The Future of Settlement in Israel

Having embraced a market-economy approach, the Israel Land Authority is blocking the growth of Jewish residence in, and control of, most parts of the country that are beyond the densely populated cities of the coastal plain.

Israel’s Self-Imposed “White Paper”

Israel’s National Outline Plan (NOP 35) has effectively frozen Jewish settlement in the Galilee and the Negev and spurred massive illegal building and land occupancy by the Negev’s Bedouin community. Without renewed Jewish settlement momentum in the land that is still available, the police and law enforcement agencies will be unable to alter this unlawful reality.

Trump and the “Settlements”: A Preliminary Analysis

The Trump administration’s decision to repudiate an earlier approach that regarded Israeli communities across the “Green Line” as illegal has been praised and condemned. While there may be merit to seeing the move as an effort to help PM Benjamin Netanyahu or at least break Israel’s electoral logjam, there are deeper motives at play. Trump and his administration have made a hallmark of defying dysfunctional conventional wisdom and foreign policy inertia that elevate process over results. But while the predicted calamities of this policy have not materialized, the administration’s lack of any Grand Strategy makes the benefits difficult to aggregate.

Jewish West Bank Communities: The Kernel of a Tolerant Palestinian State

Rafael Castro
July 3, 2018
Paper No. 881

Just as Israel is a Jewish state of nearly 9 million citizens, where some 2 million non-Jews live in peace and security, there is no reason why a Palestinian Arab state should not host a sizable Jewish minority living in peace and security with the Arab majority.

West Bank Construction Can Help Solve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The understandings reached between the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government, and approved by the Israeli Security Cabinet (despite some protests), show that a reasonable program of settlement construction is not the root of all evil in the region. In fact, a peace deal is more likely if space is given to the mainstream settler community. The new understandings overturn the language of UNSCR 2334 and the "purist" interpretation of "international legitimacy." Such a return to the recognition of existing realities – which was granted in the exchange of letters between Bush and Sharon in April 2004 – would help all sides come closer to a realistic compromise.

Israeli Backers of the Two-State Solution Should Support the Levy Report

Israeli advocates of the two-state solution should support the findings of the Levy Commission, which affirms Israel’s right to settle in the West Bank. Israel will thus be viewed as giving up its own territory in any future agreement.

Building in Jerusalem: A Strategic Imperative

Israel must follow up on its recent declaration to build in and around Jerusalem, particularly in Area E1, which connects the capital to the settlement of Maaleh Adumim. Creating continuous Jewish settlement in that area is necessary to enable Israel to have secure access to the strategic Jordan Valley.

The Levy Report: Reinvigorating the Discussion of Israel’s Rights in the West Bank

The Commission to Examine the Status of Building in Judea and Samaria (the “Levy report”) reinvigorates the discussion of the legitimacy of Israel’s position regarding settlements under international law, after many years in which Israel has been silent about its legal rights.

Netanyahu Can Say “No”

Prime Minister Netanyahu can effectively resist American pressure on Jerusalem. In fact, Jerusalem is the issue on which Netanyahu can best take a stand against Obama.

Understanding the Settlement Moratorium

Postponing and possibly avoiding a fight with the Obama administration was the main reason for Israel’s settlement freeze. Ten months from now the Israeli prime minister may be in a better position to resist US pressure.