I've not commented on the issues going on in the Middle East much. My disgust with both sides has really caused me to start becoming hard hearted to the whole situation. But a discussion with my wife about the subject caused me to see the issue in a little different light that has me thinking of what I now believe is the only real way to resolve the whole affair.
The dialog coming out of the Israel and the Palestinians reminds me of two children arguing over a toy. Neither one will listen to reason and both think that they are right, so much so that they are willing to fight each other over it. Most everyone who has had children or had siblings growing up know exactly what I'm talking about. The usual result is that the parents will let this go on, hoping that it resolves itself on its own. But eventually the parents have enough and say something along the lines of 'Ok, that is ENOUGH. You, in this corner and you, in that corner.'
I think we are getting to that point in the Middle East. I believe it is time to forget about diplomacy between the two sides. It is just not going to work. We've held talks and meetings and summits and still we can't get past the basic issue that the Israelis are mistreating the Arabs in Israel and the Palestinians are willing to employ the most evil of practices, killing innocent people for the sole purpose of striking terror into the hearts of their enemy, in response.
What it comes down to is the need for a strong UN (which is hoping beyond hope) to sit the leaders of the two sides down and instead of saying 'let's try to work it out' they need to be told that 'We are going to come in and separate you two until you can learn to get along'.
My proposal would be this. Get the Security Council to agree that this needs to occur, which is probably where this idea will fail. But if we can pass THAT hurdle, we are then on to establishing a Chapter 7 resolution that states thus:
The land of Israel will be separated down the middle, 50% to Israel and 50% to Palestine. A 2 mile DMZ will be placed in the middle of the land and martial law will be in effect in both countries until such a time as the two parties can prove to the world body that they can exist side by side without violence. The city of Jerusalem will no longer belong to either party, ever, but will become a 'free city' that will be under the control and administered by the UN Security Council. This will not require signature from either side but will take effect 180 days after Security Council passage. Once the two countries have shown that they can exist side by side without violence for a period of five years then the DMZ can be lifted and martial law will be relaxed. If this does not occur by 2020, the land will be redistributed to the UN permanently.
Now, I know it is a bit draconian, but I think it's time. The issue that has existed in this area has caused strife and suffering and terrorism all throughout the world, not just in the land of Israel. It really has become a world problem and it is time for the UN grow a pair and put these two groups into a corner until they can learn to play nice with each other. So much time and energy spent. The amount of propaganda on both sides fueling hatred and violence all over the world has only worsened the atmosphere of international cooperation, international trade and retarded the enlightenment and advancement of humanity at a time when we should really be understanding that we all have much more in common than we have differences and we should be embracing those and not focusing on anger and hatred that no longer can be adequately blamed on any single event or side.
In other words, 'I don't care who started but WE'RE going to finish it.'
Any other solution will never be trusted or work. Only the world community, together, will ever have a hope of achieving any lasting result because unless we can stop the violence for a period of time to give the people who live there a chance to experience life without the violence, there is little incentive to convince those who have been raised with terrorism on one side and persecution on the other will never know peace and harmony.
This solution seems to have worked for the issue in Kosovo. While NATO still has a force there we have successfully ended MOST of the violence. And while both sides are still having issues learning to live in peace and put away their ingrained hatred for each other, I think there is a real chance of future peace in the area. I think it's time to learn from this action and try it where it really needs to be tried.