Japan should tread on the right path for peace in the Middle East
HIRAYAMA Kentaro / Journalist
March 12, 2020
The United Nations Security Council avoided taking the vote on the United States’ unique initiative for solving the Palestinian issue presented by President Trump at the White House in January, thus dodging the subject while leaving it to the players to continue negotiating. This peace initiative, which President Trump entrusted to his Jewish American son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is disguised to tentatively acknowledge “The Two-State Solution”, which recognizes Palestine’s independence. However, it is a humiliating initiative to the Palestinians. The Old City of Jerusalem, which the Palestinians have long coveted as their capital would be under the complete sovereignty of Israel and it tells them to regard Abu Dis, outside of the West Bank Barrier surrounding the Old City as Jerusalem.
Pertaining to the whole West Bank of the Jordan River which takes up the main part of the occupied territory, the Trump-Kushner initiative officially published a map where the valley downstream of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea (30% of the West Bank) is incorporated into Israel. In the negotiations since the 1993 Oslo peace accords when Israel and Palestine embarked on “the historic agreement”, discussions such as narrowing down the range of settlements adjacent to Israel’s inherent territory (around 10% of the West bank) and provision by Israel of alternate sites within the Jewish settlements developed by Israel in the occupied territory have been the main points of negotiation between the two sides and arbitration by the United States. Looking back at what has been going on, one could say that the Trump initiative is a groundbreaking handout for Israel.
As for the remaining 70% of the land, which is left for Palestine, Israel’s sovereignty would be recognized for the Jewish settlements, which are scattered as enclaves within. According to President Abbas of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian National Authority, their territory would be perforated like Swiss cheese, totally different from what the UN has preached as “contiguity and viability” and the guidelines of past US administrations. “Neither the Jews nor the Palestinians would be asked to leave,” said President Trump. What is he talking about? Can he see what is happening in reality: allowing illegal settlements, land grabs, edging into the West Bank Barrier and evicting the Palestinians? Or is he turning a blind eye?
The initiative of letting Israel take over the Jordan Valley was first advocated by acting Prime Minster Allon of the then Labor government soon after the Six-Day War in 1967 when Israel occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River and Gaza. Its main aim was to separate the Palestinians from the neighboring Arab countries like Jordan and confine them inland, so as to ensure Israel’s security. Since then, the Interim Self-Government Arrangements after the 1993 Oslo peace accords categorized the valley as a so-called C zone which was to be controlled by the Israeli army. Even at the Camp David negotiations mediated by the Clinton administration in the summer of 2000, the Israel government led by the Barak administration suggested that Israel would want to “lease” the valley in order to keep armed forces there, and Prime Minister Olmert, the predecessor of the current Netanyahu regime explicitly stated that Israel would not take over the valley and that it would be returned to the Palestinians.
In 2006 when Prime Minister Koizumi was in Prime Minister Olmert’s Israel during a tour in the Middle East, he unveiled a plan to construct an agricultural products-processing factory funded by the Japanese government in Jericho in the West Bank, and to export the products to the oil-producing countries in the Gulf by land via the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. While a part of the plan came true, Mr. Shimon Peres, the then Israeli President, ardently called for transporting the seawater from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead Sea, which is at more than 400 meters below sea level, a part of which will be desalinated so that it can be shared among the three nations: Israel, Jordan and Palestine. With this initiative, he repeatedly stated that he’d like to make the Jordan valley “a valley of peace” based on reconciliation and cooperation. Despite that, not only has the Palestinians’ access to the valley has remained ungranted, but this time, the new initiative is causing a stir by offering the valley to Israel.
In Israel, there will be a legislative election and Prime Minister Netanyahu, who finds himself in a dire predicament with the corruption issues, is struggling to stay in the office. The announcement of President Trump’s initiative for solving the Palestinian issues at this particular point in time seems designed to provide covering fire for Mr. Netanyahu and to win votes from the evangelical Christians in the US to support his own reelection. It is hoped that Japan, for its part, keeps its sound judgment and sense of balance, and treads on the right path for peace in the Middle East peace without being sidetracked.
