[lbo-talk] States, Bantustans? Kissinger says it all cool

Arash arash at riseup.net
Mon Dec 22 11:43:14 PST 2003


The Hindu "Israeli barrier can lead to provisional Palestinian State" Washington, Dec. 22 (PTI): The Israeli security fence, that is under construction in the West Bank, should be accepted by America and its allies as it could lead to a Palestinian State even without a final agreement, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, has said.

In an article in 'The Washington Post' today, Kissinger said the barrier, which Israel says it is constructing for protection against Palestinian terrorists, could lead to a provisional Palestinian State without an agreement, as it involves dismantling Jewish settlements beyond the fence if the Jewish settlers and the Arabs cannot live together.

He also advocates a provisional partition of Jerusalem as part of a provisional Arab State pending a final solution.

Suggesting that a settlement imposed by the so-called Quartet - Russia, EU, the UN and the US - would not work, Kissinger says that though a psychological framework for an agreement is emerging in Israel, an interim agreement may be the only way to keep refugee issue from blocking a settlement.

A final agreement must resolve the refugee question. "No Israeli Government can settle for less; no Palestinian leader has yet been found to unambiguously renounce the right of return," he said.

"If that problem should prove insoluble, the security fence could provide a provisional dividing line that makes possible a Palestinian state even before a final settlement."

Territorial adjustments could be balanced by returning portions of Israeli territory to Palestinian rule. Particular attention should be paid to areas where a return of Arab population would ease the democratic problem.



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