No! No! No!

I do not want to write this. I do not want to deal with this. I do not really even want to think about this. But I am so outraged I simply cannot let it pass. Israel has now announced they are going to take another 1.000 acres of private Palestinian land for more settlements. Apparently not happy with failing to annihilate the Palestinians entirely by violence they are reverting to their strategy of more slowly and insidiously attempting to get rid of them.

Among other things I guess you could regard this as chutzpa magnified by a thousand or more. This announcement not only blatantly insults President Obama, Kerry, and others, it also insults the entire world community, to say nothing of violating ordinary morality. The U.S. has asked them not to do it, but it is not at all obvious what will happen if they go ahead and do it anyway, which they quite likely will. After all, they have been doing illegal, criminal actions for years with no particular restraints from anyone, why should this time be any different. No doubt the UN will utter a few “tut tuts,” and the U.S. will say don’t do it, but the Israelis will do whatever they want, secure in the knowledge that the U.S. Congress will back them 100 per cent. The Israeli government has no shame and will obviously do anything and everything to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. The UK will threaten some mild sanctions, the U.S. will support Israel, and the hopeless situation in the Middle East will continue as is. Unless, of course, ISIS (or ISIL, or IS, or whatever it is) eventually forces the issue. The IS is not, however, the only “cancer” in the region, Israel has fulfilled that condition for years.

Here are my suggestions for the Israeli/Palestinian problem and peace in the Middle East:

Israel should be forced to retreat to the l967 borders.

All illegal settlements should be vacated by Israelis and given to the Palestinians.

Israel should be required to rebuild Gaza.

Israel should be required to acknowledge the basic humanity of the Palestinians as well as their human rights.

There should be a viable Palestinian state with no supervision or control by Israel, their own airport and seaport, and freedom to travel as they wish.

Far-fetched, yes, I know. It will never happen unless Israel is forced by the international community (and the U.S.) to comply. Of course Israel will whine about their security as usual but if they would simply act responsibly towards the Palestinians their security would be greatly enhanced. And with the finest military in the region they would be safe enough from any serious challenges from others. As far as their much vaunted nuclear power goes, it is as useless as it is everywhere else in the world. Their perceived threats from Iran, Hamas, and others are as paranoid and imaginary as Netanyahu can make them. “Give peace a chance” is a slogan completely foreign to the Israeli administration.

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.

– Albert Einstein