An unexpected bold proposal from Israeli MK Shaul Mofaz: an immediate Palestinian state

November 3, 9:13 PMForeign Policy ExaminerAimee Kligman

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Mofaz has a reputation as a tough leader

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Most people outside of Israel don't know much about MK member Shaul Mofaz, and it's not surprising. He's one of the few 'non-European' Jews in Israel to have become a Knesset member, and who dared to challenge former presidential candidate Tzipi Livni, and lost.

There is an entire dynamic, which is an undercurrent in Israeli society, that Jews from North Africa who emigrated to Israel are grossly misrepresented in government, policy making, negotiations with friends and foes alike. However, here is a perfect example of how 'Arab Jews' can play a pivotal role in the peace making process with the Palestinians.

According to a report in Israel's daily 'Ma'ariv', as reported by the Mideast Peace Pulse, Mofaz is putting forth the idea of the immediate formation of a Palestinian state which would require the demolition of Israeli settlements which translates into displacing some 70,000 people. Those settlers would be compensated as described below:

The evacuated settlers will receive everything they want: settlements will be relocated in their entirety to new sites, funds will be allocated at three and four times the value of their evacuated property, their children will be given free education at universities and yeshivas for an extended period of time and so forth.

Borders would be temporary but with the removal of settlements, it seems that there should be sufficient contiguous land to form a separate, sovereign state. Said state would encompass large villages and neighborhoods and arrangements would be made to keep a 'holy basin' separate that would include the Old City, the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and other holy sites.

Though Mofaz's idea is far from perfect, it does take into account the realities of the immediate need for the Palestinians to have a sovereign state. In addition, the status quo would position Israel into further international isolation, having lost the support of Turkey, one of its most important allies in Eurasia. His centrist views would serve the country well, bringing it back from the brink of the far right cliff it has been straddling since the Netanyahu election.

Mofaz is also vying for the chairmanship of the Kadima Party as he feels that Livni has not been effective in the peace process.