The HOME & GARDEN Peace Plan
By Daniel Mark, M.A., B.Ed.
The Old City walls form the perimeter of a structure which is comparable to a very large HOME (a gigantic, partially open mansion); while the area to the right, [possibly from Sheikh Jarrah to Jabal Mukhabar or possibly just A-Tur (the Mt. of Olives)] between the Old City walls and the recently constructed “Security Fence” could be comparable to the home's backyard and GARDEN.
I propose that the people living in either the “Home” or “Garden” be given special residential status: each household would be given the right to choose either Israeli or Ishmaeli citizenship. More importantly though, both the State of Israel and the future State of Ishmael (Palestine) could continue to hold spiritual and population based claims in the heart of Jerusalem. Furthermore areas just outside the Home and Garden (but still considered “East Jerusalem”) could even become the new Ishmaeli political and cultural capital. In other words, all the embassies and government offices for the new State of Ishmael could be located in and around Al Ezayem (right next to the Mt. of Olives but just over the green line).
Each of the residents in the “Home & Garden” would then be granted the legal right to enter (and exit) the H & G from (and into) the country listed on their identity card through a large number of dedicated ‘local gateways’. Other gateways would be for more official border crossings dedicated to ‘international use’. Eventually as peace becomes more and more established, some of the local gateways could also become open to international use: allowing the exchange of goods, tourism and other businesses to flourish.
Together the “Home & Garden” would create a demilitarized Neutral Buffer Zone (NBZ) ‘owned’ by both the Ishmaelis and the Israelis. This could dramatically enhance human rights, economic stability, peaceful coexistence, as well as responsible security, in the State of Israel and the State of Ishmael.
The local gateways and border crossings between the NBZ and the Israeli border would be controlled by Israelis and monitored by Ishmaelis and/or peacekeepers from a Pool of Neutral International Observers (PNIO). Likewise the local gateways and border crossings between the NBZ and the Ishmaeli border would be controlled by Ishmaelis and monitored by Israelis and/or peacekeepers from the PNIO. Furthermore this would allow peaceful negotiations to move forward between the Ishmaelis and Israelis, significantly reducing the size of disputed lands and hostilities.
I also propose that we create a “University of Interfaith Cooperation” somewhere in the NBZ, where we could promote multicultural understanding, compassionate communications, responsible peace building projects, sustainable security and ecologically friendly tourism. Plus the Univ. of Cooperation could create a tremendous amount of employment and prosperity as well. Since open lands are limited and green areas are very desirable, one possibility is to place the university on a platform that partially covers the Old City (this could provide a nice shelter from the rain for homes and businesses beneath the platform).
Furthermore I propose that we create a walking bridge between the Mt. of Olives and the Al Aksa Compound to facilitate pedestrian safety, to ease vehicular traffic, to create jobs as well as to reduce congestion at the Al Aksa Compound’s existing entry ways and exits.
Each new creation would encourage further cooperation as well as foreign investment in the region. Plus these would encourage the controversial “separation fence” to be completely transformed from a point of contention to a number of gateways and doorways open to lasting peace and security.
Each step of the way would reinforce our commitments to work together and act as motivators for Israelis and Ishmaelis to understand each other better. Furthermore media coverage could give the rest of the world something real, positive and tangible to ponder. Completion of these building projects would also be triumphant historical events that would clearly point to the success of our cooperative efforts.
The GARDEN is a beautiful, partially enclosed hill with terraced orchards, olive groves, apartments, businesses, churches, mosques, cemeteries and open terrain.
To allow peaceful government negotiations to move forward between the Ishmaelis and Israelis, all personal disputes involving property within the H&G area could go through a streamlined process of international mediation. To facilitate this process and to keep costs as low as possible, the early stages of mediation could probably be handled by consistent, unbiased computers, with appeals handled by an equal number of professional Israeli, Ishmaeli and International mediators.
I also recommend that Home and Garden property owners who want to build within this area would get building permits approved by a new “Sustainable Land Use Committee” composed of an equal number of professionals from Israel, Ishmael and the PNIO with standards applied fairly and equally to all concerned.
In each of the building projects, the dates for the groundbreaking ceremonies, the timetable for construction, as well as the opening ceremonies, would be based on some measure of intergovernmental cooperation. Because these projects would enhance the local and state economies dramatically, each step of the way would also act as effective motivators to promote more peace building programs.
By creating a clearly recognized Home & Garden area as a Neutral Buffer Zone which can legally and culturally be claimed by both the Ishmaelis as well as the Israelis, we can encourage a vast number of cooperative projects that will encourage everyone interested to share Jerusalem, thus paving the way to a truly sustainable and wholistic Middle East Peace Accord.
