Active Users:1080 Time:22/11/2024 07:02:42 AM
Great idea. Tom Send a noteboard - 07/12/2017 02:18:11 PM

The thing about the Middle East is that everyone predicts that the world will come to an end if we do X, where X can be anything under the sun. Honestly, at this point it's pretty clear that whatever Palestine exists will be what Israel agrees to allow to exist, and I'm fine with that. There may even be a one-state solution or a three-state solution at this point. In any event, Jerusalem won't be given back and it's time everyone realize this.

Of course, no one really cares about the Palestinians anyway. The Saudis, Jordanians and Egyptians want to have Israel on their side in the ongoing and escalating conflict with Iran. Turkey and Qatar are playing the game of supporting radicals to expand influence, and Iran, along with Syria and Lebanon, are directly targeting Israel regardless of what it does.

Add to this the fact that only in Israel is there true freedom of religion, and it's clear that we should continue to support Israel. Only in Israel are people free to join or leave any religion they wish and worship in any manner they like without persecution. Given that, I'd support a Federal system that would look something like this:

Israel is a Federal state with three constituent entities: Israel proper, Judea/Samaria and Gaza (assuming they don't just let Egypt take Gaza back, which would be better from Israel's perspective). Each area elects members to the Knesset. However, the votes of the members from the areas now considered Palestine do not count at all for 10 years, after which time they would only count with respect to infrastructure or other local issues (other than education). Education would be handed over to them after 50 years (to allow for at least two full generations to go through a system that doesn't demonize Israel). Security and foreign policy would only be handed over after 99 years. Prior to that time, Israel would unilaterally decide everything.

Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
Reply to message
Jerusalem - good idea or bad idea? - 07/12/2017 02:04:46 AM 694 Views
I think at some point people need to tell Palestine they lost the war. *NM* - 07/12/2017 11:20:55 AM 214 Views
Seems like a very reasonable thing to do! *NM* - 07/12/2017 02:54:21 PM 214 Views
Bad idea. - 07/12/2017 01:36:12 PM 460 Views
There are no costs, though. - 07/12/2017 02:20:28 PM 428 Views
Are we any closer to that peace than we were in 1948? - 07/12/2017 02:54:43 PM 440 Views
Great idea. - 07/12/2017 02:18:11 PM 485 Views
well... - 07/12/2017 04:24:12 PM 486 Views
I'm actually more impressed... - 07/12/2017 05:55:51 PM 435 Views
Very good point - promise made, promise kept - 08/12/2017 04:22:47 AM 423 Views
Politicians actually deliver on many of their promises - 08/12/2017 06:37:10 AM 548 Views
It depends. You could even say both. - 07/12/2017 07:39:19 PM 469 Views
Trump is the perfect person to do this - 08/12/2017 02:35:54 PM 461 Views
Yes. Others would give a damn about the consequences. - 08/12/2017 07:25:04 PM 432 Views

Reply to Message