A number of successive US administrations have trumpeted the
desirability of an Israel-Palestinian “Two State” solution, in which some
portion of the lands around Israel become a Palestinian state. It’s a nice,
neat, politically-correct solution, just as was the British 1917 Belfour Declaration
that dispossessed Arabs of their lands in this area in the first place in favor
of a new Jewish homeland. The 19th
century British were great at drawing abstract boarders on maps with no regard
whatsoever for the races, religions or cultures of the people who already lived
there. 21ST century American politicians seem to be equally adept at
proposing neat-sounding solutions to other nation’s problems that take no account
of the reality on the ground.
The reality on the ground in Israel is indeed difficult.
Israel faces the choice of (a) fully enfranchising all the Arabs who live in
the State of Israel (including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip) and no longer
being a Jewish-majority nation, or (b) not fully enfranchising these Arabs and
therefore not being a true democracy.
One solution would of course be to let the Arabs of the West Bank and
Gaza become a new Palestinian state.
But the question is, what sort of Arab state would this new
state be? Almost certainly, based on past experience (such as when Israel voluntarily
withdrew from the Gaza strip), it would be one ruled by hard-line Hamas
leaders, intent on eradicating Israel.
Would any Israeli in their right mind voluntarily let this happen? Look at a map of Israel, hemmed in by aggressive
enemies in the West Bank and Gaza. I don’t
think so, despite the fairyland dreams of successive American administrations.
The
administration is livid that Netanyahu said
there would be no two state solution while he was in power. They really don’t
like it when someone points out that the emperor has no clothes. Personally, I
find it refreshing to see a politician who says what he thinks rather than what
some spin doctor or focus group determined that he ought to say. If only we
could find a few like that in American politics.
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