one state plan

ONE STATE PLAN

www.onestateplan.com

One Democratic Jewish State -- District Governance -- Citizenship

Michael L. Wise

April 2004

Eventually there will be One State west of the Jordan River. The One State Plan is structured to assure that it be a democratic Jewish State.

The One State Plan proposes that:

1. Israel and the West Bank will be divided into 15 Disticts.

2. Four of the Districts will be predominantly Arab Moslem.

3. Qualified Arab residents will become citizens of Israel.

4. Members of Knesset will be elected in District and national elections.

5. Gaza is not included in the Plan and will have a separate interim status.

This Plan offers clear and well-defined choices for all Arab residents. Israel would no longer be an “occupation power”. The PA will no longer have a reason to exist and all terrorist infrastructures will be outlawed and dismantled. All problems will be handled as internal matters and Israel will no longer be the Administrator of "disputed territories".

There will be One State either

· now in a reasoned, planned, systematic manner,

· after one or more mega terror attacks, or

· after the creation of a terrorist state leads to a major regional conflict.

REGIONAL GOVERNANCE -- USA MODEL

In the United States, most functions of government are the responsibility of local and state governments. Broader responsibilities including defense, foreign affairs, etc. are handled by the Federal government in Washington. Disputes between states are resolved by the Supreme Court. Each city, county and state has a lightly armed police force to preserve law and order.

In this Plan, the entire area west of the Jordan River (excluding Gaza) will be divided into 15 governing Districts. Based on current population statistics, four of the regions will serve a predominantly Moslem Arab population and eleven will serve Jewish populations.

Each District will have local control and responsibility (subject to national standards) for:

· delivery and provision of services such as healthcare and welfare

· education and houses of worship

· regional taxation and distribution

· law enforcement and local courts

· distribution of international assistance

· promoting economic progress and growth

WHAT WILL BE THE STATUS OF WEST BANK ARBS?

WWest Bank Arabs will have the following options:

1. Israeli Citizenship. Full voting rights. Oath of loyalty to Israel as a Jewish State. Phased-in with appropriate guidelines and qualifications over a multi-year period. Families that have lived continuously in the West Bank since 1967 will have priority.

2. Permanent Residency. Oath to obey the law. District voting rights.

3. Temporary Residency/Relocation. For those who do not wish to be permanently part of the Jewish State, they must nonetheless obey the law. Will not receive national benefits. Will receive an offer to subsidize relocation outside of Israel. For example, a grant of $5-10,000 per person ($2-5 billion) would fund the relocation of 300,000-500,000 people. Host countries will be subsidized.

THE KNESSET

Israel will be divided into 15 Districts, four of which will have predominately Moslem populations. Each District will send four MKs to the Knesset and the remaining 60 MKs will be elected nationally. The Prime Minister will be elected by the MKs.

The District and local governments will have full responsibility for day-to-day matters. For example, educational standards would be centrally legislated but locally administered.

If all voters elect MKs based on religion, the Districts would elect 44 Jewish and 16 Moslem MKs. Even if the Moslem voter population reached 40% of the total population the national elections would elect 36 Jewish and 24 Moslem MKs. The Knesset would then have 80 Jewish and 40 Moslem MKs. Generally, few issues before the Knesset would be decided based purely on religious affiliation. Ideological positions would generally be of greater interest.

The above structure will preserve the long-term political structure of a democratic Jewish State, provide full rights and local governance for all citizens, and allow the society to prosper.

JEWISH STATE

The Law of Return to the Jewish State will remain unchanged and available to Jews. Arabs are welcome and free to travel to and in many instances live in any of 22 Arab countries and 56 Islamic republics. Jews are welcome and free to live in one small Jewish State.

THE BENEFITS of ONE STATE PLAN

The One State Plan ends the status of occupation and provides an opportunity to reduce political strife and ongoing violence. Other benefits include:

· Anticipation of the sreation of a Palestinian state has created severe conflicts of interest for Israeli Arabs. The One State Plan will end the fear of being branded by brothers and cousins as traitors or collaborators with Israel.

· Every aliyah and population expansion in Israel’s history spurred the economy. Partnerships with Arabs will contribute to regional stability, peace and prosperity.

