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offering the Palestinians gestures, but trying to protect Israeli interests in a deadlock.
Such an alternative plan - Plan B - would also present an Israeli initiative for the first
time. So far, Israel has only reacted to what has been proposed and has been perceived
as rejectionist.
The following are the plan's main elements.
* Israel will lift the siege on the Gaza Strip. The siege did not achieve its goals (toppling
the Hamas regime and freeing Gilad Shalit ). It also presents Israel as an aggressive party
mistreating a civilian population that is perceived as the victim. Israel should announce
that it will allow the free passage of goods, other than weapons, into Gaza, and that it
will invite international organizations (the European Union ) to send observers to the
crossing points.
* Israel will announce that it will transfer control of Area C to the Palestinians,
coordinated with the local Palestinian security forces, and that it will continue to pursue
its policy easing conditions at West Bank checkpoints. All this would be subject to
continued calm on the ground.
* Israel will permit the supervised passage of goods from the West Bank to Israeli
ports.
* Israel will evacuate illegal West Bank settlement outposts, as it has committed to do
in the past.
* A generous evacuation-compensation program will be set up for West Bank settlers
who wish to return to Israel proper.
* Israel will halt construction in Jewish settlements beyond the security fence.
Since this plan is not conditioned on negotiations with the Palestinians, Israel will not be
asking for anything in exchange for its implementation, though steps by the Palestinians
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