Op-Ed: George Washington-Style Peace Plan

by Aliza Bas Menachem

Law and order, honest education, and prosperity, have the design and strength to usher in a new era – void of hostilities – for all peoples living in the Holy Land.

Let’s back up 230 years. “In the heart of Philadelphia, in a Georgian brick building that still stands, one of the most extraordinary events in the history of the world took place. There, in what is today called Independence Hall, over the course of about one hundred days in the summer of 1787, some of the most brilliant men of that or any other era created what would become the Constitution of a new country. They were creating the legal foundation for a form of government that had never been tried before…” This quote contains the opening words of the introduction of Eric Metaxas’ book, “If You Can Keep It”.

The key words are “never been tried before.”

Rhetoric and clichés from established forms of government are obstacles to peace in the Middle East. The current situation is unique. It needs a plan of government that has “never been tried before.”

Words like democracy, peace and peace partners are historical pillars of solutions. So we look to them for solutions. But it turns out – after many tries – that if we take a step back and open our minds – we see that these words represent solutions to problems that do not match the current state of affairs in the Holy Land.

We have a unique problem and therefore we need a unique solution.

Once Jews get past their emotional bond to democracy and peace, they can examine the solution that law and order, honest education and prosperity, promises to bring. A solution that matches the problem. This plan is what George Washington would recommend. How do I know? Because I know he was smart and not afraid to do something that was never done before.

If we can agree that an aggressor is an aggressor and a victim is a victim. We can work towards law and order. I like to think of the root of law and order as the ‘Giuliani Method.’ He arrested anyone who jumped over the turnstile into the subway, instead of paying the nominal fee that was required to pass through the turnstile by the intended method known as walking.

In the Holy Land, that would be akin to arresting anyone who throws rocks at cars. Seriously. In what civilized place is it acceptable to throw baseball sized rocks at cars? Or at soldiers? That is where law and order begins. Stop the rocks and plant the seeds of respect.

As for more sophisticated terrorists, politicians have to stop worrying about world opinion and let the security forces do their job. Much of policy setting in the Holy Land is based on concern for world opinion. But after years of being at the forefront of helping other countries in their time of need, of showing absurd respect for those who attack us, or even minding our own business… the United Nations continues to pass multitudes of anti-Israel resolutions, including the recent one that denies Jewish rights at the Kotel. It is time to stop worrying about world opinion. They have already made up their minds. And they are stubborn about it. We need to defend ourselves from our enemies and stop trying to be something we are not. The founding fathers of the modern state of Israel thought they could make a state that would not be the Jew amongst the brotherhood of nations. But the Chumash says we stand alone and it turns out the Chumash is right.

Law and order will also involve clarifying the existing laws of treason, publicizing them and then enforcing them. Left wing activists should not be inciting Arabs to break the law. They should not be harassing soldiers and obstructing their service. Public figures should be held accountable to the extent of the law when they undermine efforts for security through enforcement of law and order.

Foreign watchdog organizations should be sent back home to their kennels in their own countries. There are enough stray dogs wandering our streets. Seriously, they have no business being in our country. Allowing them in is an obstacle to law and order. Again, the fear of world opinion strengthens the incendiary role of foreign watchdogs.

Honest education comes next. Let’s start with the history books describing how there never was a Palestinian State or a Palestinian People. It is all the work of con artists, many of them terrorists, many of them journalists, some of them Jewish journalists.

No more teaching arithmetic by calculating how many Jews are left when you start with five and kill three.

No more glorification of suicide bombers being taught to young children. No more songs about killing Jews. No more plays about bravely fighting for freedom by stabbing Jews at random.

The third element, prosperity, is available to everyone in the Land of Israel. But as long as there are random terrorist attacks, the movement of Arabs has to be curtailed for the safety of individuals and security for the country. If the indoctrination by dishonest and insightful education and publicity can be abolished – and law and order is in place – the opportunities for prosperity will open up even wider.

As it is, the Israeli Arabs are prosperous. And many of the Arabs in the territories are also doing well. Last time I drove to Hevron in Yehuda and Yitzhar in the Shomron, there were plenty of brand new foreign cars speeding along the roads, driven by local Arabs. (Yehuda plus Shomron, equals what is called the West Bank.)

The brilliance of this George Washington Style Middle East Plan is that it is implementable. The founding fathers of the United States of America did not make a plan that involved the cooperation of the British.  Law and order can be enforced by the Israelis. Honest education can also be enforced by the Israelis. The Israelis do not have to allow in foreign money that sponsors text books that teach lies and hostility. And it is the Israelis who will provide opportunity and prosperity. This three point plan is independently implementable.

Luckily there is no need for a peace partner – because if there were a need – the current mess would never be cleaned up. If there is a need for a peace partner, it exists only in the minds of politically correct elitists. People who want to impose politically correctness above safety and wellbeing for residents in the Holy Land, whether they be Jewish, Bedouin, Arab or other.

