Annexing the West Bank Versus a Palestinian State

I don’t get it. Or sadly, maybe I do.

What we have in the Israeli Knesset is a conflict between ideologues who do not understand the value of restraint of not trying to advance their ideals in the face of the horrible consequences of doing so - versus ideologues who understand that compromise is often necessary in order to survive. In fact, compromise may very well be the best of all possible outcomes.

But to the hardcore ideologues of the extreme right, compromise is not an option. They are true believers in their cause — to the point of thinking that God will ultimately assure their victory, despite the obvious and impossible challenges that promoting their policies will bring.

It is, in fact, ironic that the ideals and beliefs that inspire right-wing fanatics to lose all rational thought and proceed carelessly with goals that will almost surely bring tragedy to the people of Israel (and possibly to Jews all over the world by virtue of their association with Israel) are the very same beliefs and ideals that I share. I too believe that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people, as promised by God in the Bible. There is no denying that fact. It is stated in black and white several times and was the ultimate goal of our exodus from Egypt.

The difference between us is that the conditions on the ground do not allow us to restore our sovereignty over all of the land. There is simply no possible way to accomplish that now. First, because there are people living there who have their own religious claims to the Land of Israel — and they will certainly not relinquish the parts they now occupy. They have their own right wing, whose religious beliefs require them to fight to the death to achieve what they see as their rightful claim to the land.

Israel has been denying that possibility in a variety of ways — most importantly, through security measures designed to thwart Palestinian terrorist attempts to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, these measures make life very hard for most Palestinian families. That is why Israel’s critics (increasingly including Europe) call Israel a brutal occupying force and even an apartheid state — a big lie that much of the world has bought into.

The idea of taking that land away from Palestinians outrages Israel’s critics — which include most of Europe and several Arab states that have recently indicated an interest in making peace with Israel. They believe Israel has no business occupying that land in the first place.

The most important reason for not even suggesting annexation of the West Bank is that Israel could lose the support of its only true ally — the United States. The president has already suggested as much after the Knesset’s foolish vote to do so a few days ago.

If Israel were to act on the notion of annexing the West Bank, the bloodshed that would follow would be unprecedented. Palestinians will not sit idly by while Israel tries to remove them from land their families have lived on for generations. They will fight back — and the world will cheer them on.

All of this means that the only way we can restore our sovereignty over all the Land of Israel is when Moshiach comes. Now is not the time. Any attempt to do so now is beyond foolhardy — if not entirely suicidal.

These circumstances are why I originally supported the concept of “land for peace.” I once believed that a compromise could be reached that would allow both peoples to gain some of what they wanted — even if neither got everything they desired. I believed that peaceful coexistence was the only way out of generations of war and terror — that Palestinians would ultimately choose peace over Israel’s destruction.

I have long been disabused of that notion after realizing that they want a Jew-free Palestine more than they want peace. Peaceful coexistence was a one-sided dream — Israel’s dream.

That “dream” persists to this day among many nations of the world that, for some reason, still believe what I once did — that Palestinians would choose peace over constant oppression and war. Many Israelis (mostly on the left) naively believed that as well. But after October 7th, 2023, most Israelis finally came to their senses and realized that this was not a viable possibility. One way or another, Palestinians would continue to try to turn Israel into a Jew-free Palestine.

And yet, the Knesset voting to annex the West Bank was still the stupidest thing Israel could have done. I’m glad to hear that the prime minister distanced himself from it — but the fallout from that foolish stunt hasn’t ended yet. What it does is lend credence to all of Israel’s enemies who claim that Israel has no interest in ending its “brutal” occupation of the West Bank and is determined to occupy Gaza in the same way.

I’ve given this some thought. If I were the prime minister, I would look at the situation now — at the weakening of our enemies, the willingness of Arab nations to make peace with Israel, and the creation of worldwide goodwill — and I would publicly embrace the concept of a future Palestinian state.

How, one may ask, does that square with my belief that such a state is impossible today and could destroy Israel?

I still believe that if a Palestinian state were to be established now, it would be suicidal. There is no possible way to create a Palestinian state with people whose ultimate agenda is to destroy you.

No, I am not schizophrenic. What I am suggesting is that any agreement for a future Palestinian state must be conditioned on a long-term transformation — at least a generation (25 years or so) — beginning with a complete restructuring of Palestinian education.

This must include the rejection of all materials and rhetoric that vilify the Jewish people or the State of Israel. It must start in the home, in mosques, and especially in schools. Curricula must be developed that teach young Palestinians the opposite of what they are being taught now. They need to be immersed in a culture that rejects the old anti-Israel, anti-Jewish paradigm their parents were subjected to. It must be made illegal to refer derogatorily to Israel or the Jewish people.

Independent monitors with expertise in antisemitism should oversee Palestinian life during this transition. The point being: once Palestinians stop hating us, the chance for peace will arise — and it could take the form of a provisional Palestinian state. That state, too, should be monitored by international experts to ensure compliance.

After a period of genuine peaceful coexistence under these conditions, a two-state solution might actually work.

Who might lead such a state in 25 years can be determined then. But it would have to be someone who rejects the idea of destroying Israel as a Jewish state, agrees in principle to peaceful coexistence, and has no terrorist ties or sympathies.

Will it happen? I strongly doubt it. It is nigh impossible to disabuse people of hate instilled in them generationally for well over a hundred years. The logistics of implementing such a plan would be just as nearly impossible. But Israel could accept the idea in theory - IF these or similar conditions were implemented. The world would gladly welcome any such gesture from Israel - and the U.S. might even endorse it. 

Which is a far better idea than trying to annex it.