What Israel Fears Most: An Encroachment to “Greater Israel”?

By Stephen Lendman

Israel has strong US-led Western support. Security Council Resolution 2334, affirming the illegality of its settlements, changed nothing on the ground – nor will it any time ahead as far as it’s reasonable to predict.

Eventual Palestinian self-determination based on pre-June 1967 borders is another matter entirely. The possibility of it happening any time ahead concerns Israel most of all.

Longstanding state policy calls for maximum land with minimum Arabs – dispossessing them extrajudicially for exclusive Jewish development, achieving the goal through one bulldozed Palestinian home at a time, eliminating entire communities longer term, settlement expansions continuing unabated on stolen land.

A near-century ago, the World Zionist Organization’s plan for a Jewish state included:

• historic Palestine;

• South Lebanon up to Sidon and the Litani River;

• Syria’s Golan Heights, Hauran Plain and Deraa; and

• control of the Hijaz Railway from Deraa to Amman, Jordan as well as the Gulf of Aqaba.

Some Zionists wanted more – land from the Nile in the West to the Euphrates in the East, comprising Palestine, Lebanon, Western Syria and Southern Turkey.

Hardliner Ze’ev Jabotinsky opposed peaceful coexistence with Arabs, calling it unattainable. Arguing for “an iron wall of (superior) Jewish military force,” his idea was to discourage Arab hopes of destroying Israel – followed by a negotiated settlement based on Israeli-dictated terms.

Ben-Gurion sided with Jabotinsky. Israel’s war of independence followed, seizing 78% of historic Palestine, the rest in June 1967.

Unresolved conflict persists by design. Peace and stability defeat Israel’s longterm objectives. Middle East expert Joseph Massad once said:

“The logic goes as follows: Israel has the right to occupy Palestinian land, lay siege to (its) populations in Bantustans surrounded by an apartheid wall, starve the population, cut them off from fuel and electricity, uproot their trees and crops, and launch periodic raids and targeted assassinations against them and their elected leadership, and if (resistance is encountered, Israel is entitled to slaughter) them en masse (because it’s just) ‘defending.’ itself as it must and should.”

Arabs are considered inferior, undeserving of rights, so “Israel has the right to oppress them and does so to defend itself, but were (they) to defend themselves against Israel’s oppression, Israel (has) the right to defend itself against their legitimate defense” without restraint or regard for the laws of war and humanitarian considerations.

Israel doesn’t negotiate. It demands, imposing its will by brute force. For decades, Palestinians endured ruthless occupation harshness, slow-motion genocide, exacting a terrible toll with no prospect in sight for relief – no matter which wing of US duopoly rule is in power.

Deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes said John Kerry intends “lay(ing) out a comprehensive vision for” conflict resolution before stepping down on January 20.

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