Macgyvercas said:
Korolev said:
I support Israel's right to exist. But here's the thing: I also support Palestine's right to exist. I think the two should exist side by side.
Yeah, that'll never happen.
Let's just assume for the moment that the Bible is meant to be taken literally (which, given how religion dictates pretty much everything over there, it probably is).
The Israelis say that God promised the land to them because He said that it would go to the decendents of Abraham's first born son (and they take that to mean first born legitimate son), whereas the Muslims say it was promised to his first born son whether legitimate or not (Abraham's first born son was Ishmael, born to Sarah's maidservent).
So as long as that problem is in the way, there will never be a lasting peace between the two.
Hey, people can surprise you! It's not all doom and gloom - sure, the CURRENT crop of leaders on both sides tend to be religious literates, but that can change. Why, 600 or so years ago, most of Europe was just as obsessed with literal interpretations and dogma - now, Europe is largely secular.
I agree with you that peace PROBABLY won't come to the region for the next 30 or so years. The current ruling generations of Israel and Palestine have made up their minds on the subject, and they ain't gonna change them. But after that generation dies off, who knows what will happen! Of the few Israelis I've talked to, most of them have been secular (then again, they were scientists and scientists tend to be secular). So the attitudes are changing.
I'm not going to deny that the problem is extremely difficult to solve. I'm also not going to be super optimistic and say that lasting peace is likely to occur within my lifetime. There's still far too many wounds and deep seated hatreds on both sides, for there to be a quick and easy peace.
But give it enough time and who knows! We have this view that cultures are largely static - but in fact, throughout the ages, cultures have always changed and the pace of change is quickening.
I will say that, for Palestine's sake, they better solve the situation as quickly as can be. If things are left as they are, there won't really even be a Palestine in the next 20 years. All those years of armed resistance, and it's achieved nothing. Palestine has lost land and Israel has gained it. The Palestinians NEED to realize that Israel is not the US and the Palestinians are not the Vietnamese - while the US could always just leave Vietnam, the Israeli's view Israel as their literal home. They're not going to leave, no matter what you do.
I'm not saying that the Palestinians should do nothing - they should clearly try to voice their rights. But the way things are right now, Israel is winning. Hands down they are winning and if the Palestinians continue with this course of action, Israel will completely overwhelm them. 60+ years of fighting, and Israel has only grown stronger, Palestine has only grown weaker. The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing and expect different results. The Palestinians will NEVER be able to defeat the Israeli military without the use of nuclear weapons (and if they did use nuclear weapons, it would destroy the legitimacy of their cause instantly in the eyes of the world).
I don't know what Palestine should do in order to safeguard its chances of nationhood. But I do know that if HAMAS continues to carry on the same path as it has, they won't win. Palestine will disappear, and I don't want that to happen. I don't think anyone really does. HAMAS needs to find a new way. What that way is, I don't know. But they need to. Launching a few home made dinky little rockets has achieved NOTHING, and will continue to achieve nothing. As sympathetic as I am to the plight of the Palestinians, there's no point in continuing down a proven path of failure.