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U.S. Peace Plan Will Be Judged in Light of Israel's Security Needs

(Israel Radio-Hebrew) Amb. Dore Gold - Amb. Dore Gold was interviewed by Esti Perez on Israel Radio-Reshet Bet on Feb. 26, 2019: Q: How do you respond to recent news reports about the Trump peace plan? Dore Gold: Given the uncertainty over the plan, what is important is to return to the basic principles of the Israeli consensus. I am speaking of a united Jerusalem, no withdrawal to the 1967 lines, and preservation not only of the settlement blocs but also of crucial security areas such as the Jordan Valley under Israeli sovereignty. These are principles that we must protect. These are diplomatic red lines. We must be clear about our red lines, where we cannot compromise and retreat. In Yitzhak Rabin's last speech to the Knesset a month before he was murdered, he in effect outlined a map of Israel for the future: united Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley in the widest meaning of the term. This is an excellent basis for establishing red lines. Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on a number of occasions about defensible borders for Israel. We have to explain our positions, and not just to Washington but to the entire world. On the issue of a Palestinian state, if it should arise, there is the question of borders and powers. It is clear that any Palestinian political entity must be demilitarized. We must be sure that we have security elements in place that enable us to supervise this. We cannot accept the idea that arose during the time of [U.S. Secretary of State] John Kerry who proposed an international force to defend Israel. Only the Israel Defense Forces can defend Israel. Q: Is Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] a partner [for peace]? Are the Palestinians a partner? Will it be possible to return to negotiations? Gold: With every Palestinian leader - whether it be Abu Mazen or after Abu Mazen - you cannot be sure of the intentions of the other side. Therefore, you need political positions that assure your security needs. We cannot return to the 1967 lines, which some naively suggest, because situations have a way of changing. Dore Gold, former director general of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Israeli ambassador to the UN, is president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
2019-02-28 00:00:00
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