Dear Friends of Israel,

Israel’s regional standing is as precarious as at any time in its history. This statement was made by Asher Susser, a leading Mideast scholar, at a panel discussion at the Institute for National Security. In his opinion, the only way to stem the increasing danger would be a unilateral disengagement from the Palestinians.

Susser said a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement may never be signed, but a unilateral disengagement would help guarantee Israel’s Jewish identity and avoid becoming a bi-national Jewish-Arab state. There is a danger that the Arabs could be in the majority within twenty years at most.

He stated further, that the upheavals in the Arabic world are in no way comparable to a “Spring Awakening.” Instead, these upheavals have placed Israel in an exceedingly precarious position, representing the reemergence of sectarianism, tribalism and above all political Islam.
Interestingly, there have been numerous calls recently from the Jewish side for a one-state solution. They fail to clarify however, how such a state would actually appear or function. They simply believe that it’s worthwhile to consider such a solution.

Astonishingly, there are also people on the Palestinian side who are endorsing a one-state solution. Their suggestion however, sounds more like a threat than a solution.
Achmed Qurei, one of the “Architects” of the Oslo Accords, said it would be good for the Palestinians to look at a one-state solution with Israel instead of a two-state solution. The Palestinians should be talking publicly about the one-state solution, putting it on the table as an option and throwing it in the face of Israel as “burning embers,” he said.

 The urgency of a settlement with the Palestinians is shown by a newspaper article with the title, “High Arab birthrate means Jerusalem could lose Jewish majority.”

According to reports by the Interior Ministry, the current population of Jerusalem is 933,000. While Arabs today make up 37% of Jerusalemites, they account for 42% of those under 15. A member of Jerusalem’s City Council warned that the rapid increase in the Arab population could cause Jerusalem to lose its Jewish majority within 10 to 20 years .

The original area of Jerusalem, inside the city walls, was approximately one square kilometer. Today, through the annexation and expansion of Palestinian tracts in Jerusalem, the city has grown to 108 square kilometers. That means there are 28 Arabic villages within the city limits of Jerusalem – along with all the problems and consequences that they bring with them.

With that background, it’s easy to understand why the demands for a unilateral disengagement from the Palestinians are growing louder. The Jewish majority in a major Jewish city is in danger.
The formerly accepted, widespread, general attitude that it’s best to do nothing and wait it out, until things take care of themselves, is now more often seen as a serious threat, especially in light of the rapidly changing circumstances.

In the certain knowledge that nothing happens at random, but is guided by the hand of God,

Shalom from Israel,

Fredi Winkler