Why does the conflict in the Middle East continue today?

Answer 1

Answer 1

Both sides' arguments are based on faith and unprovables.

The simmering religious war has been going on for two thousand years, and will continue until people reject religion along with belief in the supernatural.

Answer 2

International focus groups and thinktanks have come up with solutions, but there are too many people who are too unwilling to compromise to implement them. Israelis are continuing to build settlements in the West Bank and Blockade Gaza, preventing the Palestinians from properly developing a State of their own. Palestinian organizations like Hamas refuse to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. American benefactors support Israel without encouraging it to abandon the practice of the settlements. Arab Nations do not try to engage Israel openly and honestly and believe in holding the Palestinians in refugee camps while they continue to demand that Israel host all of the refugees, something which they know is a non-starter with Israel.

A number of things would have to take place before a long-standing peace (as opposed to a mere cessation of hostilities) could take place. There are other requisites, but there are the most important.

1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.

2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.

3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.

4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements: Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.

5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return: Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.

6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized:Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.

7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.

Answer 2

In addition to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, there are numerous other conflicts in the Middle East, such as the Iran-Iraq and Persian Gulf Wars, the Arab Spring Wars, the Lebanese Civil Conflict and War, the Turko-Cypriot Conflict, the Egypt-Libya Sand Wars, the Darfur Genocide, the Yemeni Civil War, and the Iranian-Israeli Proxy Wars. There are also Cold Wars between Saudi Arabia and an alliance of Sunni leaders, like the King of Jordan, the King of Bahrain, and the Emirs of the UAE in opposition to Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Resolving the Arab-Israeli Conflict would not fix any of those problems, some of which are far more entrenched than the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

In terms of achieving peace in the Arab-Israeli Conflict, a number of things would have to take place before a long-standing peace (as opposed to a mere cessation of hostilities) could take place. While, international focus groups and thinktanks have come up with solutions and there have been several peace treaties attempted, there are too many people who are too unwilling to compromise to implement them. People on both sides are far too interested in justice and not interested enough in peace and tranquility. There are other requisites for a lasting peace, but these are the most important.

1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.

2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.

3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.

4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements: Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.

5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return:Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.

6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized:Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.

7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.