Not the Same Old, Same Old - A response letter

Mr. Friedman significantly overstates the size of the “lift” needed to “remove” settlers from the West Bank. Of the 350,000 Israelis he cites as “living in the West Bank”, 250,000 or more live in areas that will probably become part of Israel in an eventual Israeli-Palestinian agreement, and will not have to be removed.

As for those settlers residing east of the security fence, a survey released last month by the Israel organization Blue White Future found that nearly 30 percent would voluntarily relocate themselves tomorrow in exchange for compensation, even without an agreement. And the organization’s discussions with settlers, even hard core ones, tell us that many more would follow once they feel the impact of 20,000 to 30,000 fellow settlers moving into Israel proper.

Israel should enact a voluntary evacuation and compensation law for those who choose to relocate to Israel proper, and it should plan for their absorption. This would begin to create a two-state reality, and provide secure borders for a Jewish and democratic Israel — even if Secretary of State John Kerry gives up on diplomacy and “folds his tent.”


Gilead Sher, Tel Aviv

The writer, co-chairman of Blue White Future, was chief of staff and chief negotiator for Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

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