ABSTRACT
The annexation by Israel of land in Samaria, Judea, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan, or the designation of special areas, security zones and corridors for long-term use by Israel, should be considered in a broad geopolitical context, not in a narrow military sense. For Israel, territorial adjustments must be based upon six categorical needs: water control; surveillance points, marshalling areas, and corridors; defensive depth; and growth space for population and economic activity. They also include absence of dense Arab population or barriers to such a population and psychological or psycho-tactical elements that relate to the positioning of the boundary in the direct line-of-sight of substantial members of the Israeli populace. The chapter provides a detailed discussion of the general principles that should be applied to the key question: which border changes are geopolitically vital to Israel’s long-term security and well-being.
