A State for the Stateless

Many news stories seem to repeat themselves endlessly. A case in point: the decades old attempt, mainly by the United States, to get Israel and Palestine to the negotiation table to assist them in resolving differences regarding Palestinian statehood. I use the word assist loosely. I see it more as an attempt by the US to sway the outcome of the entire region toward its own interests, which mainly lie with Israel.

Palestinian statehood, I believe, would smooth the path toward reconciliation and eventual peace with Israel. The unification of the Palestinian people under the banner of their own state would establish a very plausible "road map" to a final and durable peace agreement between Palestine and Israel. Once national borders are established we could certainly envision a future without violence and bloodshed.

Despite these hopes of permanent peace, take a look at what impedes it. The strong relationship between the United States and Israel compels Palestinians to feel completely isolated and wholly ignored by the powers that be. Since their pleas of help almost always fall on deaf ears, Palestinian people feel they have no choice but to take matters into their own hands.

Their actions are largely a response to Israeli settlements into territory  designated as part of a future Palestinian state. Israel believes these lands are fair game because Palestine is not yet sovereign.

While many roadblocks to peace are local, America is not blameless. The power of the Jewish lobby within Washington, particularly that of AIPAC, leads members of Congress to side with Israel.  These lobbying groups act as a powerful driving force which exercises immense political power to convince Congress that their views are more beneficial to the United States, all at the cost of further alienating Palestinians.

What is so different about Arabs that we cannot get ourselves to simply give them support? Is it the color of their skin? Is it their religious beliefs? These are all questions which do not have answers, and yet deserve them all the same.

While I do argue for Palestinian self-determination, it would be unfair to ignore  groups within Palestine that seek to harm Israel. These include Hamas and Hezbollah, who work tirelessly to bring Israel to its knees. These groups take advantage of a desperate people to twist them against Israel, and use aggression by Israel as a fuel source for their fanatical actions.

However, a stop to hostilities and a state for the people of Palestine would serve to greatly diminish the power of such groups, resulting in a more secure Israel and Palestine. We must not forget that Palestinians are human beings who deserve our attention and compassion.

Not helping them in their time of need will surely come to make us regret our decisions sooner or later.