The Day After: A Resolution of the Israel-"Palestinian" Conflict

Part 1: Cancellation of the Oslo Accords

The State of Israel will notify the Palestinian Authority and the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) of the cancellation of the Oslo Accords and all agreements pursuant to them, and the return of the legal situation in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip of the status quo ante prior to the signing of those accords.

Israel will attach to this notification full and detailed proof that the accords have already been materially violated by the other side since their inception, that the other side never had any intent of ending the conflict and living in peace alongside Israel, and that it is Israel’s right – nay, duty – to nullify them.

The status of all members of the PLO and the PA, along with their various “security forces”, will thus revert, in Israel’s eyes, to that of terrorists, similar to the status of Hamas today.

Part 2: An Offer to the Terrorists of an Honorable Withdrawal

In order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, Israel will offer every person in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza who wishes to continue fighting against it, or who wants to continue carrying “Palestinian” weapons, or is unwilling to live under Israeli control, honorable withdrawal, along with his family, in much the same way that thousands of PLO terrorists withdrew from Beirut at the end of the First Lebanon War. As then, they will withdraw under Israeli and international guarantees for their safe departure.

The GSS will review the lists of those intending to leave, and will provide the terrorist organizations a list of wanted individuals who are not on the lists of those leaving, if any. Those wanted individuals will be permitted to join the withdrawal.

Israel will use this opportunity of an agreed withdrawal of the enemy abroad in order to release and expel the security prisoners in our jails. The release of the prisoners and their expulsion from Israel will be subject to lists compiled by the GSS. There may be prisoners who will be deported even if they wish to remain in prison, and there may be prisoners whose request to leave is denied, in both cases due to public safety concerns.

After this agreed withdrawal, any person in Judea, Samaria and Gaza who fights against Israel, with weapons or incitement or any other prohibited activity, or who carries weapons that are not authorized by the State of Israel, will be considered a terrorist, and subject to arrest and expulsion, or liquidation.

Part 3: Restoration of Full Military Control of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip

The IDF, with the assistance of the other security forces, will restore control of all of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip. In addition to aforementioned withdrawal, intended to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, Israel will do everything in its power to avoid unnecessary harm to the Arab residents of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip during and after the takeover, and to prevent a humanitarian disaster (drinking water supply, etc.). That said, this is a state of war, and the security of our citizens and soldiers takes precedence over any other consideration.

During and following this reoccupation, all terror elements remaining in the area will be liquidated, expelled or imprisoned. All terrorist facilities will be destroyed and comprehensive searches will be carried out to locate weapons, tunnels, incitement materials, etc. At the end of the operation, no sovereign or armed entity will remain between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea except for the State of Israel.

Part 4: Application of Israeli Sovereignty

Full Israeli sovereignty will immediately be declared and applied to all liberated areas. The application of sovereignty shall be effected in accordance with the “Area of Jurisdiction and Powers Act” enacted by the Provisional National Council which preceded the First Knesset, shortly after the establishment of the State. This law already established explicitly the procedure for the application of Israel’s sovereignty over parts of the Land of Israel that were returned by the IDF to the control of the Jewish people:

“Any law applying to the whole of the State of Israel shall be deemed to apply to the whole of the area including both the area of the State of Israel and any part of the Land of Israel which the Minister of Defense has defined by proclamation as being held by the Israel Defense Forces.”

Alongside the application of Israel’s sovereignty over all of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, the application of Israeli law in East Jerusalem, which was made under the “Law and Administration Act”, and the application of Israeli law in the Golan Heights, which was made under the “Golan Heights Act” – which were done on an ad hoc basis – will be replaced with the “Area of Jurisdiction and Powers Act”, which regulates the application of Israeli sovereignty over parts of the Land of Israel, our own land.

Immediately upon completion of the security takeover, police stations and other symbols of Israeli sovereignty will be established in every city and village in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and every Israeli citizen will be allowed to move freely in any public space. Arab residents will receive a Israeli temporary resident card.

They will be able to elect their municipal leadership and pay their municipal taxes, and Israel will neither collect taxes from them nor provide them with services other than maintaining law and order and security, as is done in any other place in Israel, and Israeli health services, which will be paid for at full cost. Existing Arab local health bodies, such as the Red Crescent, will, of course, be allowed to continue to operate.

Part 5: Personal Choice for the Temporary Residents

Up until now, the Arab residents of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip have never been offered the opportunity to choose for themselves how they prefer to deal with Israel’s presence and rule. The decision has always been made for them from above. First by the Arab states, and later by the various terrorist organizations.

Following the application of Israeli sovereignty and the return of personal safety to residents of the entire area, including the personal safety of Arab residents who have suffered previously from the rule by fear of the terrorist organizations, every adult, or household, will be free to choose between three options: an emigration package, permanent residency, or citizenship. No one will be forced to decide immediately, and the choice will remain open long term.

Option 1: A generous emigration package for those interested in relocating

More than 60% of Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza express their desire to emigrate, and about 20,000 of them do so every year. One of the main obstacles facing them is their inability to sell their property under the reign of terror created by the Oslo Accords. An Arab who sells real estate to a Jew today incurs capital punishment according to the laws of the Palestinian Authority as well as the laws of the Kingdom of Jordan.

The complete restoration of Israeli sovereignty is essential in order to remove this fear and allow those interested to sell their property quickly, simply, and profitably.

Given the drastic increase in security costs since the Oslo Accords, which would return to their prior levels under this proposal, Israel can easily afford to give on the order of a quarter million shekels to every household that chooses to emigrate. Families with that level of financial means are considered highly desireable by western countries. And given that the Arabs of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza have the highest rate of higher education of any Arab population in the world, it should be easy to find countries who will accept them as immigrants.

Option 2: Remaining as Permanent Residents

After a period of time determined by security needs, residents will be able gradually to apply for permanent resident status. Receipt of this status will be conditional upon an open declaration of allegiance to the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people.

Each application will be examined, and if the applicant has not been involved in hostilities or intentional harm to the State, he shall be entitled to permanent residency status. Permanent residents will be able to move freely and work throughout the country. All tax laws will apply to permanent residents. The only difference between them and ordinary citizens will be military duty and the right to vote in national elections.

Option 3: Israeli Citizenship

Those wishing to tie their fate to the Jewish people, to prove their loyalty, and eventually to become full members of Israeli society, will be able to apply for Israeli citizenship. This will be a lengthy process in which their suitability and loyalty will be examined over time. In addition to the declaration of loyalty, language tests, recommendations, etc., applicants will be required to serve in the army, or perform alternative national service.

Those who collaborated with Israel in the past will, of course, enjoy a faster and shorter process.

Credits: This proposal is a close paraphrase of relevant parts of the Zehut proposal authored by former MK and Chairman of the Zehut Movement, Moshe Feiglin.