Comprehensive Solution : Jerusalem & Population Exchange
Reader comment on item: Solving the "Palestinian Problem"

Submitted by Samuel J. Richelew, PE (United States), Jan 8, 2009 at 21:00

This is in response to Daniel Pipes post "" #891: Pipes solves the "Palestinian Problem" in Jerusalem Post "". I hope that he will consider it as an improvement to his post, as I have addressed the most contentious issue of all "Jerusalem" Re :: Population Exchange ::

There is precedent for this concept - after WWI Greece and Turkey exchanged populations. Proposal ONE :: [ Part one, of course, has already been accomplished, ca. 1948 ] Part one :: Move all of the Jews living in Arab countries to Israel. Part two :: Move all of the arabs in Israel/Palestine to Arab countries.

Proposal TWO :: 1.) This gives the Palestinians ONE completely contiguous nation - one of their demands. 2.) It eliminates their complaint concerning "remote" Jewish settlements in the West Bank. 3.) It restores the high tech greenhouses in Gaza. 4.) It eliminates the Jewish refugees of Gaza (ca. 2005) and those from Northern Samaria. 5.) It makes ALL sacred and holy locations [sites] in the Holy Land accessible to all.

Part one :: Move ALL of the occupants of Gaza to the prosperous West Bank. This would eliminate their self-imposed poverty and overcrowding. [ All would be given new Identity Cards, they would all be photographed, finger printed and images of their retinas would be taken. They would all be strip searched for weapons and contraband. They would all be given a substantial stipend, courtesy of Saudi Arabia. Then they would be transported to the West Bank.

All who are suspected of being members of Hamas or Fatah [ all males age 8 to 78 ] would be detained in tent prisons, similar to Phoenix, AZ.} Inform all Gaza residents that the Gaza area is to be LEVELED and that they will be transported to the West Bank and other locations. Part two :: Move all of the residents of Jewish "remote" settlements in the West Bank, including all of the former residents of Northern Samaria, and former Jewish residents of Gaza to Gaza. [ LEVEL all of Gaza to make it suitable for agriculture and other positive productive activities. Incorporate the Gaza area and Hebron into Israel proper.]

Part three :: 1.) Annexation [ except as noted below ] of the West Bank into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Jewish residents of the "remote" settlements in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) who refuse to move become citizens of Jordan, and are subject to Jordanian laws. - they may have dual Israeli and Jordanian citizenship, but can only vote in Jordan. 2.) The Old City - [ within and adjacent to the walls , such as the "City of David" ]- of Jerusalem, particularly the Temple Mount and the Western Wall become sovereign territory of both Israel and Jordan and is administered by a Joint Commission made up of members from Israel and Jordan and from the USA. [[ This keeps Jerusalem united and within Israel -- to satisfy the Haredim, etc. It keeps the Jewish Sacred places within the Jewish State. It also keeps the Moslem holy places within a Moslem nation.]]

In addition to the Old City the Joint Commission has jurisdiction over the other Holy locations [sites] in the Holy Land, such as Bethlehem, Hebron, etc. which also become sovereign territory of both Israel and Jordan. 3.) ALL Holy and Sacred places are open to all of G-D's children; but they are subject to complete search for weapons, contraband, etc. NO demonstrations are allowed. The Moslem trust, Wqaf, is eliminated. Its functions are completely taken over by the Joint Commission. 4.) The supply of all utilities and public services in the Old City is the responsibility of the Joint Commission. [ They can contract this out to the Jewish Municipality of Jerusalem. ] 5.) ALL archeological work is under the control of the Joint Commission. [ It can contract this out to the Antiquities departments of BOTH Israel and Jordan. ] All artifacts found become the property of the OLd City and are to be stored and displayed in a research museum open to all, which is administered by the Joint Commission. 6.) The Jewish Settlement Blocks, adjacent to Israel, are annexed into Israel. 7.) There is a "land swap" to compensate for the Gaza area, Northern Samaria and the Settlement Blocks. 8.) The residents of the Old City may vote in EITHER Israeli national elections or Jordanian national elections, NOT BOTH. Their enumeration in the census [ of Jerusalem, Israel and Jordan ] is determined by which election they choose to participate in. 9.) The residents of the Old City may nominate two voting members of the Joint Commission, subject to the approval of the "permanent members" of the Joint Commission. 10.) The residents of the Old City are subject to taxes imposed by the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission shall include in these taxes fees for municipal services it provides and fees paid to the governments of Israel and Jordan for the services they provide. 11.) The residents of the Old City are required to serve in "Public Service Units" in lieu of serving in the armed forces of Israel or Jordan, for a length of time equal to that of the citizens of Israel or Jordan. This is called a "two-state PLUS solution" -- Israel and Jordan and the Joint Commission. I have tried to address ALL of the contentious issues, particularly that of Jerusalem - the most contentious issue of all, plus other items. What have I left out ?

Your comments are appreciated. Maybe, maybe this problem can be solved !!! Shalom -- FOREVER !!!! Samuel J. Richelew, PE (retired Structural Engineer) Southfield, Michigan USA

PS :: I am an avid reader of several of the on-line editions of most of the English language Israeli newspapers.

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