By David Singer ——Bio and Archives--June 12, 2019
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"Under certain circumstances I think Israel has the right to retain some, but unlikely all, of the West Bank."Friedman clearly was speaking for the Trump administration--not just himself personally--when he continued:
"We really don't have a view until we understand how much, on what terms, why does it make sense, why is it good for Israel, why is it good for the region, why does it not create more problems than it solves. These are all things that we'd want to understand, and I don't want to prejudge."Friedman accused the Obama administration--which in the last month of Obama's Presidency - allowed passage of a United Nations resolution in December 2016 condemning Israeli settlements as a "flagrant violation" of international law, of giving credence to Palestinian Arab arguments "that the entire West Bank and East Jerusalem belong to them." Friedman asserted:
"Certainly Israel's entitled to retain some portion of it"Friedman was spot on. The right of the Jewish people to reconstitute the Jewish National Home in at least some parts of the West Bank and East Jerusalem was recognised by:
"The absolute last thing the world needs is a failed Palestinian state between Israel and Jordan."He could have also added that:
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"We don't want to make things worse. Our goal is not to show how smart we are at the expense of people's safety."Trump has seemingly anointed Jordan to replace the rejectionist Palestine Liberation Organization as Israel's negotiating partner on the future of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It now appears that Trump's proposals will not see the light of day unless Trump receives an unqualified assurance from Jordan that it is willing to negotiate with Israel before the plan's details are released. Recognising Israel has claims in the West Bank and East Jerusalem sends a clear signal to Jordan and the rest of the Arab World that time is not on their side. The opportunity to yet again miss another opportunity to make peace looms large. Trump has targeted the West Bank and East Jerusalem--as he already has in West Jerusalem and the Golan Heights --with amazing prescience. Author's note:The cartoon -- commissioned exclusively for this article -- is by Yaakov Kirschen aka "Dry Bones"- one of Israel's foremost political and social commentators -- whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades. His cartoons can be viewed atDrybonesblog
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David Singer is an Australian Lawyer, a Foundation Member of the International Analyst Network and Convenor of Jordan is Palestine International—an organization calling for sovereignty of the West Bank and Gaza to be allocated between Israel and Jordan as the two successor States to the Mandate for Palestine. Previous articles written by him can be found at: jordanispalestine.blogspot.com