2018-08-15
A New Way to Look at Jewish Settlements
The following is the script of a speech I gave as a Toastmasters project. It is not normal to read from a script, but I was playing the role of a U.S. State Department responding at a press conference to news of another Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
Recently, we’ve been asked repeatedly about Jewish settlements, existing and planned, in the West Bank. Today, I’d like to break new ground, so to speak.
Opposition to the settlements is based on a common assumption that peace will come through a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. It is usually unstated but understood that the Palestinian state will be ethnically—and perhaps religiously—cleansed. That is, no Jews will live there.
Recently, we’ve been asked repeatedly about Jewish settlements, existing and planned, in the West Bank. Today, I’d like to break new ground, so to speak.
Opposition to the settlements is based on a common assumption that peace will come through a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. It is usually unstated but understood that the Palestinian state will be ethnically—and perhaps religiously—cleansed. That is, no Jews will live there.
Therefore,
the settlements are seen largely as attempt by Israel to extend its ultimate
borders by establishing facts on the ground with settlements.
We would like to suggest that the settlements are a way of insisting that Jews in some
significant way will live in Judea and Samaria, which some call the occupied
territories, whether the area is controlled by Israel or a Palestinian state.
We
think this may be a good thing, the more so because it relies on principles found
in both Jewish and Islamic law.
Let’s
start with Islamic Law, which has the concept of dhimmi, an Arabic word loosely translated as “protected minority.”
The dhimmi typically is a Jew or
Christian who has chosen to live in an Islamic state, something that has been
quite common through history, more for Jews than Christians. The dhimmi signs a contract, agreeing to abide
by certain laws, in return for protection by the state and the right to
practice his or her religion.
Jewish law has a parallel concept, the geir toshav, a Hebrew phrase generally
translated as “resident alien” who, after pledging to observe the “Seven
Commandments of Noah,” is permitted to live among Jews. While there is a
resurgence of interest in the concept, Israel doesn’t employ the concept
directly. However, it did extend citizenship to Muslims and Christians who
chose to remain in Israel after it became a state.
It
is also worth mentioning that the modern penchant for ethnic and religious
warfare is not the rule, especially between Muslims and Jews.
What
we are really doing is asking you to imagine a two-state solution that looks
like this.
- Israel has a minority population of Christians and Muslims. (It does already.) It guarantees access to holy places to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. (It does already.)
- Palestine has a minority population of Jews and Christians. It guarantees access to holy places to Jews and Christians.
- Israel and Palestine are sister states with reciprocal laws and practices, protecting minorities.
