I find some aspects of Jeff Halper’s article problematic.

He says: Israel’s Occupation lies at the centre of the conflict.

From 1948 to 1967 there was no occupation of the West bank and Gaza by Israel. These areas were occupied by Jordan and Egypt during which time there was no move to establish a Palestinian state. If Jeff is right and the occupation is the problem why wasn’t there peace before 1967 when there was no occupation?


He says: Indeed, their entire Arab League in 2002 offered Israel formal recognition, peace and regional integration in return for the Occupied Territories.

Sounds reasonable? What Jeff doesn’t mention is that the offer also stipulated that Palestinian refugees must be allowed to return to Israel. Anyone who is descended from the 700,000 people who were counted as refugees in 1948 is still considered a refugee even if they have been accepted as citizens of other countries. If Israel accepted this offer it could be liable to absorb millions of refugees. This requirement would totally swamp Israel which is one third the size of Tasmania and introduce a large population which could bear great hostility to the state. Maybe that's why Israel didn't embrace it with great enthusiasm.

Jeff seems very confused about what constitutes a human right. He is even more confused when he states:
"For more than 20 years the Palestinians have accepted a two-state solution in which Israel remains on 78 per cent of historic Palestine."
Sorry Jeff - Israel is located on 17% of historic Palestine,Jordan on 77% and the West Bank and Gaza on the remaining 6%.
If we can't agree on where historic Palestine was located how can we ever agree on any solution?

David Singer wrote:

Israel is located on 17% of historic Palestine,Jordan on 77% and the West Bank and Gaza on the remaining 6%.

Dear David,

Historic Palestine is the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean sea. Jordan is located on none of historic Palestine. I think you have confused the British Mandate with historic Palestine. They are not the same thing.

David Singer,

So Jordan is located on 77% of historic Palestine, of course that's where the Palestinians should live,in Jordan,it's obvious. After all they're all Arabs and the Palestinians have to go somewhere. Was it Golda Meir who said that?

Historic Palestine extended across the Jordan River. The Romans on conquering Eretz Yisrael renamed the country Palestina, divided the territory into three sections and called the areas Palestina prima,Palestina secunda and Palestina tertia . That is why the boundaries of the British mandate for Palestine included what is today called Jordan - 77% of historic Palestine.
Jordan and Israel are the successor States to the Mandate and the allocation of sovereignty in the West Bank between Jordan and Israel needs to be negotiated to finalise the division of sovereignty of historic Palestine between Jews and Arabs. This is the real two state solution that must be pursued. Two peoples need two states not three.

Dear David,

The Palestinians have a national identity. They are not Jordanians. An Arab who has been born in Haifa or Ramallah is associated with Haifa and Ramallah not Jordan.

They have not had a national identity before, but they have developed one by their struggle against Israel. They developed a national identity the same way that Americans did by struggling against England.

My preference is to have a state which does not discriminate among its citizens on the basis of ethnicity or religion, does not subsidise religious schools and has civil marriage. It's odd. Australia and the United States do not discriminate among Jews, but Israel does. In Israel only Orthodox rites are recognised for marriages whether a Jew is orthodox or not. In the United States the Supreme Court decided that segregation could not be supported by tax funds. In Israel most children go to different schools depending on whether they are orthodox Jews, secular Jews or Muslims. I find it objectionable that Australia subsidises religious schools, but at least the public school system is integrated.