Israel, like Europe and America, still labors under the delusion that peace can be won through concessions and negotiated settlements. This is a fundamental and ultimately lethal misapprehension. The jihad ideology stipulates that Muslims must strive to establish the hegemony of the Islamic social order over the world, offering non-Muslims conversion to Islam, subjugation as inferiors — dhimmis, or protected (or guilty) people — under Islamic law, or war. This imperative does not stem from outrages committed by the infidels, although such outrages, whether imagined or real, are used as pretexts to stir up support for the jihad at hand.
If Israel gives up part of Jerusalem, peace will not come. The Palestinian mujahedin and their allies will have fresh demands. And Jerusalem itself will become more dangerous and uncomfortable for free people who believe in the equality of rights of all people.
From AP, with thanks to Teri:
JERUSALEM – Israel’s new government is drawing up a blueprint for dividing the holy city of Jerusalem “” a once inconceivable notion “” giving the Palestinians nearly all the Arab neighborhoods while holding onto Jewish areas and disputed holy shrines.
Otniel Schneller, an architect of the plan, described it in interviews this week with The Associated Press, giving the clearest picture yet of how Israel plans to separate from the Palestinians, abandoning most of the West Bank.
“We will not divide Jerusalem, we will share it,” he said.
Most of Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods would go to the Palestinians, he said. “Those same neighborhoods will, in my assessment, be central to the makeup of the Palestinian capital … al-Quds,” Schneller said, calling Jerusalem by its Arabic name.
Israel would keep Jerusalem’s Old City with its shrines sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians alike “” an unacceptable plan to Palestinians, particularly if carried out unilaterally.
See? The next round of demands is already taking shape.