegal outposts". Furthermore, Arabs should be permitted by law to sell to Jews, and receive protection by Israel if they do sell to Jews. Arabs are prevented from exercising their right of free trade by racist fatwas, or religious decrees, of Moslem clerics who issue a death warrant for any Moslem who sells land in Israel to Jews. In a country of law, this must not be tolerated. Ordering the death of the seller is conspiracy to commit murder, plain and simple, whether the terroristic threats are acted upon or not. The cleric must be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Palestinian web sites proudly display execution of land dealers, complete with video and pictures of the execution.

• Separate states in Judea and Samaria must be established, just as the Sharon, Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee and Negev are separate jurisdictions within Israel, which could be defined as "states." They are free to pass additional state or municipal ordinances, just as any other state or municipality within Israel has that prerogative.

• Buffer zones must be imposed to prevent the possibility of attack. In order to prevent Jews from being within range of snipers and bombers, clear a two-kilometer buffer zone around every Jewish holy site and tomb, around each Jewish community and along the roads in Judea and Samaria. Any Arabs that have houses and farms within these buffer zones who can prove ownership, with papers delineating the chain of title from the Ottoman, British and Jordanian records, should be compensated. Others are squatters who have no rights to this land. We must pool our resources to purchase all property in these buffer zones from the so-called Palestinians. By buying out just 1% of the Arab population in Judea and Samaria, Jews can reclaim 58% of Judea and Samaria, because 99% of the Arabs live in concentrated areas on the other 42%. From the standpoint of Israeli security, there will be no need for the security fence, but rather there will be sufficient buffer zones between populations. The cost to the government in providing security to its citizens will be markedly reduced.

• Undeveloped land in Judea and Samaria must be cultivated. Just as farmers may apply for agricultural land within Israel, either in joint co-operative projects, as in moshavim or kibbutzim, or in private farming ventures, permits to farm land in Judea and Samaria that is owned by the Israeli government must be offered to Israeli citizens. For unowned land, Israel should copy the United States Homestead Act of 1867, permitting citizens to farm abandoned land and record ownership after a number of years. This would simply reinforce the existing Jordanian law that is in full force and effect in Judea and Samaria that permits farming abandoned property. In order for the homesteads to not become a burden upon the Israeli armed forces, homesteaders must be ex-soldiers with valid permits to carry firearms and who have proven ability to protect themselves from infiltrators. This law is certainly not in violation of the Geneva Convention. One may debate whether Egypt's blockade of the Straits of Tiran in 1967 was an act of war. If it was, then even though Israel fired the first weapons, it was a defensive war. Even those that consider Israel's use of military force against Egypt as an offensive rather than defensive act, they must concede that Israel's defense from the attack from Jordan was defensive. Jordan attacked Israel after the second day of the Six-Day War despite Israel imploring the Jordanians not to enter into the conflict. Jordan is unquestionably the aggressor in that war and their loss of the West Bank is permanent. The Geneva Accords definitely do not apply to this territory. As such, even the most extremist view that the Geneva Convention prohibits private citizens of one country to move into the occupied territory of a conquered country, this would only apply in Gaza. A Homestead Act in Judea and Samaria areas is perfectly legal.
• Jordanian Arabs who seek to emigrate from Judea and Samaria should be permitted to freely emigrate. The Israeli authorities frequently deny these Arabs a pass to leave, citing illusory security precautions. Ironically, we have become like the Soviet Union that for decades withheld exit visas of three million Soviet Jews who sought to exercise their basic human right of emigration. We must insist upon equality under the law. Those Jordanian Arabs who wish to emigrate should be categorically permitted the equivalent of an exit visa. The United Nations Charter gives them this right. Their right to emigrate is an inalienable basic human right.

• Finally, it is unconscionable that Israeli citizens forfeit due process rights if they live in Judea and Samaria, where martial law rather than civil law prevails. Israeli citizens are imprisoned without charges, are prevented legal representation and contact with lawyers, etc. They are citizens and the same due process should apply to them on both sides of the Green Line.

As such, the Pachad Platform includes:

Resolution of Land Disputes: The Holy Land will be restored to the Jews in accordance with Biblical prophecies. As such, Judea and Samaria will be annexed to Israel.

Farms and Homesteads: Each Jewish family may claim their portion of the holy land. They will receive their proportionate share of acreage provided they consent to actively farm it in accordance with Jewish law. This land cannot be sold.

Religious Sites: Just as Jews are barred from visiting and praying in a quorum in Mecca, Arabs will be barred from visiting and praying on the Temple Mount, the Tombs of the Patriarchs and all other Jewish holy places in Israel.

Refugees: Jewish refugees from Europe will be compensated for the lands, houses and businesses confiscated before and during World War II. The European Union will build six million houses to house the refugees and their descendants. The million Jews that had to evacuate Middle East countries with just the shirts on their back will be compensated. The Arab Union will build another three million houses in Israel to house the second-generation Jewish refugees that were forced to flee Arab countries. After European and Middle East Arab countries live up to their obligation to compensate Jewish refugees, Arab refugees may be compensated.

