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Simple solutions

The forever on-going proposal of a two-state solution satisfies neither Israelis nor Palestinians. Both have claims to the same territory which Israel will not and cannot divide due to security reasons and religious traditions dating back to the period of King David two thousand years ago.

And a one-state proposal is an immediate death certification of Israel as the Jewish state. So if neither one or two states are acceptable to either party in the dispute, what are the alternatives?

For one, Israel could demand the United Nations and Great Britain to repeal the 1922 partition of British-mandated Palestine which cut off 77 percent of the Biblical lands and which Churchill gifted to the Emir Abdullah of Trans-Jordan, precursor of the present Hashemite kingdom of Jordan.

That would allow some two million Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) to be incorporated into the Jordanian kingdom, already consisting of more than sixty percent of Palestinians.

That would be a very simple solution…same people, same language, same religion, same customs, one nation. The territory concerned had, after all, been conquered from Israel by the Jordanian legion in 1948 and the Palestinians living there were under Jordanian rule for nineteen years until the victory of Israel’s Six-Day War in 1967. There would be no difficulty for the Palestinians to adjust to life in the Jordanian kingdom and Abdullah II may even generously provide them with a degree of autonomy.

A second solution might be to follow the American system of governing. Puerto Rico and Guam, for example, are not part of the fifty United States. They are considered territories or commonwealths.

They are American citizens with full autonomy and independence to govern themselves in accordance with American laws. They are given all rights of mainland Americans and are guaranteed full recognition and protection of the government of the United States.

My proposal is this: let the United States recognize Israel as an overseas territory with full rights of autonomy and self-governance. It could have a representative in the American Congress with or without voting rights and with full assurance of protection from its enemies by the United States military forces in conjunction and partnership with the IDF.

Any attack upon Israel would then be considered a direct attack upon the United States of America which would respond in might accordingly.
If Puerto Rico and Guam have refused independence and prefer living under the American umbrella it is because they appreciate the benefits of being American territories
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Israel could enjoy similar benefits and full protection. No more suicide bombers. No more terrorists. And Tel-Aviv outdoor cafes could flourish without fear of attack once again. Trump would replace Bibi and life could be sweet. Except that illegal and undocumented persons in Israel might be deported.

Maybe life in Mexico would not be so bad.

About the Author
Esor Ben-Sorek is a retired professor of Hebrew, Biblical literature & history of Israel. Conversant in 8 languages: Hebrew, Yiddish, English, French, German, Spanish, Polish & Dutch. Very proud of being an Israeli citizen. A follower of Trumpeldor & Jabotinsky & Begin.
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