3 of 31

No

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

a business or a political entity simply because different groups have equal but opposing claims. The ownership, rather than the thing, can be divided equitably, with each individual in each group exercising his or her natural right to control his or her own life within the framework of the common good of all.

Rather than divide Jerusalem between Israelis and Palestinians, then, the city can be the nucleus of a new form of nation-state that has the capacity to satisfy all competing claims. The foundation of the new State would be economic (and thus political) empowerment of the individual, whether Muslim, Christian, or Jew (or anyone else), a truly "free city," recognized as a sovereign State of its own, but with a significant difference.

The most obvious difference would be the rejection of artificial and disproved false assumptions of "scarcity," a term often misunderstood and incorrectly applied. Assumptions of scarcity (actually "insufficiency" would be a more accurate word) can be overcome if the residents of Jerusalem work together within a justice-driven, free enterprise system to create new wealth that can be traded throughout the world. Ownership and thus profits would be shared more equitably and naturally through the rights of private property.

This would change the orientation from trying to be the sole owner of a small bit of limited land, to becoming an equal owner, with a clearly-defined private property stake, in the industries and profitable enterprises built on the land. Each resident would receive at birth or establishment of permanent residence a single, non-transferable share representing a defined ownership stake in the land, natural resources, and infrastructure of the city, the sort of thing typically owned by government or monopolist private business. Whatever profits generated from leasing the land and so forth would, after being used to meet legitimate costs of government, be divided equally among all citizens as a dividend.

Further, by participating in the ownership of industries and businesses, people would be empowered to gain income not only by selling their labor for wages, but by receiving dividends based on their relative share of ownership of the profit-making enterprises. The possibilities of this "industrial frontier," unlike the land frontier, are (for all practical purposes) unlimited.

As the philosopher-design scientist R. Buckminster Fuller pointed out, creative energy can be channeled into what he called "ephemeralization," the process of doing-more-with-less. This entails the continuing re-design of existing technologies, structures, and even social "tools" like money, tax systems and global corporations and financial institutions.

By introducing the world's most sophisticated technologies (particularly in energy and food production) and redesigning methods of participatory ownership, Arab and Jewish residents can transcend their competing exclusive claims to the Holy Land. They can complement each other's existing strength's and potentials: Jewish settlement experience and advanced energy and agricultural technologies, Arab financing, and Palestinian self-assertion and drive.

Such an approach has been developed in much greater detail than given here, and merits more study by politicians and statesmen. Called "the Abraham Federation," it presents a definite possibility for peace in the Middle East by delivering justice instead of conflict to all.

Learn more about this author, Michael Greaney.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about Should Jerusalem be split between the Israelis and Palestinians??
We want to hear your view. Write now!