Young Israel Urges U.S. To Rethink “Two-State Solution” Policy

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young-israel-logoThe National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) yesterday urged American political leaders to reconsider its “two-state solution” policy with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian situation. The NCYI also announced that they are initiating a grassroots effort intended to enlighten U.S. leaders as to the dangers of advocating for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. The National Council of Young Israel’s actions come in the wake of recent statements by U.S. diplomatic leaders which signal that the United States intends to aggressively pursue a “two-state solution” as a prerequisite to peace in the region.

NCYI President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky, Esq. questioned the logic of putting forth a proposal that is virtually certain to fail. He cited a number of outstanding issues that essentially preclude the furtherance of any peace talks prior to them being addressed and resolved.

For example, Mostofsky pointed to the fact that the Palestinian Authority’s Chief Justice recently reminded Palestinians that selling land to Jews is considered “high treason,” a crime that carries with it a death sentence. In fact, numerous Palestinians have been put to death over the years for allegedly selling property to Jews. “It is unfathomable to engage in any serious discussion about peace while the Palestinians’ longstanding racist policy of equating selling land to a Jew with a death sentence remains in effect,” said Mostofsky. “We question how the United States could decide to engage in direct interaction with a regime that advocates a housing policy which undermines all of the protections that America’s fair housing policies expressly seek to preserve for its own citizenry.”

Mostofsky also cited the ongoing saga involving Israeli MIA Gilad Shalit as a barrier to any peace agreement. “So long as the Palestinians continue to use this young man’s life as a bargaining chip, their assertion that they are interested in peace is absolutely meaningless,” said Mostofsky. “Until Gilad Shalit is unconditionally released and reunited with his family, the prospect of peace is a mere fantasy.”

During his recent visit to Israel, President Obama’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, said that “a two-state solution is the only solution.” During a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, he said: “U.S. policy favors, in respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a two-state solution which will have a Palestinian state living in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel.” Just several days ago, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State described the United States’ policy with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the “pursuit of a two-state solution with the two countries living side-by-side in peace.”

“Recent statements by American governmental leaders signify a disturbing trend with regard to the United States’ approach towards Israel,” said Mostofsky. “Many American policymakers erroneously consider the creation of an independent Palestinian state side-by-side with Israel to be paramount to achieving a peaceful resolution of the situation in the Middle East. The National Council of Young Israel firmly believes that an independent Palestinian state would compound the complex problems that currently exist and open the door to a new wave of acts of terror directed at innocent Israeli civilians. America’s stated intent to pursue an independent Palestinian state is untenable and unfeasible in light of the Palestinians’ well-documented hatred of the Jewish people and resentment of the Jewish state.”

Mostofsky also noted that the United States has rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand that the Palestinians acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state before renewing peace talks. Several days ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed his cabinet about Israel’s position on this point. “We insist that the Palestinians – in any diplomatic settlement with us – will recognize the State of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people,” said the Prime Minister. “[t]here is no doubt that we are being asked to recognize the Palestinian state as the national state for the Palestinian people, but…the Palestinians have no intention of recognizing the national state of the Jewish people. [t]here is no doubt that we insist that they recognize the State of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people.”

“It is unconscionable for the United States to attempt to jump-start peace talks prior to recognizing a basic premise that must be accepted by all parties before a fruitful conversation could be had,” said Mostofsky. “In the absence of the recognition that Israel is a Jewish state, any dialogue between the parties will in essence be futile.”

In addition, Mostofsky noted that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s concerns that ceding control of Israeli land to the Palestinians would exacerbate the situation need to be taken seriously by the United States. The Gaza experience proves that the land for peace concept does not work.

Mostofsky also reiterated the National Council of Young Israel’s staunch opposition to any division of Jerusalem as part of any potential peace discussions.

“You cannot divide the indivisible,” said Mostofsky. “We strongly oppose any proposal to split the eternal capital of the Jewish people. The division of Jerusalem would create an irreparable void in the soul and spirit of the Jewish nation, and we urge the United States not to make this a condition precedent to any potential peace agreement.”

In addition, Mostofsky openly questioned how anyone could possible suggest that control of Jewish holy sites, and for that matter, the Christian holy sites, be relinquished to the Palestinians. “One need not look any further than Joseph’s Tomb to understand the ramifications of entrusting the Palestinians with caring for a holy site,” said Mostofsky. “If past performance is any indication, the Palestinians are in no way equipped to assume such an awesome responsibility and should not be permitted to do so.”

Mostofsky also urged the United States to consider what would happen in the event that the two-state solution, which it is advocating, eventually fails.

“With a reluctance to deploy additional U.S. troops to overseas destinations, we question how the United States will be in a position to step in and manage control of the situation if the experiment regarding the creation of an independent Palestinian state ultimately fails,” said Mostofsky. “What steps will be taken to ensure the safety and security of the Israeli people if their newly empowered Palestinian neighbors unleash a fresh barrage of terrorist acts at them from their own backyards? What role is the United States prepared to play in that event to restore a sense of stability to the region?”

Mostofsky said that the National Council of Young Israel is encouraging its 25,000 member families, its over 200 branch synagogues throughout the United States, and American citizens throughout the world, to contact American political leaders and urge them to oppose any call for the creation of a Palestinian state.

According to Mostofsky, the NCYI is urging people to call, email, and fax the White House, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator John Kerry (Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee), Congressman Howard Berman (Chairman of the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs), and Congressman Gary Ackerman (Chairman of the Congressional Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia).{Elisha Ferber-Matzav.com Newscenter}


1 COMMENT

  1. The 2 state solution is not a peace plan but a slow destruction of the yishuv of eretz yisroel. Finally a Jewish organization is not afraid of facing the truth and appealing for change.

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