Thank you Rasheed, Jonathan, Lawry and Gav for your comments. I have
addressed them below.
ROG PREVIOUSLY WROTE:
As for MORAL solutions to the issue of Palestine and Israel, may I suggest
that:
1) Israel needs to consider that its long term survival is very questionable
due to the large contingent of people and cultures dedicated to exterminating
it in Palestine and the broader Mideast. It is highly likely that over the
next 20 to 30 years that these antisemitic factions will develop the means of
mass destruction. To assume they won't use these means is absurd. The only
hope the Israelies have is to have better neighbors when the technology
arrives. Time is critical...
2) I believe the Palestinian question has always been a red herring. The
broader issue is not about them and never has been. However, they are
certainly a critical part of the current problem. They are a cruelly abused
and mistreated people, by not just the Israelis, but by their fellow Arabs.
Furthermore, they have been positioned into the situation where their own
interests have been hijacked and replaced with a mandate -- or at least a
subculture -- to destroy Israel. I suggest that Israel immediately create an
independent Palestinian State using -- as an example -- the borders refused
by Arafat in 2000. Israel needs to either get her settlers out of these
areas, or let them take their chances as a part of the new Palestine.
3) Once Palestinians have a home again, they will need to build their own
infrastructure, government, etc. The UN -- and the US and UK in particular
-- should help fund and sponsor this process. My guess is they will still
bicker with their neighbor over borders, but it seems to me better to get
something started rather than wait for everyone to agree (especially when
Arafat doesn't even want to agree). Violence and terrorism should be dealt
with harshly -- very harshly (by the Israelies.) Once they have their own
land, the Palestinians will begin to have something to lose. It seems to me
that the only way to divert popular attention away from hate and toward the
future is to give them a chance for one. Perhaps the haters will still
prevail -- perhaps not.
4) The US must stop providing financial or military aid directly to Israel --
the Israelies need to make it alone, and current assistance just incites
animosity.
5) The US must stop giving any aid OF ANY TYPE to the dictators and
theocracies of the middle east. They have some answering to do to their
people. This could create unrest and anarchy, it could affect oil supplies,
but until these countries go through the growth pains toward modernity and
self rule, they will drag the whole world down with them. The UN and US
should support any fledgling democracies in the area (with the exclusion of
Israel).
6) A coalition needs to ensure that weapons of mass destruction are not built
in this area. Furthermore, the international coalition needs to ensure that
none of these turbulent states encroaches on any neighbor's borders.
I believe the above fits in with the MOQ. It allows people and nations the
freedom to have a chance to evolve and build a healthy, sustainable society.
Also, it removes the safe but disfunctionally static and archaic,
exploitative low-level dictatorships and theocracies from these people.
Thoughts? Corrections? Insults? Better ideas? I am sure some people know a
lot more about the situation than I do, so feel free to attack with both a
pencil and an eraser.
JONATHAN RESPONDED:
Finally ROGER has unveiled something that looks like a positive idea. I
support the ultimate goal (Israel and Palestine peaceful neighbour
states), but think that the implementation is problematic, especially
now.
ROG NOW ADDS:
The greater problem is not rising to the task. The situation is destroying
both cultures.
RASHEED RESPONDED:
I thought these solutions were practical and would provide a starting point
for peace in the area. The only thing I directly object to is forming the
state of Palestine on the offer of Barak in 2000. This land was not one
solid piece, but divided into sections and still did not get rid of the
Israeli checkpoints between cities and left Israel in charge of the highways
between cities. This is one of the major problems with the Palestinian
struggle now.
ROG NOW ADDS:
It was just an example. The point is to start with something. The solution
and borders must of course be contiguous for the West Bank, and Israel must
withdraw any military presence. Anything less is not creating a true
Palestinian state.
GAV RESPONDED:
so one approach is to move away from oil dependency....less demand for
oil = less oppression in the mid-east,
ROG NOW ADDS:
I agree that oil is the root problem here. It has allowed the governments to
establish disfunctional regimes, it has bought complicity from Western
nations and it has allowed a major section of the world to avoid coming to
grips with modernity.
LAWRY RESPONDED:
I was delighted to see Roger's post offering his view of a solution, and the
reasons for it. I will leave aside his supporting analysis (it has several
mistakes, IMO. E.g. the myth that the Palestinians have been mistreated by
other Arab countries -- we can take this up later if you wish to), but I
want to concentrate on where it takes him; he offers several critical and
useful propositions:
ROG NOW ADDS:
I would love to hear why you believe the Arab nations' mistreatment of
Palestinians is a myth. I do agree that there are powerful hardline positions
on both sides that DO NOT WANT TO SEE A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION.
Any other comments?
Rog
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