What if there is no solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? What if it never ends?
What if the reason for the conflict is a confusion of terminology: that it is not between Arab Palestinians and Israelis, but between Muslim Arabs and Jews – i.e., a religious conflict? The conflict, therefore, is not only about territory, but about Jewish history and the rights of the Jewish people.
The Torah refers to Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) as sacred to the Jewish people, and it has been so since the time of Abraham. It is the place where Jewish civilization began and flourished for more than a thousand years, where the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, where the kings of Israel reigned, where prophets spoke, and one that is documented in texts, archeology, and literature.
For Muslims and Arabs, however, Palestine, its Latin/Roman name, has little significance, history, or culture. During the Crusades, Muslims sought to restore it to their rule through jihad (holy war), vestiges of which persist.
The modern movement called Palestinianism began only after World War I, when claims by the Zionist movement were recognized by the entire international community. In addition to ancient Jewish communities in cities such as Jerusalem, Safed, and Tiberias, Zionist settlements had been established throughout the area.
While some Arabs accepted Jews and Zionism; most did not and they rejected any efforts to make peace. Riots against Jews ensued, including massacres of civilians, and destruction of property.
When the State of Israel was established in 1948, the surrounding Arab nations declared war and threatened to destroy the Jews who live in Israel. They call their loss, the Nakba, the catastrophe; and it is the basis of the Palestinian narrative and the essence of Palestinian identity. When people shout “Free Palestine,” it is a call for genocide, another Holocaust.
The problem is the Jews
For most Muslims, the existence of a Jewish state in any form is anathema – according to the Koran. That is what the Arab media, Islamic leaders, and Muslim schools teach. According to surveys, three-quarters of local Palestinians support the most radical, violent terrorist groups.
ALTHOUGH, THANKFULLY, many Christians support Israel, some do not. The problem is, the Jews.
It’s what the Holocaust was about, and why many EU nations, especially those that were “neutral” or supported Nazism in World War II, support anti-Israel Palestinian NGOs and Palestinianism.
It’s not about what Israel does, but about what Israel is and represents. That’s why many oppose Israel and support its enemies.
Attempts to find “solutions” were based on leftist assumptions that in order to have peace, Israel must make compromises and concessions. This was the basis of the Oslo Accords that legitimized the PLO and created the Palestinian Authority. The “peace process” was a hoax, a hype to bring Arafat and the PLO back to Israel and empower them.
This confused way of thinking persists. It is the basis of what is called the “two-state-solution,” (2SS) an independent Arab Palestinian state based on the 1949 Armistice lines, and support for United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
In response to threats from the EU, UN, and even the Biden administration, Israel concedes, which always leads to more problems. The IDF, COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) and police destroyed Jewish property for no rational reason and restrict building in settlements. Israeli leaders (including Netanyahu) went along with the fraud of trying to appease the Palestinians and those who supported them. Why should this absurdity continue? Who does it serve?
Jews who live in Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem are not “occupying Palestinian territory.” It is not “illegal,” and there is no basis for this accusation. Jews should be protected and encouraged wherever they live. That’s what Zionism means. That’s what the new government will hopefully do. Some are opposed, and some call for a “civil war.”
Our recent elections indicated that most Israelis want a realistic agenda that ensures their safety and security. Dealing with Palestinian terrorism is our first and foremost concern, and – as many understand, the PA/Hamas are unwilling and unable to stop it. Palestinian identity was and is based on a “one-state solution” – “from the river to the sea.” This goal, enabled and facilitated by the Oslo Accords, is why resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains elusive.
The most practical and realistic alternative to the 2SS is to recognize Jordan as the homeland of the Palestinians – all of those who want to live in peace. Engaging in and supporting terrorism and seeking Israel’s destruction is simply not an option. The conflict cannot be resolved, but it can be ended by understanding why it exists.
The writer is a PhD historian.