104 years ago today according to the Hebrew calendar, Theodor Herzl, the visionary of the State of Israel, died. At the height of the Hapsburg Empire, during an era when progress appeared to be the most important thing and the World Wars had not yet occurred, at a time when a significant number of Jews were searching for a way to integrate into European society at the price of turning their back on their identity, one Jew among the directionless intelligentsia rose up and began to pave a way to return the Jews to awareness as a people and to the land of Israel after long centuries of exile.

It was clear to Herzl that the realization of the national vision of the Jewish people's return to its land was also the realization of a universal vision. "With our liberation, we will liberate the world", wrote the great man in completing his book, "The Jewish State", "and with our greatness, we will add greatness to the world, and when we attempt to make a good name for ourselves, a powerful and much-blessed act for the good of all mankind, will also be carried out."

It is no coincidence that Herzl the national thinker chose to end his composition not with a nationalistic-particular hope but rather with a universal hope. He did this because he was a true Jew, one who was deeply faithful and authentic to the essence of his people and to the special character of their nationalistic aspirations.

Even in the Israel of today, there is a burning desire to improve the whole world, a desire which supercedes the desire to advance Israel's national interests. Tragically, many of the proponents of universal improvement lack the recognition that universal improvement is actually hidden in the proud realization of Israel's national interests. Whoever is deterred from being steadfast to these interests out of a national concession discovers that international terror is rearing its head, Iran is acquiring nuclear capability and the Palestinian problem is becoming a threat to the whole cultured world. On the other hand, when Israel succeeds in acting wisely in order to benefit her national interests and enjoys the effective power of deterrence and a strong international position, the whole free world benefits. News of the Entebbe operation, of 1976 and Israel’s 1981 bombing of the nuclear reactor in Iraq, placed a model of fighting terror and preserving the strength of a peace-seeking country before the whole world. On the other hand, the news emanating from Jerusalem in the summer of 2008, with the prisoner exchange with Hizbullah and future exchanges with Hamas, is the news of weakness that is likely to create a threat for the whole free world.

Understood that Israel and the World share the same interests. Herzl

"The Israeli Initiative" believes that the best solution for Israel is also the most just solution and the best one from a universal perspective and even from an Arab point of view. It believes – and proves it: whoever is interested in the details of the "Israeli Initiative" will see why strengthening the Israeli hold on Judea and Samaria serves the whole region and strengthens the forces that will cultivate security, stability and prosperity--and just the opposite-- Israeli concessions of these territories will only further the hatred and terror, will weaken the area economically and will bring the prospect of war to future generations. As time goes on, the number of politicians and countries who understand that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is not the longed-for solution to the problem, but rather a dangerous idea that will perpetuate the cycle of bloodshed in the Middle East. What was until yesterday a premise that could not be argued with, in the spirit of the conception of "two states", is no longer taken for granted, even by one of its architects, President Shimon Peres. As mentioned, at the Annapolis summit, Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert declared the completion of talks and the establishment of a Palestinian state before the end of 2008; but this week Israel already prevented the passing of a proposed resolution in the same spirit of understanding as at the summit at the UN Security Council. At the same time as the downplaying of the concept of a Palestinian state, there is increasing recognition of the importance of the humanitarian channel in solving the Palestinian refugee problem: the rehabilitation of the refugees. As we have written in previous newsletters, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset, at the initiative of MKs' Benny Elon and Amira Dotan's Caucus to solve the refugee problem, invited UNRWA Chair, Karen Abu Zayed to participate in a special session and to answer questions relating to UNRWA's problematic role in preventing the rehabilitation of the refugees. In the end, Abu Zayed cancelled her attendance - but we hope that the visit will still take place – but the committee met regardless, on the 16th of this month, and discussed the issue.

"We are interested in putting this subject on the table, and not in sweeping it under the carpet", said MK Dotan. "To discuss it now and not in the future so that we can work on an agreed solution. We need to press the buttons in order that this process will start moving."

One of the most interesting remarks actually came from MK Yossi Beilin, the father of the Geneva Initiative. Beilin turned to the EU Ambassadors present at the discussion and asked them to declare a quota of Palestinian refugees whom they mean to absorb in EU countries as part of a wider process of rehabilitating refugees. The Europeans were surprised by this question and requested time in order to consult with each other and formulate an organized position. As mentioned to 'Israeli Initiative' supporters in the booklet about the rehabilitation of the refugees published last spring, human rights' organizations' attempts in Europe to increase the quota of refugees absorbed there is mentioned in detail; but there it refers to refugees cared for by the UN Human Rights Council, who are therefore designated to be rehabilitated, and not the Palestinian refugees cared for by UNRWA who are designated to have their current status perpetuated in order to supply fuel for terror to the coming generation.

For more about the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee session as reported in the Jerusalem Post, click here:
Beilin: 'EU should absorb Palestinian refugees'

During the middle of July, a seminar for journalists of the Geneva Initiative type took place. MK Benny Elon was invited to the concluding panel, as the 'Israeli Initiative' representative, perceived to be a right-wing alternative to the Geneva Initiative, for a joint discussion with MK Beilin. MK Benny Elon introduced the Initiative, according to which the partners for any dialogue on the future status of the Palestinians are Egypt and Jordan, and according to which the first step is to advance towards a solution to the refugee problem today. "There is no precedent in history where people have remained refugees for sixty years without a solution", said MK Elon, and proposed that Israel initiate the opening of an international process for rehabilitating the refugees and not wait many more years. "MK Beilin responded to these words", as written on the Geneva Initiative website, "and said that were the Jordanians and Egyptians to accept Elon's proposal and in addition if it was possible to solve the refugee problem outside the framework of general negotiations over the establishment of a Palestinian state, he would support the initiative enthusiastically. According to Beilin, the problem is that Elon's plan is not relevant because no one has stood up from the other side and expressed a hint of support for this plan." If we were to formulate Beilin's words differently, it appears that the content of the Initiative is completely acceptable to him, and here before us, we have a rare and important base of approbation for the right-wing from none other than the left-wing.

What is the problem according to Beilin? That the Initiative has not been sufficiently debated in the international framework, and still has not received the necessary support in order to start international processes and achieve wider agreement. In the spirit of Herzl Day, all that remains for us to say is: If you will it and act in accordance, it is no dream.

Rare agreement. Elon and Beilin at Maale Ha'Hamisha

In order to achieve stability in the Middle East and put an end to the cycle of bloodshed, the whole world must understand that the return of the Jewish people to its land is a supra-historic process that is impossible to stop. Theodor Herzl stood at one of the first junctures of this process, and we have been merited to stand at a more advanced juncture. Whoever stands in the way of this process will eventually find himself far removed from here. Whoever helps the process will enjoy the fruits together with the whole world.

As always, we would be happy to receive your comments and response.
Yoav Sorek
Israeli Initiative Team