- Dec 5, 2010
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How ahead are sides in negotiations? Netanyahu seemed talking at the UN Congress to be wanting the lot. The Palestinians would need a contiguous state linking together the West Bank and Gaza. Continued settlement building and increased settlement extremism does does not make that look likely.
If as I see it, the issue of history comes from the desire to deny the Palestinians past in order to facilitate a morally legitimacy to the taking of their land, it is essential for the arguments in favour of the Palestinians to be brought forward. I personally believe that they are the descendants of the people from Biblical times. That is what my reading has led me to believe and is what Basem L. Ra’ad believes. The BBC had a recent documentary called 'The Bible' where archaeological work did show that the Bile was not accurate. I have also read other research which also suggests that and taken with recent genetic results, I genuinely believe they are the nearest we have to the descendants of the people from biblical times. It is quite a poignant situation and one which will eventually be written in history.
I of course have not a side, just looking at it from the outside. Already I know your narrative is different from the Palestinians. You will know theirs.
I certainly believe that the Palestinians have been extremely traumatised and to be frank dehumanised. For them it is very important that the Nabka be recognised and an EU report done by Palestine/Israeli journal found the refugee issue is more to do with identity being recognised than millions wanting to return to the area. They will need time to recover from this and to find their real identity which will come from rediscovering their own identity. Healing takes time, yes, but recovering their human rights and being able to be in charge of their own destiny will be of great help.
Where I, rightly or wrongly, am seeing the greater difficulty is in the extremism of religion which has built up in the ultra orthodox among settlers.
If an agreement could be found, it would need to be realised that there would be occasional terrorist activity on both sides till the extremist element on both sides was sorted. Both sides would need to be responsible for policing such things That does not mean, as we see in NI, that it would be possible to avoid all activity, but hopefully they would be small and both States would move in quick to stop them and not to over react to them causing peace for everyone to break down. ....but I do not see how any lasting peace can be found without the agreement being agreed by a majority by both sides. Palestine must be offered a workable state which her people would agree to. Israel citizens must also in the majority agree to this. Here I see another problem because I don't know how much the ordinary Israeli is aware of what the situation is for the Palestinians and how absolutely necessary a solution for their predicament is. I hear most are pretty unaware. They would need to know rather than just thinking of them as terrorists. Possibly the current political desires of those in power makes it is their interest that they should not see the humanity and needs of the Palestinian people but for a peaceful solution they would need to become aware, recognise their humanity and agree to the solution. Obama also brought up at one time that those Jews who were thrown out of Arab lands should also have the same right of return agreed. This was not welcomed but whether they wanted it or not would go a way to resolving and healing the psychological situation with Arab neighbours.
Once this is done an agreement with the Arabs could seal the deal, could create harmonious and peaceful living and trade in the area where you can all at last become friends and have fruitful trade. From there there is no reason why there cannot be a peaceful and rich life in the ME in both material and cultural resources. Israel would at last be able to find a fruitful and creative place within the ME It is without question a possibility.
I fear I will have your heckles raised, but this was not the intention. Tell me the solution you saw.
Yes, I bypass portions of your post indeed.
Contiguity between the two partitions will be dealt with in land swaps. The creation of a Muslim financial block in which Israel would be a participant is necessary if the entire arena is going to deal with the global warming, water and sustenance issues that are already prevalent in the entire arena.
That will kill more than all the wars in the Middle East combined.
I pray not.
But how do you see it reaching the point where there are the two states? I note your point of global warming and accept it is a good and valid one. However this region is also the one which could easily turn into WW3. I suspect there is a possibility to go two ways - WW3 or creating a strong and United ME which could itself be at the forefront of the world.
I fear at the moment we are moving toward the WW3 outcome when the other choice is largely a change of attitude away.
I am an optimist regarding war.
However, I am a realist. The issue that some like to toss around however is not a tail wagging the dog issue (IMO) and it does not belong in this forum since it is a major power against some minor powers who think they are major powers. America made the move to Defcon 3 worldwide and Defcon 2 in the blockade of Russian ships coming to resupply Egpyt. History has shown what America is willing to do when it is attacked or threatened.
I am a student of history. Prior to WWI and WWII there were many and varied alliances dabbed with sub-alliances, etc. as the buildup of the greater nations increased.
This is not happening.
It is not a world war III coming up by any stretch of the imagination. If you take look at the book section you will see some snippets of Robert H. Haldeman's 2003 book called "The Fog Of War". This will remove some of the blinders from your eyes possibly with the idea of a third world war. No one cares enough about the lives in the Middle East to endanger their first world country in a major war.
And America has proven twice that it is willing to go nuclear and has done so. Russia never went to their nuclear status over Egypt. They left.
There is only one major country in this fight Alexa. I see it coming, with the movements and alliances within the Middle East.
How about a UMMA WW1?
Does that seem frightening to you? I know it does to me.
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