Israeli Settlements

While there is quite a bit of talk about settlements these days, there also exists quite a bit of disinformation. What is the reality? Judea-Samaria (the West Bank) was always a part of the “land of Israel” where Jews lived for centuries, thus giving Israel a legitimate claim to this area. Even during the first half of this century, Jews were living there. Only for 19 years (1948-67) were Jews denied their right of access by an official discriminatory Jordanian policy.

The day after Israel gained its independence in May, 1948, Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq attacked the new state of Israel. The Gaza district was taken by Egypt and Judea-Samaria was taken by Transjordan (later renamed Jordan). Armistice lines were established and final borders were supposed to be agreed upon in peace talks, which the Arabs rejected.

Facing the openly declared threat of annihilation by the Arab states in 1967, Israel defended itself in the Six Day War and gained control of the territories. To this day, except for Israel’s borders with Egypt and Lebanon, legalized borders in the region have yet to be delineated and are supposed to be negotiated during the peace talks. As part of the negotiations, Israel’s vital interests and rights, including its security, will also have to be addressed.

The argument has been made that the building of settlements in the territories is an obstacle to peace. However, there has never been any empirical evidence showing that settlements are such an obstacle.

Settlements did not prevent Egypt from holding peace talks with Israel in the late 1970s. Even today, the Arab states have for the first time agreed to attend the currently proposed peace talks without preconditions. Insistence that Israel freeze settlements prior to the peace talks would be a precondition.

Settlements are not the root cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The root cause, and the obstacle to peace, has always been the Arab world’s rejection of the legitimacy of Israel’s existence. A case in point is the Arab rejection of President Bush’s call for the repeal of the infamous anti-Zionism U.N. resolution.

Indeed, Arab opposition to settlements is rooted, to a large degree, in their desire to avoid living next to Jews. This is in itself discrimination. This attitude clearly interferes with peace since peace should mean “coexistence.”

In 25 years, 81,600 Jews have settled in the territories. During the next few months, the additional number of Jews who want to live in the settlements could not possibly alter the eventual disposition of these areas. It is important to clarify that Soviet Jews are not being sent into these territories. Of the 350,000 Soviet Jews who have come to Israel, less than 1% have chosen to live in the territories.

Moreover, most of the settlements have been built on rocky barren hillsides, with nothing else for miles around. The lands on which they have been established are public lands--not privately owned real estate as some would have us believe.

While Jews have again made their home in Judea-Samaria, unknown to many is the fact that since 1968, 78,700 Arabs have come from the outside to settle in this area.

The issue of the settlements is obviously complicated. Settlements are not a procedural issue, but one of major substance. They should be discussed and negotiated at the peace conference, and not before such a conference takes place. In those negotiations, Israel will seek solutions that will meet the needs of both the Jewish and Arab residents of the disputed areas.

RAN RONEN

Consul General of Israel

Los Angeles