Now that the Palestinians are planning to announce their state in September this year I thought you'd like to hear my new thoughts on Ben Gurion's declaration of the Jewish state in 1948.
Ben Gurion's state accepted the same borders as those set out by the United Nations in it's decision of the 29th November 1947, the Partition Plan.
These borders encompassed the part of the Partition Plan offered to the the Jews, not the part of the partition offered to the Arabs.
Ben Gurion's mistake was his acceptance of only half of of Palestine. The Arabs, rightly, did not accept their half of Palestine, because they rightly maintained that their homeland, Palestine couldn't be divided.
They claimed the Jewish half and were prepared to go to war to conquer what they felt was their by historic right.
They went to war to conquer the part of Palestine which they considered should have belonged to them, namely the part of Palestine which the UN decided should be Jewish, the same part as Ben Gurion accepted as Jewish.
The first of these wars in 1948, known as the war of Independence, ended with Jordan in control of the West Bank of the Jordan River.
Basically this is the same as the part the UN allotted to the Arabs, namely the pre-67 territory, known as such because Israel conquered it in the 6 day war of 1967, another war launched by the Arabs to conquer the territory which they considered rightfully theirs.
Now the Palestinians, consistent to their belief that all of Palestine should belong to them, plan to declare a Palestinian State in that pre 67 territory.
For the first time in the history of the Middle East conflict the Palestinian aren't going to war to conquer the territory they consider rightfully theirs. Instead, by declaring a Palestinian State in the Pre 67 territory they are relinquishing their claim to the other half of Palestine occupied by the Jewish State in terms of Ben Gurions declaration of Independence.
This is truly amazing after 6 wars they are relinquishing their demands of 1948. We should be jumping for joy.
In declaring a Palestinian State the Palestinians are, for the first time, recognizing Jewish sovereignty over the part of Palestine allotted by the UN to the Jews and which the Jews, as stated by Ben Gurion, accepted as the Jewish State.
Now if we, through the mistake of Ben Gurion, relinquished part of Palestine in 1948 what basis do we have for rejecting the Palestinian claim on that pre 67 Jordanian territory, the West Bank.
Ben Gurion's mistake caused the forfeiting of any claim on the pre 67 territory.
The only excuse I can offer for Ben Gurion's stupidity, sorry I don't have a better word is that he and the Jews were ridden with fear of a war with Arabs. He thought he'd avoid war.
I am very sorry that he and unfortunately till now the Jews are motivated by fear. This is a recipe for catastrophe. Catastrophe is the only word to describe the incidents of war in the last 63 years. Now it must come to an end. Unfortunately there is still too much fear amongst Jews themselves to agree to this plan. It's tragedy upon tragedy and catastrophe upon catastrophe. How do we escape from grip of catastrophe.
It is now too late to undo Ben Gurion's mistake. He has made it illegal for the Jewish People to hold on to pre 67 territories He gave them up in 48, that's why we have to give them back.
Ben Gurion's state accepted the same borders as those set out by the United Nations in it's decision of the 29th November 1947, the Partition Plan.
These borders encompassed the part of the Partition Plan offered to the the Jews, not the part of the partition offered to the Arabs.
Ben Gurion's mistake was his acceptance of only half of of Palestine. The Arabs, rightly, did not accept their half of Palestine, because they rightly maintained that their homeland, Palestine couldn't be divided.
They claimed the Jewish half and were prepared to go to war to conquer what they felt was their by historic right.
They went to war to conquer the part of Palestine which they considered should have belonged to them, namely the part of Palestine which the UN decided should be Jewish, the same part as Ben Gurion accepted as Jewish.
The first of these wars in 1948, known as the war of Independence, ended with Jordan in control of the West Bank of the Jordan River.
Basically this is the same as the part the UN allotted to the Arabs, namely the pre-67 territory, known as such because Israel conquered it in the 6 day war of 1967, another war launched by the Arabs to conquer the territory which they considered rightfully theirs.
Now the Palestinians, consistent to their belief that all of Palestine should belong to them, plan to declare a Palestinian State in that pre 67 territory.
For the first time in the history of the Middle East conflict the Palestinian aren't going to war to conquer the territory they consider rightfully theirs. Instead, by declaring a Palestinian State in the Pre 67 territory they are relinquishing their claim to the other half of Palestine occupied by the Jewish State in terms of Ben Gurions declaration of Independence.
This is truly amazing after 6 wars they are relinquishing their demands of 1948. We should be jumping for joy.
In declaring a Palestinian State the Palestinians are, for the first time, recognizing Jewish sovereignty over the part of Palestine allotted by the UN to the Jews and which the Jews, as stated by Ben Gurion, accepted as the Jewish State.
Now if we, through the mistake of Ben Gurion, relinquished part of Palestine in 1948 what basis do we have for rejecting the Palestinian claim on that pre 67 Jordanian territory, the West Bank.
Ben Gurion's mistake caused the forfeiting of any claim on the pre 67 territory.
The only excuse I can offer for Ben Gurion's stupidity, sorry I don't have a better word is that he and the Jews were ridden with fear of a war with Arabs. He thought he'd avoid war.
I am very sorry that he and unfortunately till now the Jews are motivated by fear. This is a recipe for catastrophe. Catastrophe is the only word to describe the incidents of war in the last 63 years. Now it must come to an end. Unfortunately there is still too much fear amongst Jews themselves to agree to this plan. It's tragedy upon tragedy and catastrophe upon catastrophe. How do we escape from grip of catastrophe.
It is now too late to undo Ben Gurion's mistake. He has made it illegal for the Jewish People to hold on to pre 67 territories He gave them up in 48, that's why we have to give them back.
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