Israel Quietly Legalizes Pirate Outposts in the West Bank

[Shaktimaan]

15. Agreed.

From Jordan's perspective, losing control of the West Bank is just about the best outcome they could have hoped for. Having to negotiate the balance between strict Arab League protocols, finding a best possible outcome for the Palestinians, and their own self-interests was/is all but impossible. They were nearly thrown out of the League for granting Palestinians living in the WB citizenship when it was under their occupation.

Since Arab League policies prioritize hurting Israel over helping Palestinians any Arab state that's truly interested in aiding the Palestinians will find themselves paying a very steep price for trying to negotiate any kind of realistic solution. I recall a minor disturbance in the 70's when Israel sought to replace some of the temporary tent housing in some of the refugee camps with brick structures. The League's issue was that improving the quality of the camps, (especially with long term buildings), removed incentive for Israel to let the refugees return. (The same rationale behind disallowing Arab states from granting citizenship to refugees.) Of course the politically powerful and oil-rich League states forcing these measures were also not ones who were directly dealing with the fallout of their negative impact.

I think there was certainly a time when we were far closer to achieving a real state for the Palestinians. Had Rabin not been murdered; had Arafat been more willing to negotiate at Camp David; had the IDF not begun shooting protesters as a first reaction; had Hamas not begun suicide bombing buses; had Sharon not started incentivizing settlement as an obvious land grab; etc. etc. There was very much a time, not long ago, when it seemed very possible, if not probable.