The 181/25% Plan: Redraw the Map and Create “Abrahamic” States

With Mahmoud Abbas threatening to take Israel to the the ICC in the Hague, it is vital that Israel present an alternative proposal that would be acceptable to Palestinians and would also satisfy Israel’s security and political needs.

The following proposal does just that.

The 1949 Armistice Lines (also called the “Green Line” or the “1967” Lines) no longer reflects demographic realities on the ground. First of all, expelling half a million people from their homes is simply not going to happen because of internal Israeli politics. Second of all, one does not make Peace by expelling people from their homes. There has been enough of that in this conflict and there is no reason to pour more fuel on the flames. Creative thinking can produce alternative options.

The 181/25% Plan is fairly simple. Israelis and Palestinians have both expressed “in principle” acceptance of UN Resolution 181 which calls for a Jewish and an Arab state in the territories of the former British Mandate. What has never been agreed upon has been the borders of those states.

The PLO claimed in its “historic compromise” that it is willing to accept a state encompassing 22% of that original land. The borders of that state are what makes matters complicated.

The proposal is to consent to giving Palestinians an additional 3% of the land, on the condition that borders are redrawn to reflect Israel’s security needs and demographic realities on the ground.

The borders of many states in Europe may not look “pretty” but they reflect political historic compromises. That need also exists here.

The Abrahamic component of this proposal is the need to find a unifying political symbol that is respected by all parties. How wonderful such an achievement that would be. Instead of simply placing it on paper, it would place Peace in people’s hearts

If you will it, it is no dream.