(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Israel-Palestine: Why peace is so elusive [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-28 Is there any solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict? There’s been much talk on which side is to blame and many opinions on how to achieve peace. The purpose of this diary is neither assign blame or propose solutions. Rather it is to discuss the reasons why a lasting peace has proved so elusive. The most frequently discussed peace proposal is the two-state solution. It is the supported position of the UN, the US, the UK, and many other countries. It would create an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, with both nations having their own territory and sovereignty. President Biden expressed his support for this approach prior to the recent violence in Gaza. For now, all reconciliation talks are on hold. When it comes time to negotiate a political solution, undoubtedly the two-state solution will again be put forward. However, there are several prerequisites necessary before a two-state solution would be possible: The political will and leadership of both sides to engage in serious and credible negotiations based on mutual recognition, respect, and compromise. The support and pressure from regional and international actors to facilitate and monitor the implementation of a fair and lasting agreement. The involvement of civil society actors and public opinion to create a culture of peace and coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. All three factors must be in place for peace to succeed. The 1993 Oslo I Accord is arguably the closest the Palestinians and Israelis have ever come to achieving peace. It recognized Israel’s right to exist and the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people. It also outlined a plan for Palestinian self-governance in parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip through the creation of the Palestinian Authority (PA). This was followed by the 1995 Oslo II Accord which dealt with issues such as water, economic cooperation, elections, human rights, borders and security cooperation. The fact that Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat were able to agree on these issues demonstrated their willingness to compromise and negotiate. The US agreed to provided the support required to monitor the implementation. Unfortunately, the societal desire for peace and coexistence was lacking on both sides. (e.g. Israel expansion of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem which reduced the land available for a Palestinian state; Hamas opposing the peace process by carrying out suicide bombings and rocket attacks). Since the collapse of the Oslo Accords, things have become even more complex with multiple obstacles to overcome: The continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem makes it difficult to create a contiguous and viable Palestinian state. The fragmentation of the Palestinian political leadership undermines their legitimacy and ability to negotiate with Israel as a unified representative of the Palestinian people. The lack of trust and good will between the two sides, exacerbated by recurrent cycles of violence, terrorism, and military operations. The changing political and social realities on the ground, such as the growing demographic and economic disparities between Israel and the occupied territories, The increasing influence of religious and nationalist ideologies on both sides. The shifting regional and global dynamics of external actors. Despite these challenges, is it still possible to achieve a negotiated settlement that respects the rights and aspirations of both peoples? Moderate voices support dialogue and cooperation across the divide, as well as the potential benefits of peace for security, stability, development, and human dignity in the region. The status quo of perpetual conflict does not benefit either side. Is it possible sheer self-interest could spark a renewed interest in an Oslo-like agreement? Unfortunately, recent events have left trust and a willingness to compromise at an all time low. The two-state solution has been pushed further away then ever. There are other solutions that have been proposed: Th e One-State solution , creating a single democratic state for both Israelis and Palestinians, with equal rights and representation for all citizens. This would remove the issue of borders, but has the same remaining fracture lines as the two-state model, plus the added demographic issue that makes it unacceptable to Israel. Wipe out Hamas’ leaders (Israel’s current strategy). Even if it were possible to eliminate 100% of Hamas, and do so with zero civilian casualties, it would still fail. Hamas is not only an organization, it is also a belief (“From the river to the sea…”). Destroy Hamas and another organization will just take its place. Replace Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu with someone more moderate. It is easy to blame the head of government, but this too won’t result in peace. Israel has gone through cycles of doves and hawks in leadership. The same structural issues persist. Hopefully this diary has given some context for why peace has been so elusive. To say that peace could have been achieved if only Israel had done this or Palestine that, underestimates the complexity of the situation. Peace will only come when both sides are willing to make the major sacrifices involved. That time is not now. I wish it were different, but see only blood and tears for the foreseeable future. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/28/2202118/-Israel-Palestine-Why-peace-is-so-elusive?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/