This article details the "Realignment Plan" (originally the "Convergence Plan"), a proposal formulated by then-acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2006. The plan proposed a unilateral Israeli disengagement from approximately 90% of the West Bank while annexing the remaining territory, which contained major Israeli settlement blocs. The stated goals were to ensure a Jewish majority in Israel, establish permanent borders along the West Bank barrier, and solidify Israeli control over East Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. The plan was suspended following the 2006 Lebanon War and was never implemented. The article also covers a smaller-scale revised plan from 2007 and a comprehensive secret offer made to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2008. The proposal faced significant opposition from the Israeli public, Palestinian and Arab leaders, and mixed reactions internationally.
Understanding Israel's 2006 "Realignment Plan"
Outlines of the Plan: Proposed in 2006 by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the plan called for a unilateral disengagement from 90% of the West Bank. Israel would evacuate settlements in this area while annexing the remaining 10%, which included large settlement blocs near the Green Line, and maintain control over East Jerusalem and the Jordan River border.
Suspension of the Plan: Following the 2006 Lebanon War, Olmert announced the plan was being shelved for the time being. It was never revived by his administration or subsequent governments.
2008 Secret Offer: In September 2008, Olmert presented a secret, comprehensive peace offer to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. This more generous proposal would have had Israel annexing only 6.3% of the West Bank and placing Jerusalem's Holy Basin under a five-nation trusteeship. The offer was never finalized.
Opinion Polling in Israel: The plan was unpopular domestically. Polls conducted for the Yisrael Beiteinu party indicated that around 70% of Israeli respondents were opposed to the proposal.
Reception in Palestine and the Arab World: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas opposed the plan and called for Arab states to reject it. Jordan and Egypt also released a joint statement opposing any unilateral Israeli actions, insisting on direct negotiations.
International Reception: The European Union stated it would not recognize unilateral border changes that were not mutually agreed upon. The George W. Bush administration in the United States reportedly reacted positively to the idea but did not offer an explicit endorsement.