Direct talks are best route

AVI DICHTER

The city of Jerusalem lies at the heart of the Jewish nation. Despite its most sacred Jewish status, the state of Israel has transformed the Temple Mount into a place of religious freedom – a phenomenon that hasn’t existed for centuries, not under Ottoman, British or Jordanian rule.

Nonetheless, there is a faction of radical Muslims today that is inciting violence at the Mount in an attempt to discourage Jewish worshippers from visiting the Western Wall and to create an atmosphere of conflict in the city and the region. To make matters worse, these rioters are supported by the Palestinian Authority.

Instead of confronting the problems with Hamas, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is devoting resources toward inflaming a dangerous game in Jerusalem. His unwillingness to face actual threats at home in favor of waging a populist and unnecessary religious battle may do nothing but eventually undermine the stability of his own government in the West Bank, as it did in Gaza.

The combination of the PA’s cynicism with Israel’s efforts to ensure religious freedom strikes a disturbing chord. The hypocrisy reminds me of a quote by the late American philosopher Eric Hoffer, “People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them.”

If not stopped, the violent Muslim protests at the Temple Mount can only lead to the unfortunate scenario of Israel being compelled to enforce the law in a manner in which freedom of worship for some might be curtailed. This scenario, however, goes against the very fabric of Israeli democracy, so Israel will continue to try and protect religious freedom in the holy capital for people of all faiths.

At the same time, however, the world must clearly understand that Jerusalem will not return to the pre-1967 borders. While this is an important strategic policy with high consensus in Israel, the government needs to be more tactically sensitive in its building plans for Jerusalem. It is essential to not infringe on the already frail trust that exists on the issue of Jerusalem (if any, in fact, exists). Some actions, like those of the government’s announcement of new housing units earlier this year, fall in the category of tactical blunder, which embarrassed not only our American allies but also most Israelis.

Before negotiations surrounding Jerusalem are even conceived, the level of trust between Israel and the Palestinians must be developed through confidence-building measures and will occur only after the issues of Gaza, the West Bank, the settlement blocs and the Jordan Valley are resolved.

At the moment, we are on the verge of starting talks again, this time through a mediator. It is crucial that we find an effective solution and it is vital that both sides stay clear of playing the all-too-familiar blame game.

I believe the way to achieve this is by conducting direct negotiations, with American support. Veteran PA officials, including Muhammad Dahlan, agree that involving third-party mediators will impede the process. Any real solution to our issues in the region, with the Palestinians and especially in Jerusalem, can be solved only through direct talks. It will be difficult. It will take time. It might even require a miracle. Fortunately, in the holy city, miracles are often possible.

Avi Dichter is a Knesset member, former head of the Shin Bet and former public security minister. A version of this article appeared in the Jerusalem Post.

^TOP