Revise the two-State solution between the Israelis and Palestinians
The recent massive attack by the Hamas organisation on Israel has brought into sharp relief the centuries-old conflict between these two peoples.
This time the attack took the Israelis by surprise. There was obviously a failure of their intelligence apparatus, although there is the suggestion that such an attack was possible, but warnings were ignored by the authorities.
This might have been a consequence of the turmoil that has been rocking Israeli society in the wake of the Netanyahu Government’s attempts to radically reform the judiciary. The attack is reminiscent of the stealth attack on Israel in the Yom Kippur War in 1973 when Syria and Egypt attacked the nation on the eve of the celebration of their most sacred holiday. It is more than fortuitous that the Hamas attack should have come at this time, when Israel just observed this holiday. The cruel irony is inescapable.
There are a number of things that need to be said concerning this latest attack. First, Hamas must be condemned for what some in the Western press are describing as its terrorist attack on Israel, which has resulted in the destruction of property, the loss of lives, and the kidnapping of soldiers and civilians. No well-thinking person in the world could condone this horrifying assault on civilians and the carnage that has ensued.
The indiscriminate destruction of life and property anywhere in the world, whether done by individuals or governments cannot be tolerated. In this sense, the condemnation of Hamas can be no less than the condemnation of Israel, which, in the past, has carried out operations against the Palestinians which has resulted in horrific loss of lives and property. The world watches with bated breath how it will conduct itself in this present operation, having laid siege to Gaza at a time when its temperature for vengeance has reached boiling point.
Second, the Hamas attack cannot be divorced from the historical context of the ongoing conflict between the two peoples. The destiny and future of the Palestinian people are intertwined with that of the Israelis and vice versa. Depending on who you speak with, it is sometimes difficult to get a dispassionate or objective commentary on the subject. Those who defend the Palestinian cause tend to be very rigid in their positions, not to mention those who defend the Israelis, especially the religious zealots. Thus, there is an abundance of heat and outpouring of emotions, which tend not to enhance dialogue but make more difficult any attempt to arrive at rational positions. This irrationality is often amplified by religious sensibilities which often muddy the water.
So while we condemn Hamas for the recent incursion, let us be crystal clear that Israel is not without blood on its hands for the years of subjugation that it has meted out on the Palestinian people. This has been the case ever since Israel became a nation in 1948. Today, the Palestinians have literally been herded into a massive camp under the very watchful eyes of the Israelis, who have used brutal tactics to suppress any uprising on their part. It is this policy of subjugation that has, to a large extent, given birth to organisations such as Hamas.
It is very interesting to observe the passion with which “terrorists”, such as Menachem Begin — a former prime minister of Israel, now deceased — and others, such as Moshe Dayan, attended to the task of dislodging the British occupants from their homeland. They called themselves freedom fighters, while the British saw them as terrorists as they destroyed British infrastructure in the occupied territories.
Fast-forward 75 years later to the Palestinians. Today, they too have a legitimate cause for self-determination as the Israelis had 75 years ago. Their passion is no less than that of their Israeli brothers and sisters in the past. Yet they are called terrorists by present-day Israelis and not freedom fighters. What was good for the goose can no longer be considered good for the gander.
Which brings me to the third point. There can be no peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and by extension the wider Arab community in the Middle East, until the question of self-determination on the part of the Palestinians and the right of Israel to exist are resolved. It is clear that neither is going into extinction. Let us be clear and put naivete aside. Given its nuclear capability, Israel will never allow itself to be driven into extinction by its enemies. Neither will the Palestinian passion for self-determination die.
But I am beginning to have grave doubts about the two-State solution that has been proposed largely by the Western powers, especially the United States. I cannot see Israel ever agreeing to have a hostile neighbour such as this on its doorsteps, especially in light of the present conflict. I believe the time has come to revisit this proposition. For all its worth, I would suggest that the Palestinian territories be absorbed into the two larger Arab states, Gaza in Egypt and the West Bank in Jordan, with which they share common boundaries.
Militant organisations like Hezbollah and Hamas will not like this arrangement, but one can be well assured that for the sake of peace, most Palestinians would. The maps could be redrawn to reflect this absorption into both Arab territories. This would be undertaken by the United Nations. The political gymnastics by the Western powers would end. They have been more a humbug to the process of peace than the help they often trumpet they are.
There are already 2.7 million Palestinians living in Jordan and 50,000 to 100,000 in Egypt. They all share a common culture. This would be a win-win for both the Palestinians and the Israelis. International assistance could now be arranged for these two countries to facilitate the transition.
Am I dreaming? Perhaps I am, but show me another way that is devoid of carnage.
Dr Raulston Nembhard is a priest, social commentator, and author of the books Finding Peace in the Midst of Life’s Storms; The Self-esteem Guide to a Better Life; and Beyond Petulance: Republican Politics and the Future of America. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or stead6655@aol.com.