Kentaro Hirayama is a former NHK Executive Commentator.
Pertaining to the whole West Bank of the Jordan River which takes up the main part of the occupied territory, the Trump-Kushner initiative officially published a map where the valley downstream of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea (30% of the West Bank) is incorporated into Israel. In the negotiations since the 1993 Oslo peace accords when Israel and Palestine embarked on “the historic agreement”, discussions such as narrowing down the range of settlements adjacent to Israel’s inherent territory (around 10% of the West bank) and provision by Israel of alternate sites within the Jewish settlements developed by Israel in the occupied territory have been the main points of negotiation between the two sides and arbitration by the United States. Looking back at what has been going on, one could say that the Trump initiative is a groundbreaking handout for Israel.
As for the remaining 70% of the land, which is left for Palestine, Israel’s sovereignty would be recognized for the Jewish settlements, which are scattered as enclaves within. According to President Abbas of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian National Authority, their territory would be perforated like Swiss cheese, totally different from what the UN has preached as “contiguity and viability” and the guidelines of past US administrations. “Neither the Jews nor the Palestinians would be asked to leave,” said President Trump. What is he talking about? Can he see what is happening in reality: allowing illegal settlements, land grabs, edging into the West Bank Barrier and evicting the Palestinians? Or is he turning a blind eye?
The initiative of letting Israel take over the Jordan Valley was first advocated by acting Prime Minster Allon of the then Labor government soon after the Six-Day War in 1967 when Israel occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River and Gaza. Its main aim was to separate the Palestinians from the neighboring Arab countries like Jordan and confine them inland, so as to ensure Israel’s security. Since then, the Interim Self-Government Arrangements after the 1993 Oslo peace accords categorized the valley as a so-called C zone which was to be controlled by the Israeli army. Even at the Camp David negotiations mediated by the Clinton administration in the summer of 2000, the Israel government led by the Barak administration suggested that Israel would want to “lease” the valley in order to keep armed forces there, and Prime Minister Olmert, the predecessor of the current Netanyahu regime explicitly stated that Israel would not take over the valley and that it would be returned to the Palestinians.
In 2006 when Prime Minister Koizumi was in Prime Minister Olmert’s Israel during a tour in the Middle East, he unveiled a plan to construct an agricultural products-processing factory funded by the Japanese government in Jericho in the West Bank, and to export the products to the oil-producing countries in the Gulf by land via the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. While a part of the plan came true, Mr. Shimon Peres, the then Israeli President, ardently called for transporting the seawater from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead Sea, which is at more than 400 meters below sea level, a part of which will be desalinated so that it can be shared among the three nations: Israel, Jordan and Palestine. With this initiative, he repeatedly stated that he’d like to make the Jordan valley “a valley of peace” based on reconciliation and cooperation. Despite that, not only has the Palestinians’ access to the valley has remained ungranted, but this time, the new initiative is causing a stir by offering the valley to Israel.
In Israel, there will be a legislative election and Prime Minister Netanyahu, who finds himself in a dire predicament with the corruption issues, is struggling to stay in the office. The announcement of President Trump’s initiative for solving the Palestinian issues at this particular point in time seems designed to provide covering fire for Mr. Netanyahu and to win votes from the evangelical Christians in the US to support his own reelection. It is hoped that Japan, for its part, keeps its sound judgment and sense of balance, and treads on the right path for peace in the Middle East peace without being sidetracked.
