A Comprehensive Middle East Peace Plan Based Upon American President George Bush's Vision

In early 2008, U.S. President George W. Bush visited the Middle East and reiterated his "vision" for the area. His vision, as many know, is two states living side by side in peace. Since many of George Bush's visions, like bringing democracy to the Arab world, sound fine on paper, but are woefully deficient of details of how to implement them, I propose a peace plan based directly upon George Bush's vision.

The plan clearly follows directly from George Bush's vision. It is simple and fair. So why wouldn't it succeed!

Clearly though, any plan is going to have weaknesses. And we need to mention those weaknesses and consider what "painful concessions" (which George Bush is always talking about) the Israelis might make to ensure that the plan succeeds.

The first weakness of the plan is that Jordan currently occupies 80% of Palestine and might not be happy relinquishing 30% of it. The second weakness is that those Arabs that have been living as loyal citizens of Israel since 1948 might not be happy being compelled to relocate to the Arab homeland.

I am cautiously optimistic, however, that in order to live peace-ably with the Arabs, Israel might be persuaded to make the following painful concessions:

• A) Israel might be willing to allow Jordan to retain sovereignty over those areas of the Jewish homeland east of the Jordan River.
• And B) Israel might be willing to allow those Arabs with demonstrated loyalty to the State of Israel since 1948 who are willing to either serve in the Israeli Army or do alternative National Service to remain in Israel.

Those Arabs who won't meet those simple requirements, as well as those Jews (notably haredim and Tel-Aviv "intellectuals" (I use the word advisedly) ) who can't be bothered to serve in the Army or do National Service, also would be compelled to live in the Jewish territory east of the Jordan River, unless they got permission from the government of Jordan to live in the Arab area.

A side benefit of this Peace Plan is that it would silence the deafening universal criticism of Jordan for refusing to allow Jews within its country.