Redefining The Conflict Between the Arab Countries and the State of Israel

The resolution of the Arab Israeli conflict has, for decades, been beyond the grasp of
realization. Innovative ideas that may facilitate greater clarity and form new foundations toward co-existence and permanent peace.

This conflict should be redefined.  The allegorical reference is ‘to build a house on a strong supportive foundation in order for the house not to collapse.’ The current ‘foundation’ is built on extremely shaky ground and is not working for all the people of the region. Substantiated historical facts are the cornerstone creating a comprehensive resolution to the Arab Israeli conflict.

In order to thoroughly understand the situation, one must truly identify the players. What is the origin and meaning of the word Palestinians?  Who are these people and where do they come from? Why is the word Palestinian used when the letter P does not exist in the Arab alphabet? Did an independent state of Palestine ever exist? If so, what was the name of the Palestinian capital? Who were the Palestinians leaders? What was the name of the Palestinian currency in use? What was the unique Palestinian culture, customs, language, music and literature? From what year to what year was Palestine independent? What was the national flag and anthem? Where are any archeological artifacts as proof of an independent Palestinian state? Obviously, all the replies are rhetorically rejecting any such
notion. This is a fake narrative for an invented ethnicity. Nevertheless, the Arab refuges issue persists and must be addressed pragmatically and equally if there is to be a comprehensive peace for all the nations and all people of the region.

Jews had resided in various Arab lands for over 2,000 years. During that time, Jews were massacred, enslaved, murdered, raped, beheaded, and overtaxed. The Jews of the Arab world were confined in ghettos, not allowed to engage in certain professions, discriminated against, and have been subjected to pogroms and racism in the Arab world. The Jews also had to endure even more violence and aggression after Israel’s independence in 1948. The Jewish refugees expelled from the Arab lands were also dispossessed of all their material goods, monies and without any compensation. The Jews were expelled from the Arab world after being dispossessed of their lands about eight times the size of today’s Israel. Israel absorbed approximately 900,000 refugees from the Arab world alone. Unlike the Arab refugees, Jews did not have a UN commission to support them in their new country Israel. The UN supports the Arab refugees to this very day.

Most of the Jewish refugees from the Arab world emigrated to Israel prior, during and after the re-inception of the State of Israel in 1948.  Israel was and is the only safe haven for Jews in the Middle East. After Israel prevailed in the 1948 War of Independence Israel continued to accept Jewish refugees who survived the Holocaust, as well as Jews from the Arab World.

As a result of Israel’s victory during its War of Independence, the Arab world refused to receive and still refuse to absorb their 600,000 Arab brethren. That is the root issue until this very day.  Despite Israel’s additional victories in 1956, 1967, 1973, and numerous other clashes through the years of Israel’s 75 years of independence, Arab countries did not relent. About 20% of Israel’s population is Muslim, and that percentage has remained constant since 1948. Israeli Muslims have the very same rights as Israeli Jews.  In comparison, there are only a handful of Jews left in the Arab world.

Israel has a peace agreement with Egypt and Jordan and there are other Arab countries that also maintain relations with the Jewish state. Hopefully, more peace treaties are on the horizon. Thus far, the United Nations has not enhanced the peace process. Rather, this organization has avoided any chance for a just and peaceful resolution. Through the years, the UN has proved to be a bias and anti-Israel hindrance for peace. Therefore, a fresh new “out of the box” policy is needed.

Israel is a very small country, less in size than that of New Jersey. There is no geographical space for another country between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Realistically, the call for the creation of a Palestinian State is completely unrealistic. For the record, there was never an independent state of Palestine. The Palestinian identity was created in 1965 in Cairo, Egypt by two Egyptians, Yasser Arafat, and Achmed Shukeri, head of the Arab League.

Solving the Arab refugee issue must be addressed.  The demand that Israel will resolve the Arab refugee issue unilaterally is simply unrealistic. The Arab refugees’ remedial methodology should be the collective responsibility of all the nations of the region and not only Israel.

There are no demands from Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern descent most of whom reside in Israel. They are not demanding compensation for forced displacement, loss of property, or all the suffering and violence they endured in the Arab world for over 2,000 years. On the other hand, the Arabs who call themselves “Palestinians” demand compensations as well as physical territorial domination of today’s Israel. “From the River to the Sea” is their slogan for Israel’s destruction.

If there is to be a just resolution for Arab refugees, the playing field must be egalitarian for all parties. Each country will be required to carry some of the burden: Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman must all share in the responsibilities of resolving the Arab refugee dilemma.

However, the new constructs must take into consideration that there are two sides to the coin of justice. Jews who became refugees as a result of forced exile from the Arab countries number more than 900,000.

Both refugee groups of Arabs and Jews should be treated on equal footing. A comprehensive agreement of territorial and financial compensations should be required by all parties. Quid- pro-quo!

A Middle East Peace Commission to include all parties who are involved in the refugee crisis should be formed. The UN has proven its inability to resolve the Middle East conflict. It is time for change. The people of the Middle East must be challenged to build a foundation of co-existence and permanent peace.