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Solving the conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians has been a long-term contest. And people always complain about how complex it is: disputes about borders (although the Left rarely talks about including Israel’s security as an issue); disputes about settlements (although they have been built in the land originally settled by the Jews, called Judea and Sumeria); the so-called long-term issue of the two sides not sitting down together (even though Mahmoud Abbas has refused to meet for years). The list of reasons and concerns is endless, and inevitably, Israel is blamed for most of them.
Many observers claim that the dispute is mainly over land, and that religion is a secondary concern. Those observers are either naïve, foolish, or misinformed (or all of the above). This is a conflict primarily about religion and ideology. The Arabs have hated the Jews from the time of Mohammed, particularly at the end of the 19th century, when they began to return to the land they had been given by G-d. Any ridiculous argument about how many Jews remained after the diaspora (as if you have to maintain a certain population to have claim to a country) is misguided.
There is one fact that matters when a two-state solution is presented: neither country wants it to take place. At this point, Israel would always be threatened by Palestinians living next door to them, even if Hamas is destroyed; Palestinians still favor the Hamas agenda. And that agenda has been stated in the mission statement of Hamas, which is still in place: the Jews must be driven into the sea and Israel must be destroyed.
Does the Biden administration think that Hamas can be bribed out of that commitment?
Do they think that they can negotiate rationally with Hamas to persuade them to accept Israel as their neighbors?
Do they really think that Hamas will settle for anything less than the destruction of Israel?
Does Biden think Israel can be persuaded to accept a Palestinian state with the inherent threat?
I’d like to hear the arguments from Biden’s people that indicate the possibility of Hamas changing its mind.
Discussion (39)
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This is a decent overview of the history and pros and cons of the "one-state solution." The Jews in Israel know best what to do, but this Wikipedia article presents the two sides of the issue, which is controversial even in Israel.
This fact concerns me greatly:
It's a valid concern, given the population growth in Gaza. The population in 1948 was 1.4 million; today it is about 2 million.
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I'm glad you brought this up, Marci. In Caroline Glick's book, The Israel Solution, she refers to a man who checked out the data from surveys taken by the Palestinians. The man was a researcher from the U.S. I don't remember his methodology for checking out their data, but he verified that the birthrates were greatly exaggerated. In other words, just like many countries (except for Israel!), they have decreased the size of their families. Since Israel's birth rates are going up, and theirs are going down, it's not quite as dismal. I found Glick's book very helpful.
Edit: Glick also assumed that Gaza would not be included in the new state; even back then, she knew it wouldn't work.
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The “two-state solution” is no solution. Given that Iran is a state and has the eradication of Israel as a priority I have always been confused as to why the Palestinians did not accept a state and then proceed as it always has with respect to Israel. Putin doesn’t submit that Ukraine is not a “state” notwithstanding the war. So how having “state” status, even acknowledging an existing state of Israel, changes anything. Developing a one state solution is equally problematic when a civil war is assured. I am at a loss to see a good path forward. I do know that Hamas must be dismantled else Israel’s enemies will be even more bold.
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No. If I am generous he and the democrats are being naïve. When I am being cynical, which is more natural to me, I believe they don't care.
No. They don't care. Ultimately they want the destruction of Israel. This is a convenient step in that direction.
Nope. That is the point. Hamas and the Democrats share a common goal. The destruction of Israel is part of that goal.
Yes. He is arrogant. He believes the US can force Israel to accept a hostile state on its border committed to their destruction.
They don't really have one. Ultimately they want the destruction of Israel so Hamas's charter and stated goals don't bother them much, except that it makes the process more difficult to achieve.
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Always has been since the Palestinian wise guys rejected it 25 years ago. So check out if they want to be part of Jordan. Probably won't work.
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