I’m sorry to say that I found the prescriptions Micah Goodman’s piece at Atlantic, “Eight Steps to Shrink the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”, terribly dissatisfying. The only conclusion I think one could take away from it was that the author believes that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be “shrunk” by actions on the part of the Israelis alone. I guess that’s right—the conflict would be “shrunk” to that part of the conflict for which Palestinians are responsible. The author does not even suggest the possibility that the measures he wants to be put in place are a consequence of bad behavior on the part of the Palestinians rather than their cause.
What do you think would happen if all of the measures he proposes are implemented in full? Would it reduce the number of terrorist attacks against Israelis by Palestinians? Would it reduce the number of missiles being lobbed at Israelis? I don’t believe that for a second.
What would happen if the Palestinians ended their campaign of violence against the Israelis? I think that over time the Israelis would relax the restrictions they’ve imposed and over time Israelis would come into ownership of Gaza and the West Bank by purchasing them.
I think that the two state solution is off of the table. Perfect behavior or awful behavior by the Palestinians still results in Israel spreading out until they control Gaza and the West Bank. It has become pretty clear that no one especially cares about the Palestinians and they are just screwed. Israel has secured the unconditional support of the US and the support of Saudi Arabia (at least for now). The best that the Palestinians can hope for if they behave is more privileges in an apartheid type state.
Steve
I think something along those lines has been the Israeli strategy for at least the last 50 years. Unfortunately, we have no periods of perfect behavior on the part of the Palestinians to contrast with their awful behavior.
So true. Whenever we despair of our politics, we can always look at them to see one of the many ways it could be worse.
Steve
“It has become pretty clear that no one especially cares about the Palestinians and they are just screwed”
Because like all groups who choose active victimhood as a strategy, their lot is entirely the fault of and in the hands of others.