Can peace be achieved in the Middle East or is the Arab-Israeli Conflict impossible to resolve?

Answer 1

Answer 1

There are dozens of conflicts going on in the Middle East; 'peace in the Middle East' is a vague term. The Arab-Israeli conflict is definitely a major factor, but not the only one, hindering peace in the Middle East.

That said, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the more general Arab-Israeli conflict are protracted conflicts: conflicts that are drawn out and extremely complex. If agreements and compromise are to be reached, it would take drastic measures. At the present time, neither side is willing to give what the other side absolutely wants.

Answer 2

Though it seems unresolvable, once the Palestinians get the justice and fair treatment they deserve and extreme factions on both sides have been quelled there can be peace between a free and independent Palestine and Israel.

Answer 3

As mentioned in Answer 1, 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. 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 order to have real peace in the Middle East, what you need is massive social reform across the Middle East and to create governments and societies where people can accept people of differing political and religious persuasions without desiring to kill them.

Currently, the majority of Middle East conflicts derive from the tribal mentality that is present in Arab States along with repression-based politics. The system as set up in numerous Arab countries, such as Libya and Iraq is that each person has sole loyalty to his tribal leader and not to a national government. As a result, these tribal leaders become their own de facto city states that go to war against each other. Sadr City in Baghdad was the most famous such micro-country. Each tribe promises its members better conditions at the expense of the conditions of a different tribe. As a result, the tribes come into direct conflict.

What has typically happened in Arab National Governments is that one tribe has ascended to power and forcibly represses the other tribes to make good on its promise. This particular case is most visible in Syria where the Alawite Muslims (who make up less than 20% of the country) have ruled with an iron fist since the 1960s and made life terrible for the majority Sunni Muslims (completely without Israeli or Palestinian intervention).

If more Arab countries become like Tunisia, federated states based on the sentiment of national unity, pride, and self-defense, where there is true freedom of religion and freedom of speech there may a great lessening of Middle East Conflicts. It is the deprivation of these identities and rights that results in much of the Middle East conflicts.

Answer 3

If both the Israeli's and there Palestinians thought outside of their religions and beliefs, then maybe we would have half of Israel Palestinian and half Israeli. However, with both parties wanting all of the land for religious purposes, it probably won't happen.

Answer 4

Yes, but people have to be willing to make concessions. As long as people are more interested in claiming the moral high ground and saying that they are right and beyond reproach, there is no chance for a viable solution.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict is quite easily solvable (numerous thinktanks, political groups, religious demagogues, and ordinary people propose solutions they like all of the time). The problem is not resolving the conflict, but finding a solution that everyone is willing to agree to. At this point in time, too many people in positions of power (political, economic, social, and religious) are far too invested in being right than being fair and as a result, the conflict will persist for many more years.

Answer 5

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.