Steadfast and ardent supporters of the peace process believe that: Ensuring Israel's future as a strong, secure, Jewish and democratic state requires achieving a lasting two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Distilling out the elements, we are left with: 1. Neighbours, Palestine and Israel, living peaceably 2. Israel secure and strong 3. Conflict resolved Hence to the Peace Formula: Two state solution = Peace = Pro-Israel Observe how the formula lacks internal logic because of a trade-off between elements 1, 2 and 3. Consider • There is no working model to validate the goal of a Muslim state and a Jewish state living at peace. • Outside of Indonesia and Malaysia, is there a working model of a Muslim country living at peace even with itself? • There is a working model of turmoil and conflict, internal and between Muslim countries, often through proxy groups. • Quitting the region, defeated American broker John Kerry left behind a peace framework that not just anticipates but allows for conflict between Palestine and Israel after a peace deal is in place. • Why else would the framework pledge peace-keeping troops? Why else would Kerry's boss trumpet “America''s unwavering commitment to Israel''s security”? Hence elements of the peace formula collide. You cannot have a two state formula AND peace. You can have one or the other, and if you opt for two states you opt for a future of conflict. A level of peace already prevails within and between Israel and Palestinian-run areas. Compared to what's going down in the Middle East and North Africa, Palestinian-run areas glow as islands of tranquility. In all, the peace formula is wonky. How is it possible to support a two-state solution AND anticipate future conflict AND be pro - Israel, all together? Support the two-state scheme by all means. But then you anticipate conflict which, by definition is not a pro - Israel standpoint. Peace process supporters must therefore amend the wonky formula to make it hold together logically. Two state solution = Conflict = Anti-Israel
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)