Sharon plan would keep out Palestinian workers

The government will seek to reduce Palestinian economic dependence on Israel and to strengthen economic ties between the territories and the neighboring Arab states of Jordan and Egypt. These are the foundations of the economic chapter of the "disengagement plan" touted Thursday by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Herzliya Conference.




Under Sharon's initiative, in the event of a failure to move forward with the U.S.-backed road map, and the implementation of the "disengagement plan," Palestinians from the territories will be prevented in the future from entering Israel to work.

Sharon's plan is designed to reduce friction between Israelis and Palestinians; and to allow the Palestinians to develop their economy, Israel will work toward keeping open the border crossings between the West Bank and Jordan and the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

In his address, Sharon said, "We will consider allowing, in coordination with Jordan and Egypt, the freer passage of people and goods through the international crossings, while implementing the required security measures."

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/374253.html

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Another inconvenience for the Palestinians. They will no longer be able to take for granted access into Israel for work.

It is also probably an inevitable one.

The continued hostility between the two polities rather suggests a seperation as the simplest means of reducing violence between them. It is certainly true that Arab Palestinians, not being citizens of Israel, have no right to enter Israel for work, nor even any right to ship goods into or through Israel: all governments have the right to control entry, and regulate it as they see fit. Such a bar would immeasureably ease the difficulties of ensuring security for the citizens of Israel, and might well even allow easing the system of checkpoints and army posts in the Jordan valley so galling to the populace there.

It seems regretable to me nonetheless, because it seems to me that a degree of economic interdependence would be of mutual benefit to both peoples, and would be one of the surest reinforcing cements of any peace that could be achieved. Turning the labor and trade of Arab Palestine into other channels now would weaken, in the long run, the prospects of a lasting peace and reconciliation between the two peoples.

I agree that it is inevitable, and as the Palestinians gain the right to statehood, it is perfectly acceptable for defensive reasons. I do think that it would be for a period of time not exceeding 45-50 years. Normal trade relations could conceivable be reintroduced once hostilities are in the remote past.