How can the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be solved?

[Higgly]

This matter has taken the West's attention for far too long. Our real focus should be on dealing with major competitors like India and China and this is a red herring in the march of history that threatens to turn us all into chunks of charcoal.

No hate-mongering please. Can we just have a reasoned discourse?

I will start by saying that I think Jerusalem should be declared an international city administered by the UN. I think that the UN should contract out its administration and soldiering. My first choice for this would be Singapore. One of the few states in the world that has been able reconcile hotly contested cultures and has a true gut feeling for the problems of the city-state - one of the very few city-states that remains on the planet, in fact. I'd say put Lee Kuan Yew in charge, but he may not be up to it.

Past that point, I feel that the whole thing should go back to the pre-1967 borders. At that point, the Palestinians had lost a lot and what came after involved the Israelis occupying the west bank which had a massive Arab majority. I feel that the Israelis whould give up their West Bank settlements, which contravene article 49 of the Fourth Geneva converntion as well as Resolution 242 of the UN. I also feel that the Palestinians should be prepared to house all of the Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and that Israel should be relieved of any obligation to provide compensation for the lands the Palestinians have lost. The Palestinians shouldbe prepared to give up the right of return.

I feel that Gaza is a problem that needs to be dealt with and it won't be easy. To the Palestinians, this represents access to the sea. But, it is not contiguous with the west bank.

Any other ideas?

[Argus]

As I've already stated, the land left to the Palestinians is not economically viable. Even if Israel gives back all it took and there is peace and economic cooperation between the Israelis and Palestinians (most unlikely). The only sensible solution is for Egypt to annex Gaza, and Jordan to annex the West Bank.

[Higgly]

Alright. What are your arguments to say that it is not economically viable? It would have water to grow crops if it were not being comandeered by Israel would it not? Gaza has been indeed a traditionally Egyptian territory, but what can the Palestinians expect in exchange for giving up access to the sea? I don't think that the Palestinians are interested in being annexed by Jordan, although I agree that Jordan has been one of the few guys in this whole scenario from the Palestinian perspective. At least I think so.

[jdobbin]

I don't think Israel will ever give up on Jerusalem. It's a deal breaker.

Jordan and Egypt don't want Palestinian provinces within their country.

Israel should stop building settlements in the West Bank. They are too hard to defend and a provocation.

Palestinians should agree to a ceasefire and economic incentives should be given for every goal that is achieved.

It will be a slow crawl forward.

[Higgly]

I don't think Israel will ever give up on Jerusalem. It's a deal breaker.

Jordan and Egypt don't want Palestinian provinces within their country.

Israel should stop building settlements in the West Bank. They are too hard to defend and a provocation.

Palestinians should agree to a ceasefire and economic incentives should be given for every goal that is achieved.

It will be a slow crawl forward.

OK. What are Israel's objections? If they are religious and based on access to holy sites, that is one thing. If they are based on some idea that their claim is more important than any other, I think they have an uphill struggle. Israel and the Palestinians need to understand that they are not the only players. Jerusalem is bigger than either of them. I doubt you will find many Christians who will cede their right to Jerusalem to either the Israelis or to the Palestinians. Granted 10% of Palestinians are Christian, and I would trust them to operate the Christian holy sites. The via dolarosa. Gesthemane, what have you. But Jerusalem needs a practised and neutral hand. This is one of the great treasures of the world and it cannot be trusted to national government exigencies.

[geoffrey]

I think a nationalist claim to religious sites is a bigger issue than a moral highground argument.

Either way, annexation is one of the more viable solutions, with Jordan and Egypt. But I do get a strong feeling that no one wants the Palestinians and the trouble they bring. They did elect a terrorist regime by popular support, not exactly people I want to invite into my semi-stable nation right?

First step to the solution is to vote for peace and kick Hamas out of government and out of the country. Second would be complete Israeli withdrawl from occupied lands once Hamas has been disarmed. Then annexation by more economically viable states willing to have their own Canadian Maritimes situation of paying the Palestinians support forever... don't count on that until Hamas is disarmed and out of government.

