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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| 'Int'l body must resettle Palestinians' |
| 2008-02-06 |
| In a novel Israeli approach to one of the prickliest issues facing Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, MK Benny Elon (NU-NRP) is proposing the establishment of an international body in lieu of UNRWA to deal with the resettlement of Palestinian refugees over the next decade. The proposal, part of the hawkish parliamentarian's alternate peace plan known as "The Israeli Initiative," is meant to be "a first step" towards resolving one of the most difficult final status issues. "Successive [Israeli] governments have chosen to stick their head in the sand when faced with the looming fear of the refugee issue," Elon writes in a newly-expanded chapter of his three-pronged plan. "Needless to say, this policy has been ineffective. The Palestinian refugee problem has grown in size and, in effect, it has given birth to terror and Palestinian nationalism." Elon notes that all Middle East peace processes have included elaborate calls for repatriation or resettlement programs for Palestinian refugees. Yet, he says, resolving the refugee problem has always been left until the end of any given process, with the issue remaining an open and festering sore that is exploited by extremist elements in the Islamic and Arab world and used as a political weapon against Israel. Elon's unconventional proposal calls to establish an international body that would be comprised of Israel, Jordan, the US and other unspecified countries. This body would cooperate with representatives of the Palestinian refugees to work toward their resettlement in countries of refuge within a decade. "The resolution of this problem deserves a concerted effort, considering its influence on the stability of the Middle East and the peace of the entire world," Elon writes. He estimates that $25 billion would be needed to cover the cost of repatriating Palestinian refugees. He conditions the establishment of such an authority, however, on the dismantlingt of UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. UNRWA deals exclusively with Palestinian refugees and their descendants, and, Elon charges, has helped perpetuate the suffering of Palestinian refugees by ensuring the continued existence of Palestinian refugee camps. UNRWA's current mandate is scheduled to end on June 30, 2008. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #20 Have you asked Tars Tarkas (fresh meat and all that)? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-02-06 16:00 |
| #19 But not Mars. Maybe Venus. |
| Posted by: John Carter 2008-02-06 14:31 |
| #18 Hey! We don't want them! We just got used to having Elvis out here. Send them to Netune. |
| Posted by: Purple People of Pluto 2008-02-06 13:01 |
| #17 I recommend the planet Pluto for Palestinian re-settlement. |
| Posted by: borgboy 2008-02-06 12:54 |
| #16 UNRWA's current mandate is scheduled to end on June 30, 2008. Yeah...right. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-02-06 11:11 |
| #15 $50,000 to the family, $50,000 to the nation taking them, but to be remitted if the family remains in that nation. No moving around. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2008-02-06 11:09 |
| #14 But they need people to kill. That is why they have each other. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-02-06 11:05 |
| #13 and not many people there But they need people to kill. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-02-06 10:45 |
| #12 Antarctica would be a nice place for them. Plenty of room for expansion and not many people there. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-02-06 10:22 |
| #11 Soylent Green... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-02-06 09:51 |
| #10 my vote goes too the gulf of aden |
| Posted by: sinse 2008-02-06 09:25 |
| #9 I hear that the surface of the sun is nice this time of year.... |
| Posted by: Flish Black9754 2008-02-06 08:30 |
| #8 There's nothing left to loot in ZimBobwe. However, there is a large area available in an Islamic country. It's called the "Empty Quarter". Howze about it becomes the "Formerly Empty Quarter Now Filled Wit Paleos"? |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-02-06 08:02 |
| #7 Footnote: See attached article regarding 1449 farms needing farmers in Zimbabwe. They can start by looting everything. |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-02-06 07:40 |
| #6 I was about to suggest Uganda, but yeah, Zimbabwe sounds even better. |
| Posted by: Chuckles Ebbomoth1642 2008-02-06 07:23 |
| #5 Footnote: See attached article regarding 1449 farms needing farmers in Zimbabwe. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-02-06 04:41 |
| #4 I'm sure the French would offer Kerguelen. A few more years of Global Warming and it will be a tropical island paradise. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-02-06 04:18 |
| #3 To where is not mentioned The combined area of MME is (approx) 800 times the area of Israel. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-02-06 03:31 |
| #2 Please DO NOT offer to bring them to the US, Condi! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-02-06 02:50 |
| #1 He estimates that $25 billion would be needed to cover the cost of repatriating Palestinian refugees. To where is not mentioned (NOT TO ISRAEL) I seriously doubt there is anywhere that would take them, short of a forcible "Relocation" i doubt any "Palestinians" would go anywhere at all, they expect to invade Israel, wipe out the jews, and live there in squalor as before. (This is the land of Milk and Honey, sing along) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-02-06 00:54 |