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Post by
Skreeran
With the ongoing debate on the recognition of Palestine as a country, I have wondered more and more about what solutions are even viable in the region.
If you aren't aware, there are some serious complications to peace in the region, beyond just the formation of a state for Palestinians.
The city of Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism, and the third-holiest city in Islam. Both religions seem to demand possession of it, and neither seems particularly willing to share it.
Both religions seem to have a substantial radicalist population, with some Zionists apparently seeking to expand further, and some radical Muslims calling for the destruction of Israel (even in moderate Egypt, for example, there are accredited newspapers denying or supporting the Holocaust).
While most of the world hopes to see a compromise for the sake of preservation of human life, many, especially among the very religious, seem to think that violence is the only answer. Evangelical Christians believe war in Israel will signal the End Times. Fundamentalist Muslims believe Jerusalem must be retaken and the Jews expelled or destroyed. Most Zionists want an exclusively Jewish state.
Violence in the region only snowballs into more violence. That can't be an answer. But with so many unwilling to compromise, what else can be done?
Thoughts?
Post by
166779
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Monday
I honestly don't know. I don't foresee peace between Israel and Palestine in any immediate future.
Post by
Patty
The UN should have
actively enforced
the defence of Jerusalem as a neutral city about 65 years ago. Then again, expecting the UN to do
anything
is quite a stretch... Then again, the world should actually say to Israel that they must give back the lands (at least that were annexxed after the 6 day war) to the Palestinians, bar Jerusalem which as I say shouldn't be Israeli or Palestinian, or action will be taken. Easier said than done.
This
speaks for itself; there's not a single foreign embassy for Israel in Jerusalem - the world considers it as an illegal occupation, but then do nothing. I'd get the most hope if the US led this pressure, simply because of the support it gives Israel. Which is wishful thinking, again.
Post by
Skreeran
Well, Obama's apparently going to be giving an address on the matter tomorrow.
My Zionist parents obviously will take whatever he says as an indication that he hates Israel. I have no idea what he'll say, but that's what they'll take it as.
But honestly, after hearing about Israeli soldiers firing on protestors during Nakba day, I really can't say either side is right.
Post by
Patty
But honestly, after hearing about Israeli soldiers firing on protestors during Nakba day, I really can't say either side is right.
It took
that
for you to realise that fact? :P I wish I had my coursework with me, it was all about peace in the Middle East...
Edit: If Obama happens to manage to do anything successful in the region, I'll love him forever. Then again, if we're judging the 'peace talks' as a comparison, things don't bode well.
Post by
OverZealous
Both sides have actively seen to it that any peaceful solution will be difficult to achieve.
As it stands right now, as you say, any violence will only result in more violence, and neither side will leave peacefully, but only if forced to by physical force, which'd in turn result in alot more violence, outside of Jerusalem.
Leaving the region as it is right now is likely to result in a violent confrontation, sooner rather than later, but I can't think of any solution that is achieveable in the slightest.
Anyhow, I'll be watching Obama addressing the matter tomorrow, and we'll see if he has thought of something that can be done. Just please don't say anything that
might
be taken as offensive to either side. That'd be the nail in the coffin T_T
Post by
Skreeran
But honestly, after hearing about Israeli soldiers firing on protestors during Nakba day, I really can't say either side is right.
It took
that
for you to realise that fact? :P I wish I had my coursework with me, it was all about peace in the Middle East...
Edit: If Obama happens to manage to do anything successful in the region, I'll love him forever. Then again, if we're judging the 'peace talks' as a comparison, things don't bode well.Well, it wasn't
that
. I've been far more critical of Israel following my deconversion, but
that
is just another indicator in recent months.
Post by
gnomerdon
How to attain world peace
Burn Israel to the ground.
Give the lands back to the Palastinians
Stop funding Israel
It was never a religion issue to begin with.
Post by
Azazel
And what about the people in Israel then? Make them convert to muslims just like that?
Post by
gnomerdon
No, make them stop shooting and attacking innocent Palestinians.
Post by
Patty
No, make them stop shooting and attacking innocent Palestinians.
Not
all
Palestinians that are shot or attacked have been completely innocent. There's bad blood on both sides, it's not as simplistic and black and white as you seem to suggest, which is a rather naïve viewpoint.
Post by
gnomerdon
Are you positive it is a naive viewpoint?
Post by
120504
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Patty
Are you positive it is a naive viewpoint?
Allow me to clarify then. Either naive, unknowledgable, or extremely close-minded. Is that better?
Post by
Skreeran
Are you positive it is a naive viewpoint?
Allow me to clarify then. Either naive, unknowledgable, or extremely close-minded. Is that better?Not to mention insensitive. When you suggest "Burning Israel to the ground," you're talking about people's homes. Many of whom were born there. Israel as a nation was founded in 1948. That was 63 years ago. Many of the people living there now were even born yet.
It's not just Palestinians getting murdered. Innocent Israelis are very frequently murdered too. Both sides are stubborn, arrogant, and do horrible things to each other. And both sides have innocent people who pay the price.
Post by
Monday
Are you positive it is a naive viewpoint?
Allow me to clarify then. Either naive, unknowledgable, or extremely close-minded. Is that better?Not to mention insensitive. When you suggest "Burning Israel to the ground," you're talking about people's homes. Many of whom were born there. Israel as a nation was founded in 1948. That was 63 years ago. Many of the people living there now were even born yet.
It's not just Palestinians getting murdered. Innocent Israelis are very frequently murdered too. Both sides are stubborn, arrogant, and do horrible things to each other. And both sides have innocent people who pay the price.
This ^
Israel seems aggressive, but the rocket attacks from Palestine sometimes come for no reason and kill civilians.
Post by
ExDementia
How to attain world peace
Burn Israel to the ground.
Give the lands back to the Palastinians
Stop funding Israel
It was never a religion issue to begin with.
Lol, that's not a one sided, short sighted, malformed statement at all.
Post by
Orranis
First off, I'm just going to point out that I don't give a
@#$%
about who it is the holier city for. Not saying you do, but I'm not going to argue on a religious basis.
I think it's much more of a problem that, Palestinian's lost their homes to Israel, but it would be no more fair to kick young Israelis out of their homes. It's hellufa complicated issue, but I think at least we should first focus on less gray moral ideas before we come to that point.
Post by
Skreeran
First off, I'm just going to point out that I don't give a
@#$%
about who it is the holier city for. Not saying you do, but I'm not going to argue on a religious basis.No, I agree that we shouldn't give the city to anyone just because it's holy to them.
You know me, and I don't believe in giving religion a free ride.
The problem comes partly from those Muslims, some of whom I have talked to myself, who believe that the Koran insists that Jerusalem be ruled by Muslims. Some of the more progressive Muslims I've read and spoken to still think Jews should be able to live in the city as long as it "belongs" to Muslims.
Since the vast majority of the Middle East believes this, they are for the most part unwilling to settle for a solution that ends in anything but exclusive Muslim control of Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the thing stopping them from just taking it is the significant Jewish and Christian presence in the West backing Israel. Many Jews believe that Jerusalem belongs to them by right, and see the Muslims as interlopers who won't settle until there is no Israel, and are thus unwilling to bend.
The fact that Israel almost certainly has nuclear weapons doesn't help the situation at all.
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