Dreamland

"Some members of Israel's leadership, including cabinet ministers, Knesset members and defense and policy advisers, have recently come to resemble those children who solve their problems by daydreaming. When they say that the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip has opened a rare window of opportunity, they are also laying out the next solution to the Palestinian problem: hand over responsibility for Gaza to Egypt. There are even some who propose granting Jordan an official role in the West Bank.......

Such flights of fancy by key figures in Israel's leadership are not limited to the last few days; this is a syndrome that repeats itself. In 2004, then chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon and Major General (res.) Giora Eiland opined that the way to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians was to establish a state comprised principally of the Gaza Strip and parts of the Negev and Sinai. Jordan would also have to contribute part of its territory to a regional solution, based on a round-robin of territorial deals that would include four states. The idea was based on a proposal by a Jerusalem-based geographer, Professor Yehoshua Ben-Arieh, and was supported by some right-wing MKs, led by Effie Eitam. This recipe is appealing to Israel, but unfortunately, it was thought up without considering the stances of the Palestinians, Egypt and Jordan. The minute it became known, the Arab partners made it clear that there was nothing to talk about......"