Hoenlein update: The UN vote, cease-fire, E1
Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, assessed the UN vote on the Palestinian Authority, the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza, and Israel’s connection with the international community in a phone interview with The Jewish Star last week.
The non-member status vote in the United Nations, said Hoenlein, “doesn’t affect Israel, the U.S. or the Palestinians. It’s a propaganda move; it changes nothing on the ground.” But, he added, “It could be a platform for further mischief.” He said that if the PA turns to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring charges against Israel or becomes a member in other agencies, it could “trigger a withdrawal of funding” by the U.S. as with UNESCO. “There has to be consequences to the PA; there is no disincentive not to continue.” He cited the need for “pressure” against the PA such as a bill by Senator Charles Schumer and “other measures in Congress,” including closing the PA office, and cutting off aid to the PA, if they go to the ICC. He did point out that the vote in the UN was “not a great victory for the PA,” with nine votes against, 41 abstentions and four or five absent. The PA cannot be granted status or membership in the UN without nine Security Council votes so they went to the general assembly, a violation of Oslo and other accords that they signed. He said that it was important to “praise and thank the countries that voted against and stood in stark relief” to the other members. “Nobody thinks this is a good thing,” he added.
Hoenlein pointed out that he had just returned from a solidarity mission with 30 people to the south of Israel and that the cease-fire is a “relief on the part of the people. There were kids who were bar mitzvah who never slept outside of a bunker.” He said the people were frustrated that the army didn’t go in but noted that there would have been “great” casualties and that the presence of the army on the border was to exert pressure on Hamas. He stressed that the Israeli air force destroyed most of Hamas’ government buildings and launching sites, and fifty percent of the Iranian-made Fajr missiles. He was also concerned that eliminating Hamas would just make room for another jihadist group. He emphasized the “tremendous precision and outstanding intelligence” that led to an “optimum result with minimal casualties. The objective was to get as much done and not put the IDF in harms way unnecessarily.” After the cease-fire, Egypt has to ensure that Hamas is not restocking its weapons and that after celebrating, Hamas will see the devastation from the counter strikes of the IDF, the costs of rebuilding and would “try to reign in those who shoot the rockets,” he said, hopefully.
The E1 area, also known as Mevaseret Adumim, is 12 kilometers of undeveloped land between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim. In 1994, then PM Rabin attached Mevaseret Adumim to Maaleh Adumim. The PA claims that construction on this land “prevents contiguity of a PA state,” said Hoenlein, “but this is not true.” He said it is a “flashpoint” but is “a really critical area.” Israel has plans to build there for “18 years as a suburb of Jerusalem. They are going through the zoning process, permits and permission.” The goal is to build a residential community to connect Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim.
The “international community jumps on the settlements,” stated Hoenlein. “They have no clue. It’s presented as a punishment for the PA—it is not. Israel is paying the price without the result, without the change on the ground. In this case the world is wrong—they (Israel) are moving ahead on the zoning, not construction. It should have been built 18 years ago when (Yitzchak) Rabin pushed for it and even (Ehud) Olmert (supported it).”
He explained that, “Israel cares because Israel lives in the international community and they depend on their good will. But Israel has to make decisions based on their security interests.”
