This whole issue is way beyond my grasp. On paper, it seems the Two State idea is the only path to long term peace but I don't see how they get there.
 

Just Fred wrote:

What is the argument for not allowing the Palestinians to have their own nation?  After all, Israel itself was artificially created. 

I don't think there is an issue with Palestinians having their own country, per se. I think the issue is how the borders are drawn.

I think the key issue is stated above. When one party refuses to accept the right of the other to exist how can they come to any agreement? When people are taught from birth to hate and destroy Israel.
I think for at least the short term the two state plan is dead.

Hmmmmm . . . Looks like most of the world agrees that the "two state solution" seems to be the best option for peace in this area.


EU stands by 2-state solution for Palestinian-Israel peace

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has joined the outgoing U.S. administration in defending the two-state solution as the best way to achieve lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

A spokeswoman for the 28-nation bloc reiterated the EU's support for the two-state solution on Thursday, the day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tore into Israel for settlement-building.

EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic says Kerry's remarks "all send one key message: The international community does not give up on peace in the Middle East."

Kocijancic added: "The only way to end the conflict is through a two-state solution negotiated between the parties."

In a farewell speech, Kerry defended President Barack Obama's move last week to allow the U.N. Security Council to declare Israeli settlements illegal, a move that caused an extraordinary diplomatic spat.


While the violent fringes of the Palestinian population bear responsibility for much of the unrest in this area, the Israeli government is definitely to blame for much of the conflict due to their treatment of the Palestinians. One would think Israelis would understand the negative impact of confiscation and displacement from ancestral homes, relocation, virtual incarceration in sealed off ghettos, extreme control of movement throughout the confines, and requiring government issued ID emphasizing religious association to move around your daily life. Netanyahu and his political allies, through their actions have increased these tensions through the most strict adherence to the restrictions on Palestinian life in the occupied territories. If Bibi is so irritated with the current actions taken by the UN and the EU, placing particular blame on the US government for the worldwide opposition to his government policies regarding the Israeli settlements built in Palestinian areas, I suggest he return the $38 BILLION in military and economic aid recently provided to his country by the current US administration. If Netanyahu wants to do it HIS way, I suggest we let him do it ALONE.

Last edited by Rongone (12/29/2016 1:01 pm)

Goose wrote:

Yea, the world agrees, but what are they going to do about it?
Wait for an act of God?
He's sitting this one out.

 
Well, short of taking military action in the Mideast (history has shown that this type of intervention in this part of the world does not result in the desired outcome), the only lanes open to other governments are some of those that have been taken in organizations such as the UN. Those actions, though not really enforceable in the classic sense, are designed to put Israel on notice that their actions are not perceived in a favorable manner and to publicly chastise them for their direction. From my perspective, if the coalition of primary nations would also drastically reduce or withhold their financial and military support until the sides sit down and collaborate, cooperate, and compromise to negotiate a reasonable solution to the situation, effectively implement the operational plan, and monitor the agreement, maybe . . . just maybe the tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in the occupied territories would begin to subside.

Otherwise, we can ignore the root causes and just step aside until the pot really boils over and we have another military conflict in the area.

We're pretty much used to that scenario.