[Figleaf]

I would say a just peace between Israel and the Palestinians requires:

-Isreal returns to 1967 borders, and all external military supervision, control, etc. to end.

-Jerusalem declared international (UN) trust -- 50 yr. administrative control to Israel, renewable.

-Jerusalem to be ceremonial capital of any state that wishes to establish its ceremonial capital there, but ceremonial capital is to be operationally meaningless.

-Palestinian state established in West Bank and Gaza, compensation funds supplied by 1945 world powers.

-Israel to buy titles to Palestinian land and provide compensation in lieu of right of return -- right of return thereby extinguished.

-International stabilization force on new Israel-Palestinian borders.

-Each government to take on duty to compensate its own civilians for any/alldamages caused by former enemy action, to the extent it deems necessary.

Beyond these basics, negotiations regarding economic cooperation, or an exchange of territory (e.g. Palestine to allow closest Israeli settlements to be annexed in exchange for a 'southern corridor' to Gaza.

[sharkman]

I'm sorry, if you think the answer lies somewhere in the hearts of one of the posters of Maple Leaf Web, you are sadly mistaken.

The brightest minds in the known universe haven't been able to solve it, do you really think coming up with a list of to dos will do it?

As long as one side wants the other side dead, there can be no peace.

UN in charge of Jerusalem? Good grief.

[jdobbin]

OK. What are Israel's objections? If they are religious and based on access to holy sites, that is one thing. If they are based on some idea that their claim is more important than any other, I think they have an uphill struggle. Israel and the Palestinians need to understand that they are not the only players. Jerusalem is bigger than either of them. I doubt you will find many Christians who will cede their right to Jerusalem to either the Israelis or to the Palestinians. Granted 10% of Palestinians are Christian, and I would trust them to operate the Christian holy sites. The via dolarosa. Gesthemane, what have you. But Jerusalem needs a practised and neutral hand. This is one of the great treasures of the world and it cannot be trusted to national government exigencies.

Israelis say that Jerusalem is their capital. I think there is only a small percentage of Israelis that would ever give it up. They'd give up almost everything else but not Jerusalem.

[Higgly]

Either way, annexation is one of the more viable solutions, with Jordan and Egypt. But I do get a strong feeling that no one wants the Palestinians and the trouble they bring. They did elect a terrorist regime by popular support, not exactly people I want to invite into my semi-stable nation right?

First step to the solution is to vote for peace and kick Hamas out of government and out of the country. Second would be complete Israeli withdrawl from occupied lands once Hamas has been disarmed. Then annexation by more economically viable states willing to have their own Canadian Maritimes situation of paying the Palestinians support forever... don't count on that until Hamas is disarmed and out of government.

Annexation has been discussed extensively with Jordan (Hussein) who finally gave up. He was definitely interested. Neither the Arab League nor the Palestinians were interested and Israel (Shamir especially) refused to acknowledge that the West Bank was part of resolution 242 - in other words, Israel was not willing to give it up. The Israelis never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

Would there be terrorism if the Palestinians were not being treated so abominably by the Israelis?

Israel too has its own terrorist baggage.

[Rue]

This matter has taken the West's attention for far too long. Our real focus should be on dealing with major competitors like India and China and this is a red herring in the march of history that threatens to turn us all into chunks of charcoal.

No hate-mongering please. Can we just have a reasoned discourse?

I personally agree witht he above solution as the inevitable one that everyone who is peace-loving must work towards. The notion of an international protectorate in Jerusalem allows for the Jewish and Muslim areas of Jerusalem to maintain their own districts and where there are religious sites, have a neutral religious council mediate/arbitrate how to handle the sites.

[Higgly]

I personally agree witht he above solution as the inevitable one that everyone who is peace-loving must work towards. The notion of an international protectorate in Jerusalem allows for the Jewish and Muslim areas of Jerusalem to maintain their own districts and where there are religious sites, have a neutral religious council mediate/arbitrate how to handle the sites.

Rue that is a generous and honest admission.

A Rabin to my Hussein.