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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Weekly Commentary: The troubling single dimensional approach of PM Netanyahu’s Bar Ilan address

Weekly Commentary: The troubling single dimensional approach of PM Netanyahu’s
Bar Ilan address
Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 14 January 2010

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his team frequently cite his 14 June
2009 speech at the Begin-Sadat Center at Bar-Ilan University as his
definitive policy statement.

So, in search of a better understanding of what Mr. Netanyahu ‘s goals are,
I went back to review at the text he invested so much effort to prepare.

So here’s what he says about Judea and Samaria:

“Judea and Samaria – the places where Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, David and
Solomon, and Isaiah and Jeremiah lived – are not alien to us. This is the
land of our forefathers.”

And so?

Will this connection have any weight in policy making?

Will policy reflect, for example, our tremendous national connection to the
Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron?

Consider this critical passage from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s presentation:

“I have come tonight to give expression to that unity, and to the principles
of peace and security on which there is broad agreement within Israeli
society. These are the principles that guide our policy, a policy that must
take into account the international situation that has recently developed.
We must recognize this reality and at the same time stand firmly on those
principles essential for Israel.”

Get it?

There may be other principles out there. But “the principles that guide
our policy” are “the principles of peace and security”.

And to add to this “a policy that must take into account the international
situation that has recently developed..” - a broad hint that the pressure
is great.

And how are we to deal with this pressure?

“We must recognize this reality and at the same time stand firmly on those
principles essential for Israel.”

And what principles are essential to Israel besides “the principles of peace
and security”?

Here is Mr. Netanyahu’s list of “the remaining important issues that will be
discussed as part of a final peace settlement”

#1 “defensible borders”

#2 “ Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, must remain undivided”

Taken to an extreme, if Israel had gizmos that made the ’67 lines
“defensible borders”, a complete withdrawal from Judea and Samaria – with
the exception of eastern Jerusalem – would be consistent with this policy
address.

Oops.

Here is hoping for a clarification.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il

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