Some 800 people on Tuesday night attended the first political conference of the National Union party, which is part of Habayit Hayehudi Knesset faction. The conference, in Jerusalem, adopted a policy paper titled “One Hope – the decision plan for Israel.” The program was written by MK Bezalel Smotrich with the consent of Minister Uri Ariel (Habayit Hayehudi).
The main aim of the program is to change the discourse and to present a real alternative to all the plans on the table today which are based on dividing the land and agreeing to sanctioning a national Arab entity in the Land of Israel. The program was presented as the opening phase in a broad public campaign to instill new basic assumptions for future political public discourse in Israel.
Or, as MK Smotrich put it, “After a century of conflict, the time has come for a decision.”
“Israeli society is ripe for rethinking,” Smotrich said. “It has despaired of mirages and false charms, and longs for a different vision – more faithful and secure, which reconnects to its own values and God. One that breathes a spirit of hope, the kind that lifts our heads and straightens our posture, that upholds our national pride and honor.”
Referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Smotrich said: “Never will there be an Arab state between the sea and the Jordan.”
Addressed Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA residents in his speech, Smotrich said: “The people of Israel do not want to hold on to the sword, but in order to defend themselves and their national aspiration, they will be the first to use it resolutely, unequivocally and triumphantly.”
“You, our Arab neighbors, should learn the program we adopted today,” Smotrich continued. “It is very important for you as well. Good neighborliness, rights and quality of life for you and your children and grandchildren will be yours only after you have separated from the illusion of realizing your national aspirations here in the Land of Israel.”
According to the Smotrich plan, resolving the conflict means “establishing a consciousness determination, both practical and political, that west of the Jordan River there is room for only one national entity: the Jewish one. No Arab state that would allow the realization of Arab national aspirations will ever be established in the heart of the Land of Israel. The shelving of this dream will reduce the motivation to realize it, and in any case the accompanying terrorism.
“This decision will be realized through declarations – an unequivocal Israeli statement to the Arabs and to the entire world that no Palestinian state will be established, but mainly in actions – the application of full Israeli sovereignty over the territories of the homeland in Judea and Samaria, and the establishment of new cities and communities deep inside the [liberated territories] with hundreds of thousands of additional settlers living there.
“This will make it clear to the Arabs and to the entire world that the reality in Judea and Samaria is irreversible, that the State of Israel is here to stay, and that the Arab dream of establishing a state in Judea and Samaria has vanished once and for all. The settlement component is therefore intended to burn into the consciousness of the Arabs and the entire world that there is no chance of establishing an Arab state in the Land of Israel.”
According to the Smotrich plan, this unequivocal starting point will open two alternatives—three, really—to the Arabs of the Land of Israel:
“1. Anyone who wishes and is able to give up the realization of his national aspirations will be able to remain here and live as an individual in the Jewish state, and of course enjoy all the abundance, goodness and progress that the Jewish people have brought and keep bringing to the Land of Israel.”
The plan details the status of those who choose this option, and their path to full citizenship, including their path to attaining, over a considerable stretch of time, the same status of today’s Israeli Arabs.
“2. Those who do not want or cannot hide their national aspirations will receive assistance from us to emigrate to one of the many Arab countries where Arabs can realize their national aspirations or any other goal in the world.”
Finally, “It is reasonable to assume, of course, that not all will adopt these two elections, and will insist on choosing the third option – to continue to use violence against the IDF, the State of Israel and the Jewish population. Such terrorists will be dealt with employing greater determination by the security forces, more intensively than we do today and on more favorable terms for us.”
Not surprisingly, the Ha’aretz report on Tuesday night’s conference went: “The National Union conference approved the ‘decision plan’ which is based on transfer or denial of the right to vote for Palestinians, promoted by MK Bezalel Smotrich.”
Incidentally, concerning the Palestinians’ right to vote in national elections – they haven’t exercised that one since 2006, so they are quite used to it by now…