No

by Charles Gill Ii

Created on: September 27, 2011

Before giving the reasons for my no vote on the subject of Palestinian statehood, it is important to first give the reasons for a yes vote. First, there is the question, “Could Palestinians run a state?” The answer to that seems simple enough.  Many of the Palestinians probably trace at least of their ancestor to Egyptians, which ran a very successful state for three millennia. Most of the rest come from Babylonia and Assyria who again ran very successful states for almost as long. Further, the people ruling the area now are Israelis, descendents of Basra, Iraq in what was once the nation of Babylon. The religion of the Palestinians and the way they desire to run their state is Islam, a religion almost identical to the Jewish faith.

They Palestinians have run a state before. The area in question was a Muslim state from 1299 A.D. until 1 November 1922, and World War I. That is much longer than the West has had productive and peaceful states.  A little known fact is that the greatest flowering of Jewish culture was in Muslim Spain. Modern Jewish Grammar is based upon Arabic grammar. Could the Palestinians run an Islamic state to the benefit of all its people? The simple answer is, “Of course!”

That brings the question, “Can the Palestinians run a peaceful state now?” The last known Jew in Libya died in 2002. She was Esmeralda Meghnagi. Because of the events following World War I and World War II and the creation of the modern Jewish state, a wave of anti-Jewish hysteria gripped the region. It is not proper to call this anti-Semitism because, as pointed out earlier, the Jews are the same race as the Palestinians and share the same One True God. Their dietary laws are largely the same.

We also look at the so-called Arab Spring. Violence and unrest are sweeping the entire Arab world. Revolutions recently occurred in Egypt. Revolutions are still underway in Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Syria. We still bear the scars of the revolutions in Lebanon and Iran. We do not know yet what the relations between the new, post Mubarak Egypt will be with Israel. It is not likely, but it is possible that people opposed to the Jewish state will arise in Egypt. The same applies to Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Lebanon.

Israel has nothing to do with the violence in these Arab states. If Israel tried to intervene in any meaningful way in those nations, all it could do is increase the chaos, and bring some of that violence down upon Israel itself. What is bringing this violence is mismanagement. That is the mismanagement of the Arab leaders, who want to lead a Palestinian state. The rich live as Arab sheiks in opulent wealth while the poor have insufficient food, water, clothing, shelter, transportation, and healthcare. This is against the teaching of Quran, and the rules of human decency.  

The paradox is that this striving for human dignity is what drives the average Palestinian to push for statehood and what is driving the Arab spring. The average Palestinian is like every person on the planet, striving to get from the cradle to the grave in one piece, in peace. They reason that if they receive autonomy, a Palestinian state, they will have the resources to do just that. On the other hand, as we look at the situation, we find that their leaders, many imposed by the west because of two world wars, are not prepared, or willing to provide what the Palestinians desire and God demands that they have. A Palestinian state is not the short-term solution to their problems.

Then comes the problem of defining the borders of this Palestinian state. Rare in history is the state divided into two or more parts with geography in between. The only nation I know of that accomplished, the feat is the United States, with Alaska and Hawaii. Even then, the only geography dividing the mainland US from its last two states is water. The US is also a superpower with a major surface fleet to keep all of its states together.

Palestine would be a nation with two states, and a perceived hostile nation between. Hamas, a terrorist and extremist group, now rules Gaza. The Palestinian National Authority rules the west bank. Being a nation separated by geography has already resulted in not one Palestinian state, but two. We saw the same thing when India separated Pakistan from East Pakistan/Bangladesh. The situation did not last long before Bangladesh became its own state. What would be the result of creating a Palestinian State with this geography? Look at Bangladesh.

If Israel were to give up the territory that the Palestinian National Authority wants to be the new Palestinian state, the best solution is to wait until the Arab Spring settles down and the world can see what the new Arab nations will look like. If the world sees that the newly emerging Arab nations are peaceful, a very distinct possibility, the next step would be for Gaza to become part of Egypt. The Gaza strip was part of Egypt between 1948 and the 1967 Arab/Israeli war.

Egypt and Israel are now at peace, as is Jordon and Israel.

The ideal would then be for the West Bank to become part of Jordon, which has been at peace with Israel for decades. Jordon, Syria, and Lebanon might then form together to become one autonomous state, either as a confederation, or as one nation. Jordon is landlocked and needs access to ports so that it can feed, clothe, and house its people. With Jordon and Israel at peace, they could then peacefully decide on just where the borders would lie.

Above all else, we must remember that Jews are Arabs from Basra, Iraq. This is not a dispute between two races, but a family dispute. The region can find peace and long term peace. At the same time we must remember that they are one family and families do have disputes from time to time. Israel does need defensible borders as to all the states formed as part of this peace process.

We must start to do what is right for the Palestinian people, and all people. That is not forcing a state with the same old faces and ideas upon people who starve, lacking the necessities of life. That means looking for a solution that will provide jobs, dignity, and the necessities of life for these people. They are people and they have suffered enough. The Israelis have also suffered enough because of greedy rulers who only want power over less fortunate people.

Learn more about this author, Charles Gill Ii.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.