Virtual Citizenship: Arabs are the only citizens of the Israel that are not required to serve in the Army or even perform community service in lieu of Army service. While Jewish boys are required to be at risk and sacrifice the best three years of their lives in full time Army service, the Israeli government in a reverse discrimination policy provides University education gratis to Arab adolescents. Israeli Arabs derive all the benefits of citizenship without assuming the obligations of citizenship. Jews should have this same option. Many Jews hesitate to make Aliya as they are not prepared to forfeit their children's adolescence. That should be an individual decision. When their child reaches the age of maturity, they should be permitted to decide for themselves whether or not they want to be full citizens and serve in the Army. Currently, it is impossible for Jews to move to Israel and remain non-citizen residents as a professional license to be a physician, lawyer, social worker, nurse, etc. cannot be processed unless the individual becomes a citizen. As such, a Jew who wants to live in Israel without obligating their children to serve in the Israeli Army cannot obtain professional licenses, cannot work. As such, Pachad advocates creating two classes of citizenship: Full citizenship with the right to vote for those that are eligible to serve and virtual citizenship for those that are exempt from Army service. These virtual citizens could buy houses, get professional licenses, and work even in professions, but would not have the right to vote in national elections, would not be eligible fort higher education scholarships, and would not receive National Insurance assistance based on the number of children in the family. The Law of Return can be simply revised to automatically grant virtual citizenship to anyone who is a Jew and who wishes to be exempt from Army service. As such, in addition to the thirteen million Jews worldwide, virtual citizenship would be awarded the Arabs that do not serve in the Israel Defense Force, including the one million Israeli Arabs and two million Arabs living in Judea and Samaria. The Israeli Arab, so called Palestinian Arab and Jewish virtual citizens will vote only in local elections in the areas in which they reside. The virtual citizens will not be a drain on the taxpayers' pocket. Just as Jewish virtual citizens do not serve in the Army, pay for their own health insurance, pay for their elementary and high school education, and do not receive National Insurance child allowance, the Moslem virtual citizens likewise receive the benefit of exemption from the Army at the cost of self-sufficiency. In contrast, those that bear the burden of full citizenship receive the benefits of full citizenship. Druze and Bedouins that serve in the Army retain their full citizenship, continue to serve in the Army and continue to vote in national elections.

Citizenship: Citizenship will be restricted to those eligible to serve in the Israeli armed forces. Non-citizens may remain on a temporary resident visa, but must leave after the six-month term. If qualified, some may receive permanent visas. Visa violations will be as strictly enforced as they are in the United States. Non-citizens certainly will not receive child welfare checks, free education, free healthcare and subsidized higher education. Furthermore, non-citizens will not be permitted to own property and must deed it to the Jewish state or sell it to private Israeli citizens.

Emigration Rights: As the Arabs do not want the return of three million Jews into Arab countries, the Arab countries agree to absorb three million Moslem refugees. The Arab Union will pay all costs for the emigration of Moslems from Israel. The Arab Union accepts that Jews will exclusively occupy Israel. To make sure that the three million Jewish refugees do not return, the Arab Union will pay for a publicity campaign to encourage Jews worldwide to have a second home: their first in Israel, and their second wherever they now live.

Best Interests of the so-called Palestinians: While implementing this plan will upset a handful of demagogues who corruptly abused their position of power, it is in the best interest of the so-called Palestinian people. Rather than remaining locked into an armed struggle that they can never win and rather than falling victim to fanatical, corrupt self-rule, this is the best accommodation they can hope to achieve. In the early 20th Century, their families moved to what is now Israel in the hopes of a better future for themselves. In the new Jewish state, there were jobs aplenty, education for their children and the promise of a modern democracy. Instead, they were turned into a scapegoat for the entire Arab world, forced into the role of oppressed refugees by their own crooked leadership, contained in poverty and exploited by the Western anti-Semitic media. This is their chance for freedom. Hundreds of thousands of so-called Palestinian Arabs have elected to relocate abroad. They want nothing more than a chance for a normal life. They want to live in an area free of tyranny, injustice and free from those who have exploited them for generations. They understand that were they to stay, they are condemning their children to a lifetime of poverty, abuse by the so-called Palestinian leadership, and anarchy. They do not want to become full-fledged Israelis, which in the future would require three years of army service from their boys and girls just like any other Israeli citizen. They certainly do not want to pay the high taxes that other Israelis pay. They want out.

We should help them out.

1. You can read about the history and mission of the Pachad party at http://www.pachad.homestead.com/

2. http://www.emigrations.net is a website devoted to helping Palestinian Arabs escape the never ending conflict. It has assembled a battery of experts in social work, law and financial analysis.

 
Shmuel Neumann, Ph.D., is actively involved in creating communities for English-speaking olim, and in an emigration program for Palestinians. He currently resides in the Shomron. He can be contacted by email at Samuelfm@netvision.net.il His website address is http://www.shomron.homestead.com/

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