· Israel will develop and rebuild the social and economic infrastructure in the predominantly Moslem Districts. Other countries with stakes in a peaceful resolution of the conflict will participate in the development of a prosperous and advanced West Bank society that will engage in science, trade, and commerce and promote regional prosperity.

DEMOGRAPHIC CONCERNS

Arab fertility rates are high and some predict that in the future there will be a Jewish minority west of the Jordan River. The current population of Israel is 6.8 million, 0f which 1.1 million are Israeli Arabs, and there are 1.35 million Arabs in the West Bank. If ultimately 40% of the West Bank Arabs become citizens, there would be 1.64 million Moslem Arab citizens out of a total population of 8.15 million. Creation of 4 Moslem Districts out of a total of 15 Districts would provide full representation.

Demographic forecasts are at best speculative and suffer from many uncertainties:

1. impact of modernization and westernization

2. emigration and immigration

3. government policies

The One State Plan will provide the opportunity for inhabitants of the West Bank to prosper and receive the benefits available to all citizens of Israel. Modernization and westernization will reduce birth rates. Many new factors will affect emigration and immigration. A peaceful and stable Israel will attract both returning Israelis and new Jewish immigrants. Arabs who prefer to live in an Arab state or in a Moslem republic will have the opportunities to do so. Subsidies will be available to Arabs who choose to relocate. Government policies will encourage reduction in birth rates following guidelines set down by international organizations and successfully implemented in several neighboring states including Iran and Egypt.

WHEN SHOULD THE PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?

Immediate focus on and implementation of the One State Plan is essential. The following (not necessarily in order of importance) could create significant additional pressures on Israel and exacerbate the current intolerable situation:

1. The global situation is rapidly deteriorating. Political, financial, and social crises will grow.

2. The uncertainties of US election politics. There is no assurance of continuing American support.

3. Growing political influence of a Euro/Russian alliance inimical to Israel’s interests.

4. A rising anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish sentiment aggravated by the “occupation”.

5. Global terrorism and its impact on global politics and alliances.

6. Mounting internal economic, political and social pressures in Israel resulting from current limbo status.

7. Israel is perceived as an occupier and is summoned as an Apartheid racist occupation authority before World Courts and other forums.

The opportunity to remove the terrorist leadership and to simultaneously offer a normalized environment for West Bank Arabs is available. If Israel proceeds to facilitate a two-state solution, there is little doubt that it will have to fight a major war with the new terrorist state and its treaty partners. After the next war, One State will be created. Why not act now and avoid the suffering and the tragedies of another war? Israel must move forward now with a clear vision for the long-term resolution of the current intolerable situation.

TWO STATE PLANS

Two-State proposals to resolve the current state of limbo and “occupation” have fatal flaws and will fail because they propose a second state that

· is not a viable independent entity

· is led by terrorists dedicated to the destruction of Israel

· is opposed to the existence of a Jewish state

· does not resolve the claims of right of return and refugee issues

· compounds dual-loyalty problems for Israeli-Arabs

· will not resolve issues of Jerusalem

· will not resolve issues of rights of return

· will not resolve issues of “the settlers”

· will underwrite and support terrorism

· will be a treaty partner to terrorist and rogue regimes

· will support hate education

· will support anti-Jewish anti-Zionist anti-Semitic organizations globally

· will seek conventional and unconventional weapons

· will create endless territorial, water, and resource disputes

· will lead to violence and a war of attrition and to major conflict

· will create a demographic catastrophe

· will lead to demoralization and/or destruction of the State of Israel

Jordan suffers a serious demographic challenge. More that 70% of its population are Palestinians with the same background as the West Bank Arabs. No one knows if or when the ruling minority Hashemite Kingdom will be overthrown and when Jordan will be established as a Palestinian State on the East Bank of the Jordan River. After the One State Plan is put in place, Palestinians will understand that if there is to be a Palestinian State it will be on the east bank and not the West Bank. It would be irresponsible for Israel to now make decisions that could negatively impact the possibility of a genuine two-state solution: a Jewish State on the West Bank and a Moslem State on the East Bank.