Kentaro Hirayama is a former NHK Executive Commentator.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
日本は中東和平の正道を歩け
平山 健太郎 / ジャーナリスト
2020年 3月 12日
国連安全保障理事会は、トランプ米大統領が一月ホワイトハウスで提示したパレスチナ問題解決への米国独自の構想について、賛否の採決を避け、当事者の交渉を続ける方針でその場をしのいだ。トランプ氏が、娘婿であるユダヤ系アメリカ人クシュナー氏に作成を任せていたこの和平構想は、パレスチナの独立を認める「二国共存」を一応認める形をとっている。しかしその内容は、パレスチナ側が首都を置きたいと求めてきたエルサレム旧市街を完全なイスラエルの主権下に置き、パレスチナ側は旧市街を取り巻く分離壁の外側にあるアブディスをエルサレムとみなして首都を置けばよいとする、パレスチナ側にとっては屈辱的な構想だ。
占領地の主体を占めるヨルダン川西岸全体についても、トランプ＝クシュナー構想は、ヨルダン川下流から死海に至る峡谷（「西岸」の３０％）をイスラエルが併合する地図を公表している。イスラエルとパレスチナが「歴史的和解」に踏み切った１９９３年のオスロ合意以後の交渉では、イスラエルが西岸占領地に造成したユダヤ人入植地の中で、イスラエル固有の領土に隣接する入植地群（西岸の１０％内外）の範囲の絞り込みや、イスラエル側からの替地の提供などが、双方の交渉や米国の調停の論議の中心になっていた。これを振り返れば、トランプ構想は、イスラエルへの画期的な大盤振るまいと言えるだろう。
パレスチナ側に残される７０％の土地についても、飛び飛びに造成されたユダヤ人入植地には、イスラエルの主権が認められる。パレスチナ自治政府のアバス議長の言葉によれば「スイスチーズ」のように穴だらけの領土になり、「連続性と自立可能性」を説いてきた国連やトランプ以前の歴代米政権のガイドラインと食い違う。「ユダヤ人もパレスチナ人も現在いる場所から立ち退きを求められることはない」というトランプ氏の言葉も何を言っているのかと思う。違法入植地の容認、土地の収奪や分離壁の割り込みによるパレスチナ人の退去の強制など、現実に起きていることが見えないのか、あえて見ないのか？
ヨルダン峡谷をイスラエルが併合するという構想は、イスラエルがヨルダン川西岸やガザを占領した１９６７年の戦争後ほどなく、当時の労働党政権のアロン首相代行がまず提唱した。パレスチナの住民をヨルダンなどアラブの隣国から切り離して内陸に閉じ込め、イスラエルの安全を図るのが主な狙いであった。その後オスロ合意（１９９３年）以後の暫定自治協定で峡谷は、当面イスラエル軍が管理するいわゆるCゾーンに区分けされ、２０００年夏のクリントン米政権の仲介によるキャンプデービッド交渉でも、イスラエル側（バラク政権）はこの峡谷を当面イスラエルが「租借」して兵力を残したいと提案し、ネタニヤフ現政権に先立つイスラエルのオルメルト首相は、峡谷は併合せずパレスチナ側に返すと言明している。
２００６年、中東を歴訪した小泉首相は、そのオルメルト首相当時のイスラエルで、ヨルダン川西岸のエリコに日本政府の出資で農産物の加工工場を作り、そこでの物産を陸路ヨルダン王国経由で湾岸の産油国に輸出する構想を発表。一部が実現しているが、当時イスラエルの大統領だったシモン・ペレス氏は彼自身が熱心に提唱していたアカバ湾からの海水を海抜マイナス４００メートル余りの死海に落としてその一部を淡水化、その水をイスラエル、ヨルダン、パレスチナの三者で分け合う構想を念頭に、ヨルダン峡谷を和解と協力の「平和の谷」にしたいと再三発言していた。しかし当時も今も、峡谷でのパレスチナ人の立ち入りは認められないまま今度は併合騒ぎだ。
