Futility of a Solution to the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

English: Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip) showing Israel's 1948 and 1967 borders (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict has defied solution since the establishment of the State of Israel.

Everybody talks about intransigence on both sides with the larger portion of the blame laid on Israel. However, many forget that the problem of the occupation is not the core issue that needs to be resolved. The core issue is Israel's existence since its establishment in 1948 and not the occupation of territories since the Six Day War of June 1967 as most Palestinian pundits claim. After all, the Hamas Charter states this clearly and Hamas is the organization that has no desire to recognize Israel's right to exist. Capture of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights occurred as a result of the Six Day War. We must remember that this was not the start of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. The conflict began with Israel's establishment in 1948.

Wars were fought between Israel and the and the Arab states even before 1967.The occupation is the result of the preemptive strike in June 1967 when Israel's shipping was blocked by President  Nasser of Egypt. There was no occupation then nor was there occupation prior to the Sinai War of 1956. Yet wars were fought.

Since the occupation of the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza and East Jerusalem, Israelis have built settlements in these areas and this resulted in colonization of the Palestinians reducing them to a people with limited human rights and a bleak future. This settlement activity had continued unabated with human rights abuses committed by the Israeli settlers over the years.

There is no justification whatsoever for settlers living in the occupied territories abusing Palestinians and denying them human rights. Many cases of abuse or even murder of Palestinians by settlers has not led to any arrests and the Security Establishment of Israel must share the blame for this. Having said that, violence against innocent people on both sides must be condemned unequivocally.

Now this brings us to the two intifadas and today’s stabbing attacks. As bad as the Palestinians had it under Israeli occupation, the excuses for savage Palestinian behavior towards innocent people can never be justified under any circumstances. The anti-Israel NGO funded double standard “humanists” (bearing in mind that money for the NGOs come mostly from the EU) are seeking a psychological explanation and justification for Palestinian savagery, whether by stabbing innocent

Medics evacuating an Israeli man injured in a stabbing attack on a Tel Aviv bus,

people, running them over by cars or suicide bombers. Added to this is the sympathy for Palestinians living under occupation with no future, which according to many “humanists” justifies their use of violence against innocent peoples, no matter what cruel methods they use to demoralize and kill innocent Israelis. These  "humanists" also promote BDS in order to delegitimize Israel.

Even if there was no occupation of the territories, there is no doubt that this violence would still occur if we examine the history of Israel from 1948 until 1967. Wars between Israel and the Arab States were continuously occurring. Incursions and murder was always on the Palestinian leadership agenda. The fact that there was never peace between Israel and her neighbors, including the Palestinians, further drives home the point that the Palestinians want Israel destroyed as Israel is occupied Palestine since 1948 and not since 1967. No matter what leader is in power in Israel, left or right, the Palestinians want Israel wiped off the face of the earth. Maps drawn up in Palestine do not even mention Israel. The school curriculum in occupied Palestine also brainwashes young Palestinians to hate Israel and Jews.  It has nothing to do with the occupation of Palestinian lands since 1967. This is an added excuse. This is the reality unfortunately.

Under these circumstances, with more uncompromising Palestinian players in the field, it is very difficult to perceive if any solution to this tragic conflict will ever be found.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, has no power base or Palestinian support. He will not be able to sign a peace agreement of any kind with Israel. If he does, his Islamist Hamas and its allies will assassinate him. He will continue to be involved in anti-Israel rhetoric in the UN to save his own skin. This does not increase his support among the more radical Palestinians. He is just hanging in there powerless and ineffectual if not totally impotent.