The J St. proposal is a plan to reward Hamas for Oct 7. It is also another Western plan doomed to failure because it ignores the fundamental problem of there being no political ability by anyone currently in Palestinian society to accept and lead the Palestinians to accept the results of the 1948 war. The word “refugee” does not even appear in the proposal!
Until we in the West accept the central role the so-called refugees play as the manifestation of the loss of the ‘48 war in the Palestinian and the larger Arab mind (and the role UNRWA plays in perpetuating it), nothing we do or propose will have any chance of success.
Until a Palestinian leader is willing and able to enter a “refugee camp” in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon,… and state candidly to those who live there the agreement being signed with Israel will forever foreclose any chance you have of “returning” to the home you (more likely your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents) had in what is now Israel, this conflict will continue. There is no such leader today or on the horizon.
There are steps the US, the West, and neighboring Arab countries can take to make such a leader possible but none are mentioned in the J St proposal.
Friedman writes, "If Israel destroys Hamas, and then decides to permanently occupy Gaza and the West Bank, rejecting any form of Palestinian statehood, Israel will become a global pariah for the next generation, and particularly in the Arab world."
Israel will BECOME a global pariah? Didn't that already happen a long time ago? Seriously, one of the reasons Israel is ignoring world opinion is that they know that no matter what they do world opinion will scowl upon them.
What is the alternative to destroying Hamas? Never ending warfare?
What is the alternative to rejecting a Palestinian state? Why do well educated intelligent people like Friedman (and Joe Biden) keep chanting about a Palestinian state when they must know what a Palestinian state would almost certainly be? Yet another Arab dictatorship, taken over by the most ruthless Palestinians (like in every other Arab state), and funded by Iran. The war goes on.
It's hard to be optimistic about anybody's peace plan for this conflict. Both the Israelis and Palestinians passionately claim rightful ownership of the same piece of land. Neither side will be satisfied until they own it all.
Sadly, while Netanyahu is a jerk, he's also right about a Palestinian state. Most Palestinian citizens would probably accept some form of compromise, but like in every other Arab country, they won't be the ones making the decision. Any Palestinian state would be taken over by the most ruthless Palestinians, just as has happened in Gaza, and every other Arab country. The establishment of a Palestinian state wouldn't end the conflict, it would just open a new chapter in the endless war.
Also, given Oct 7, I just can't imagine any Israeli public voting for a Palestinian state at this point. That bus left the station some time ago.
If the above is true, then one possible end to the conflict may come when somebody introduces WMD in to this conflict. The area being fought over is small enough that a WMD war may render it uninhabitable for any party.
Europeans have been invading the Middle East for a thousand years, and they always get tossed out eventually. If I had to bet money on the final resolution, I guess I'd go with that.
Grand, bold schemes are all well and good, but they do not put food in the mouth of people who are starving now. Humanitarian aid should be automatic -- a given, not a bargaining chip. If Israel will not allow enough food into Gaza, then the rest of the world is obliged to deliver it. Over a month ago, I proposed regular airdrops of humanitarin aid (https://aaron-tovish.medium.com/stop-and-drop-now-e6c8c4d2706b). If this had been acted upon promptly, many innocent lives would have been saved. It is still not too late, but the window of opportunity is closing rapidly.
If Israel's proposed plan for "safe passage" is properly organized and implemented, many lives could be saved. I wish I could have greater confidence in that materializing.
I encourage you to read the piece and the J Street action plan. There is zero chance that Israel can destroy Hamas.
The J St. proposal is a plan to reward Hamas for Oct 7. It is also another Western plan doomed to failure because it ignores the fundamental problem of there being no political ability by anyone currently in Palestinian society to accept and lead the Palestinians to accept the results of the 1948 war. The word “refugee” does not even appear in the proposal!
Until we in the West accept the central role the so-called refugees play as the manifestation of the loss of the ‘48 war in the Palestinian and the larger Arab mind (and the role UNRWA plays in perpetuating it), nothing we do or propose will have any chance of success.
Until a Palestinian leader is willing and able to enter a “refugee camp” in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon,… and state candidly to those who live there the agreement being signed with Israel will forever foreclose any chance you have of “returning” to the home you (more likely your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents) had in what is now Israel, this conflict will continue. There is no such leader today or on the horizon.
There are steps the US, the West, and neighboring Arab countries can take to make such a leader possible but none are mentioned in the J St proposal.
Friedman writes, "If Israel destroys Hamas, and then decides to permanently occupy Gaza and the West Bank, rejecting any form of Palestinian statehood, Israel will become a global pariah for the next generation, and particularly in the Arab world."
Israel will BECOME a global pariah? Didn't that already happen a long time ago? Seriously, one of the reasons Israel is ignoring world opinion is that they know that no matter what they do world opinion will scowl upon them.
What is the alternative to destroying Hamas? Never ending warfare?
What is the alternative to rejecting a Palestinian state? Why do well educated intelligent people like Friedman (and Joe Biden) keep chanting about a Palestinian state when they must know what a Palestinian state would almost certainly be? Yet another Arab dictatorship, taken over by the most ruthless Palestinians (like in every other Arab state), and funded by Iran. The war goes on.
It's hard to be optimistic about anybody's peace plan for this conflict. Both the Israelis and Palestinians passionately claim rightful ownership of the same piece of land. Neither side will be satisfied until they own it all.
Sadly, while Netanyahu is a jerk, he's also right about a Palestinian state. Most Palestinian citizens would probably accept some form of compromise, but like in every other Arab country, they won't be the ones making the decision. Any Palestinian state would be taken over by the most ruthless Palestinians, just as has happened in Gaza, and every other Arab country. The establishment of a Palestinian state wouldn't end the conflict, it would just open a new chapter in the endless war.
Also, given Oct 7, I just can't imagine any Israeli public voting for a Palestinian state at this point. That bus left the station some time ago.
If the above is true, then one possible end to the conflict may come when somebody introduces WMD in to this conflict. The area being fought over is small enough that a WMD war may render it uninhabitable for any party.
Europeans have been invading the Middle East for a thousand years, and they always get tossed out eventually. If I had to bet money on the final resolution, I guess I'd go with that.
Netanyahu has rejected every initiative proposed to date. He will do the same with this one - unless strongly motivated by withholding of US aid.
Grand, bold schemes are all well and good, but they do not put food in the mouth of people who are starving now. Humanitarian aid should be automatic -- a given, not a bargaining chip. If Israel will not allow enough food into Gaza, then the rest of the world is obliged to deliver it. Over a month ago, I proposed regular airdrops of humanitarin aid (https://aaron-tovish.medium.com/stop-and-drop-now-e6c8c4d2706b). If this had been acted upon promptly, many innocent lives would have been saved. It is still not too late, but the window of opportunity is closing rapidly.
If Israel's proposed plan for "safe passage" is properly organized and implemented, many lives could be saved. I wish I could have greater confidence in that materializing.
The violence will stop when the hostages are released and Hamas surrenders or is destroyed. There is no chance for peace as long as Hamas survives.
Who is supposed to govern this proposed Palestinian state?