イスラエルでは、この３月国会議員選挙が行われ、汚職問題などで苦境に立ったネタニヤフ首相が、この選挙での勝利と政権続投で切り抜けようと必死だ。パレスチナ問題の処理に絡んだトランプ米大統領の構想発表の時期も、ネタニヤフ氏への援護射撃や、自らの再遷をめざす米国内のキリスト教福音派の票集めに直結している。良識とバランス感覚を保ちながら日本は、中東和平の正道をぶれずに歩んでほしい。
筆者は元NHK解説主幹
占領地の主体を占めるヨルダン川西岸全体についても、トランプ＝クシュナー構想は、ヨルダン川下流から死海に至る峡谷（「西岸」の３０％）をイスラエルが併合する地図を公表している。イスラエルとパレスチナが「歴史的和解」に踏み切った１９９３年のオスロ合意以後の交渉では、イスラエルが西岸占領地に造成したユダヤ人入植地の中で、イスラエル固有の領土に隣接する入植地群（西岸の１０％内外）の範囲の絞り込みや、イスラエル側からの替地の提供などが、双方の交渉や米国の調停の論議の中心になっていた。これを振り返れば、トランプ構想は、イスラエルへの画期的な大盤振るまいと言えるだろう。
パレスチナ側に残される７０％の土地についても、飛び飛びに造成されたユダヤ人入植地には、イスラエルの主権が認められる。パレスチナ自治政府のアバス議長の言葉によれば「スイスチーズ」のように穴だらけの領土になり、「連続性と自立可能性」を説いてきた国連やトランプ以前の歴代米政権のガイドラインと食い違う。「ユダヤ人もパレスチナ人も現在いる場所から立ち退きを求められることはない」というトランプ氏の言葉も何を言っているのかと思う。違法入植地の容認、土地の収奪や分離壁の割り込みによるパレスチナ人の退去の強制など、現実に起きていることが見えないのか、あえて見ないのか？
ヨルダン峡谷をイスラエルが併合するという構想は、イスラエルがヨルダン川西岸やガザを占領した１９６７年の戦争後ほどなく、当時の労働党政権のアロン首相代行がまず提唱した。パレスチナの住民をヨルダンなどアラブの隣国から切り離して内陸に閉じ込め、イスラエルの安全を図るのが主な狙いであった。その後オスロ合意（１９９３年）以後の暫定自治協定で峡谷は、当面イスラエル軍が管理するいわゆるCゾーンに区分けされ、２０００年夏のクリントン米政権の仲介によるキャンプデービッド交渉でも、イスラエル側（バラク政権）はこの峡谷を当面イスラエルが「租借」して兵力を残したいと提案し、ネタニヤフ現政権に先立つイスラエルのオルメルト首相は、峡谷は併合せずパレスチナ側に返すと言明している。
２００６年、中東を歴訪した小泉首相は、そのオルメルト首相当時のイスラエルで、ヨルダン川西岸のエリコに日本政府の出資で農産物の加工工場を作り、そこでの物産を陸路ヨルダン王国経由で湾岸の産油国に輸出する構想を発表。一部が実現しているが、当時イスラエルの大統領だったシモン・ペレス氏は彼自身が熱心に提唱していたアカバ湾からの海水を海抜マイナス４００メートル余りの死海に落としてその一部を淡水化、その水をイスラエル、ヨルダン、パレスチナの三者で分け合う構想を念頭に、ヨルダン峡谷を和解と協力の「平和の谷」にしたいと再三発言していた。しかし当時も今も、峡谷でのパレスチナ人の立ち入りは認められないまま今度は併合騒ぎだ。
イスラエルでは、この３月国会議員選挙が行われ、汚職問題などで苦境に立ったネタニヤフ首相が、この選挙での勝利と政権続投で切り抜けようと必死だ。パレスチナ問題の処理に絡んだトランプ米大統領の構想発表の時期も、ネタニヤフ氏への援護射撃や、自らの再遷をめざす米国内のキリスト教福音派の票集めに直結している。良識とバランス感覚を保ちながら日本は、中東和平の正道をぶれずに歩んでほしい。
筆者は元NHK解説主幹
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