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The main obstacles to peace
Let me pose a general question to you all:
What do you regard as the main obstacles to lasting peace in Israel/Palestine and why?
What do you regard as the main obstacles to lasting peace in Israel/Palestine and why?
Tags: Middle East conflict, lasting peace, obstacles to peace
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Corey Gil-Shuster on -
I think for the majority of minor issues we could find solutions but if you take the current mainstream opinions and needs of each group, the conflict has a core of zero-sum needs (the more one side takes, the less the other side has). The Palestinians see all of historic Palestine as belonging to them and demand to return. The Jews want Israel to be a "Jewish state" and be the majority culture so they can guaranttee self-determination of the Jewish people because of our history of being abused by majority populations. These two worldviews clash directly with each other- having millions of Palesitnians return would stop Israel from having a sense of self-determination and defining Israel as a Jewish state or for the Jewish people, puts Palestinians in a position of not belonging to the state. So what do you do?
Currently , I don't see any answers to the core issues of the conflict. My opinion/hope is that the US/Europe will demand a two state solution and in a few generations, each side will feel more trust to let go of the core needs and move towards something better. Another option is each people be ruled by their own government (regardless of where they reside) but that doesn't solve the security issue.
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Permalink Reply by Corey Gil-Shuster on
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Why should there be countries? Why should there be cultures and groups? Why should there be conflict? I agree that in a perfect world, I too would love a borderless world in all meanings. I don't have a deep need for a group identity and belonging but I recognize that most people do. Israelis and palestinians both have very strong identity needs that would be better served somewhat seperated at this point until we can build trust and perhaps even create an identity together.
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Permalink Reply by Oliver Haack on
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Brightlight, Corey,
I think a two-state solution is the very requirement, the basis for a long-term effort towards a 'shared identity' , which could, at some point in the future, be accommodated within a wider regional cooperation encompassing hopefully the Middle East as a whole.
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Permalink Reply by samah sawalha on -
i m not with you in this view , we need third party to treat both sides in equal way, we dont need arab countries, we dont need power which is going within isreal, since isreal powerfull so isreal contorl every thing you cant feel that or yu dont know the whole truth there is occupation to west bank indirect way, every thing is controled for jrusalem case fro example this city is for the three relegions, so in logic way moslims respect jweish vise versam but jweish in the last week they didnt repsect moslims palces that will anger palestinian and the whole arab region, are the jweish moslims what are they doing in alaqsa court, so i think in juraslem it should be un force to seprate bettween moslims ans jewish since isreal army behave in voilince way within moslims in alaqsa, this is unfair, if jwish jsut behve in a good way in thier holly days then jursalem will be amazing but if it continue like this it is very hard, i hope to see un forces thier
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Permalink Reply by Neri Bar-On on -
Dear Oliver.
I usually avoid such question, as I do not see the problem as it has one cause that if we identify it then we can remove it and solve the problem. Our reality is complex, and we we had conflict in 1936 it become more complex in 1948 and more complex in 1967 and even more complex when we signed Oslo agreement.
So the main Obstacle of peace is that the public and many of the people who try to resolve it do not recognize that it is complex, and as it is complex we need to mange it and we cannot simply resolve it by sign any paper agreement.
we have many obstacles which are actually point where people needs are not addressed properly and there are no available resources to enable people to live freely and safely. in these situation we got extremists from Israel side and from Palestine side taking this cases and make them a battle field that lead to aggression and violence.
To have peace we need to grew our relationship, step up the trust ladder and create solution to people needs.
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Dear Neri,
you're of course right in stating that there is more than one identifiable cause of the conflict. In my view, it is one of the most complex global conflicts, and I, as not directly involved in it, steadily aim to keep on learning and trying to understand aspects around it.
I'm glad you mention such key issues like trust and the focus on individuals' lives/people's needs. My approach to conflict resolution is centered around human security instead of means of traditional (military) security. If you like, you can read Lucy Nusseibeh on this concept applied to the ME conflict:
http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=4&id=3934
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Permalink Reply by Corey Gil-Shuster on
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Brightlight, if the issue was really that simplistic, wouldn't a solution be found by now? I am an Israeli citizen and I do not wish to control the palestinians. Most Israelis I know don't wish to either. Read Neri's explanation above- the situation is far more complex than diluting it to a story of good vs. evil.
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Permalink Reply by samah sawalha on
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but that is the fcat , you are from fact since there is no clear media in this world tell the truth and facts, during second intifada you live in your heaven where we palestinian people live i the hill which is created by isreali army what i a life we have it i wish that we exchange places to see you live my life and me life yours
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Truth in itself is a both interesting and contested concept. There is always more than one truth. Instead, our diverse 'truths' are socially constructed (to a large extent by the very media that you implicitly hold responsible for delivering a kind of 'one and only truth').
Conflicting sides can, in my opinion, never really agree on one (incontestable) truth. Instead, what I propose, is mutual respect, tolerance and cultural awareness. If we know the other side, we might at least get closer to its truth and attempt to understand certain viewpoints which we cannot and will not understand if we merely stick to our own (narrow) arguments.
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Permalink Reply by Paul RETI on -
I would add to Oliver's focusing on TRUTH above that:
- Perceptions of JUSTICE are equally subjective and thus contested assessments. .
- Why the Palestinian People are suffering, and whether and how that perceived suffering is simply due to unrealistic expectations and assessments are equally subjective and thus contested assessments
The fact many Palestinian People perceive that they are suffering is not contested.
By contested above I mean something that is not a self-evident fact to all.
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I also agree with all of what Corey wrote below in http://www.mepeace.org/xn/detail/661876:Comment:373520.
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Permalink Reply by Corey Gil-Shuster on
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Samah, I feel for you and your people. I really do. This is a process with lots of steps:
Past:
both sides have to understand how we arrived to where we are now which means Palestinians and Israelis have to see how violence has created the situation- everyone is reacting, no one acts. Israelis have to understand the impact of "returning home" to a land that has another people and Palestinians have to understand that Israelis/Jews are just as indigenous as Palestinians.
Present:
then we have to figure out what that means for now. How do we stop the violence? How to we create a culture of respect for each other? How do we live with each other?
Future
What does this mean for each people? Can there be a Jewish state? a Palestinian state? a binational state?
The answers to all these questions are not decided by one side or the other. It needs agreement from both peoples to make any change. Only through dialogue like this site can we begin.
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Permalink Reply by samah sawalha on
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according to past
many from my peole died and emerged to next countries like jordan, syria,iraq where my people out side palestine suffering they dont have rights like others, there i an idiom said if you dont have country you dont have the right to live in it so my people dont have the right to live in lebenon, syria, jordan and they are suffering, since the war in 1948,1967 cicked my people from thier lands, so now you get your nation
now;
isreali army is palnting violence from thier behavoiors, you want solution just bring justice to this holly land , to the people in both side to have every thing in equal.
future;
palestine is the mother for three relgions so no contorl for jwish in palestine, so i think a third party paly agood role and implment justice ,since isreal deal in harmfull way within my people in every thing so third party wich is not within palestinin and isreals.
another thing no Weapons in both sides palestinian isreals, so this is will be equal , no loss in sprits in both sides
agreement;
i dont know do both sides want peace or no
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