THERE is no doubt that Israeli settlements in the West Bank represent a stumbling block to permanent peace, and concretely, the two-state solution.

Jewish settlements (which are actually private initiatives) have multiplied under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s watch – combined with a deliberate policy of annexation, it has to be added, aimed at territorial expansion at the expense of the Palestinians’ right to living space and their attendant or concomitant needs (logistics, employment, schooling, energy).

To repeat the tired and jaded cliché, there can be no peace as long as the Zionist settlements are not dismantled and rolled back.

At the same time, however, it has to be recognised that the Zionist state is here to stay. The presence of the Jewish people in the form of a sovereign entity is irreversible – as legally mandated by the United Nations in 1948 and recognised by many countries.

So, how to move towards the two-state solution?

Malaysia, being one of the most vocal and leading proponents of the Palestinian cause, should adopt a subtle or more nuanced and sophisticated strategy in dealing with the intransigence and recalcitrance of Tel Aviv over the issue of West Bank settlements.

Especially under the leadership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad (in his two stints as prime minister), Malaysia has never shied away from or shirked its role and responsibility to speak up against the Zionist occupation. However, even as the momentum towards the two-state solution has slowed, with no progress in sight, it behoves us to move beyond rhetoric and “holier-than-thou” statesmanship (both for international and domestic consumption).

Malaysia should be engaging with the state of Israel directly and on a sustainable, long- term basis. To adopt a term used in the context of international relations, we should be a “frenemy”.

What does it mean to be a “frenemy” of the Zionist regime? As it is, the term is a portmanteau of “friend” and “enemy”. It refers to the “love-hate” dynamics between two parties. Malaysia can be friendly to Israel while maintaining a respectful, and if need be, antipathetic, distance.

The strategy we can adopt could be along the lines of establishing semi-diplomatic relations in the form of a consular office either in Tel Aviv (not Jerusalem, at least not yet) or Jordan’s Amman.

Forging and fostering full diplomatic relations is conditional upon the Israelis fulfilling their part in working towards the two-state solution. We should be actively pressing Israel to dismantle and roll back its settlements.

Why are we not focusing our efforts on this, and instead being preoccupied with micro incidents of Israeli soldiers harassing stone-throwers or potential knife-wielding “martyrs”?

This requires us to work with Israeli politicians and parties committed or sympathetic to the cause of restoring to the semi-sovereign Palestinian Territories their rightful land in the West Bank.

Israel under the late Ariel Sharon had completely disengaged and withdrawn from Gaza in 2005 – in the process, forcibly evicting settlers and their families. What is needed now is a combination of that with a gradual approach in most of the land-grab areas in the West Bank.

Since the Netanyahu administration is fully committed to expansionism under the pretext of defence and security – often citing the lack of “strategic depth” – Malaysia should be working with and supporting Israeli parties and civil groups that want a feasible, realistic solution and lasting peace, with the end game being coexistence with the state of Palestine.

It also entails Malaysia encouraging the Palestinian Authority to work towards the two-state solution by reaching an amicable agreement with Hamas in Gaza.

At the same time, Putrajaya must be clear to Hamas that it will not continue to support the group if an entente cordiale or rapprochement does not take place with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.

Furthermore, Wisma Putra should come up with a plan for the gradual dismantling of the Jewish settlements. The plan could include the concept that a few settlements, particularly the more established and sophisticated ones that have become self-contained towns or cities in their own right, are designated as special zones. These zones would come under the jurisdiction of Palestine.

Hence, the Israelis living there would be “guests” and subject to the laws of the land and a special poll tax (levied per capita or on each person), in addition to conventional taxes (property assessment, income, corporate).

Malaysia must seize the opportunity, and leverage its role and status to fulfil its potential as a mediator and intercessor between Israel and Palestine – with implications for peace in the wider region as well.

It would not be difficult for us to gain and secure the Israelis’ trust and confidence. All it takes is for Malaysia to have the political will to do what is needful and right. – January 13, 2020.

* Jason Loh Seong Wei is head of Social, Law & Human Rights at Emir Research.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.