This plan will eliminate the need for another Arab state on the world map. An Arab state that would be parasitic. An Arab state dedicated to the elimination of its host state.

We tried land for peace. The experiment was done. The test results are in. When we surrendered the Gaza Strip, the Arabs turned a blooming desert into a blimming war zone. The Gaza Strip is sea level property down south and off to the side a bit. But the next plot targeted by the land for peace plan – is highlands in the backbone of the country overlooking the major population centers on the coast.

The Arab population who want to remain residents in the Jewish state will not have a vote in country wide elections. But they will be treated with equality and respect in other realms. Not being eligible to vote and sanctioned mistreatment are not inseparable. We are doing something new, like George Washington and his fellow founders. Just because someone does not vote – does not mean discrimination will be legal. Even in a democracy, power can get into hands of evil people. There is no guarantee with or without democracy. That is what Metaxas’ book “If You Can Keep It” is about.

The Arab residents can vote in their own communities and local areas. I believe they have the option to do that already.

If the State of Israel is to be a Jewish state. A sliver of a state, in a world teeming with Muslim dominated states. And if the Jewish state wants to respect the safety and wellbeing of its citizens, and its law abiding residents, it can happen. Once Jews are cured of their addictions and guilt feelings surrounding the idea of democracy… there can be peace in the Holy Land.

12 Comments

  • No Taxation without Representation

    George Washington fought to prevent people from being taxed (and controlled,) by a government that they cannot vote in.

    Your “George Washington-style peace plan” involves the Arabs being governed and taxed by a government that they will not vote on.

    Please do not drag George Washington’s name into your crazy ideas.

    • Milhouse

      Washington’s administration taxed aliens but did not allow them to vote. arabs are aliens in Erets Yisroel; if they don’t like it they can leave.

    • To Millhouse

      You wrote: “Arabs are aliens in Erets Yisroel, If they don’t like it they can leave.”
      That would be a great argument if they would be citizens of another country, and they can choose to go back there.
      Where can Palestinians go?
      Do you know of a country that would accept them?
      None of the Arab countries made that offer.

      In addition, your argument that Arabs are Aliens and should leave, sounds like the argument made so many times in history by countries that expelled their Jewish population.

      Is that the world you want to live in?

    • Richard Roe

      Those Arabs – or their ancestors in the past 100 years or so – mostly came from the surrounding countries; they can return there – if they could learn to be civilized and not try to overthrow those countries’ governments, as the PLO attempted in Jordan in 1970.

      Anyway, their choices are the same as the ones given to the Canaanites by Yehoshua: it’s our country now – leave, accept our sovereignty and basic laws (Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach), or we will fight and defeat you.

  • M.O.S.A.K.

    As they say, “Sounds like a plan!” Especially tbe part about not caring what the UN or other haters say…

  • Answer to: No Taxation without Representation

    Currently the situation for many Arabs in Eretz Yisroel is: “Benefits without Taxation”.

    Washington did what was best in his time for his situation. The Jews should do what is best for them at this time in their situation.

    • What benefits?

      You write:
      Currently the situation for many Arabs in Eretz Yisroel is: “Benefits without Taxation”.

      What are you talking about?

      If you’re talking about Israeli Arabs, then they pay taxes like everyone else.

      If you’re talking about Palestinian Arabs, then they have no benefits (from the Israeli government).

  • DeClasse' Intellectual

    Do not forget what Golda Mier said way back when as the reason why there can not be peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Remem ber, the more things change, the more they remain the same!!!!!!!!

  • Common Children's Programs

    Below are quotes that form part of a report from Palestinian Media Watch. palwatch dot org

    Twice this month Palestinian Authority TV’s children’s program The Best Home had young children recite poems encouraging violence. One poem called for murder of Israelis “as we slaughtered them in your streets, Beirut.” The poem also urged Palestinians to seek death, emphasizing that if you are a member of Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas’ party, your “blood is food for the revolution”:

    Boy: “Today, O our West Bank, our Gaza, raise your voice
    O our land, the time has still not passed
    As we expelled them from Gaza and Sderot
    As we slaughtered them in your streets, Beirut
    For you, Yasser Arafat, for you we shall die
    After the night comes the light of day, and the fig leave will be removed…
    Tomorrow we will take our vengeance, and their leader will be carried in a coffin
    We, Fatah, are a storm, and our blood is food for the revolution…”
    PA TV host: “Bravo, Muhammad, thank you, thank you, thank you!”
    [Official PA TV, The Best Home, Jan. 6, 2017]

    “We want to speak openly, with no hesitation and with no fear
    World, hear and see, my rock has turned into an AK-47 [assault rifle],
    Your words are true, Yasser Arafat
    O mountain, the wind will not move you.”
    [Official PA TV, The Best Home, Jan. 20, 2017]

  • Avi

    What you’re proposing is much closer to South Africa under the apartheid regime. Most Jews (including me) would not support such a state.