A+Light+That+Leads+the+Way+Through+a+Endless+Tunnel+of+Conflict

The Israeli- Palestinian conflict “is the result of a unique history of immigration and emigration of two groups with very distinct religious and cultural traditions which occurred during the past century.” It has now become a never-ending fight over borders, who will own what, as well as control of Jerusalem. Generational changes bring conflict and complication within populations intermingling and to diplomatic relations. The Israelites and Muslims are joined in the search for peace, yet, Palestine refuses to establish any relations with Israel. Although in secret contact throughout the years, Palestine has kept with its policy, therefore dismissive of Israels’ existence and keeping a continuous Jewish political parade. According to the recent media hearing, "the Palestinian and Israeli commentators were mostly pessimistic..." portrayed as a "political theater" and giving little hope to resolve and "end the conflict." The bantering of what Israelis want, the killing of Jewish settlers by one of the political Palestine groups, and the lack of cooperation that the main Palestinian leaders are giving to the wishful Israelites is ultimately circulating with little hope for a break in the pattern to house the search for peace. Peace talks over the span of seventeen years have not been able to stop the violence.

To fully understand and make judgment, one must know the origins of the conflict. The land in question was first known as Judea. Judea was the home of the Jews until the Romans took control and renamed the area 'Palestine'. Essentially, this area became a part of the Roman's conquest of the Middle East. Later the Arabs inhabited Palestine, taking control from the Romans, and continuing to live there for the next thousand years. In 1917 the Balfour Declaration allowed Palestine to grant Britain a “league of nations mandate,” which gave a national home to the Jews. Arabs became furious with this decision and it resulted in riots and revolts. In 1947 undecided land separated into Arab and Jewish States. Jews took the area known as Israel and the Arabs took the rest of Palestine. Arabs refused to believe that Israel could be a legitimate entity so war broke out and the Jewish state won taking over the Gaza Strip and West Bank areas. Palestinians were unhappy with this fair prize the Jews won, and still won’t rest until they gain control over the Gaza Strip and West Bank. In negotiations at Camp David, Israel offered ninety seven percent of the land back to Palestine ownership but the Palestinians refused. Back and forth offers were and still are being made about giving back lands to Palestine in return for demilitarizing the areas for Israel’s security, but no offers have been accepted. Currently there is a delicate balance when it comes to the recent issues such as the status of Jerusalem, the future of Israeli settlements, and the rights of the Palestinian refugees.

Many are hopeful for more optimistic mindsets when the chosen representatives leave the meeting rooms. There is hope that over time progress will be made to finally reach a peace agreement. Peace comes with balance. To reach this balance, both sides must be willing to compromise. Unfortunately in this case, neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are able to overcome thousands of years of their divisive history. Just recently the promise was made to initiate militant forces to attack with “all means to enable Palestinian resistance to deal with Israel." This fanatical attitude has the potential to become Machiavellian in the sense that the more extreme the measures, the more chance of productive damages beyond the limited goals reality seems to allow. As I have preached before, "let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits to which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach." In this case, war is not the answer and the constant stress of possibility disallows for the open and positive mindset in order to reach a balance, a compromise.

“Terror will not determine the borders of Israel or the future of settlements.” Terror is not the goal I wish to propose to you. Yes I do believe that "where they are well armed they have good laws.” This does not mean we should be killing innocent people. If there was good leadership; "If everything is well considered, it will not be difficult for a wise prince to keep the minds of his citizens steadfast from first to last, when he does not fail to support and defend them."

"For an Israeli-Palestinian peace to succeed, it must also be embedded in a broader regional peace between Israel and the Arab world." There have been many peace negotiations, but to no avail. The //Oslo accords//, the //Camp David summit,// the //Taba summit// in 2001, the //Road map for peace,// and the //Arab Peace Initiative,// have all failed. It seems to me that they are running in circles. None of these proposals can work unless they, "follow up the real truth of the matter than the imagination of it; for many have pictured republics and principalities which in fact have never been known or seen, because how one lives is so far distant from how one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation..." Hillary Clinton has now taken on this large and over grown forest of what is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although there is little hope for resolution, many previous United States leaders have attempted to resolve this beastly and quite complex skirmish. Unfortunately, all have come out of the forest torn and unable to find peaceful compromise.