Dear SteeleRedux,

«Just for the record the quote you seem to be arguing against came from the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council.»

Well that is of course an Australian organisation, caring more for the interests of Australian Jews than for Israel's original interests. It understandably likes to take the credit for Israel's creation for itself, thus trying to make Israel feel indebted.

«What is wanted? What has always been wanted, a 2 state solution likely based on the 67 borders. And the removal of Israeli settlers in militarily occupied Palestinian territories.»

This they could have easily got many years ago, if only they wanted...
Alas, when that was still possible.

Why instead, did they beat down the Israeli peace-camp to dust, causing so many good peaceful Israelis to despair, leave the country and leave the Israeli democratic balance of power in the hands of Netanyahu, his settlers and his Nazi companions?

Tragically I cannot see how that can now any more be done.
By now, even if Israel wants it with all its heart,
I just see no body strong enough to uproot these Jewish settlers, certainly not the IDF:
they cannot truly be called "Israeli settlers", they may formally hold Israeli citizenship certificates,
but they are an American-imported cancer, now grown too big to remove.

It is now too late. The most Israel can do now, even with the best goodwill it can muster, is to leave the West Bank (including Eastern Jerusalem) along with its Jewish settlers, then let the pieces there fall wherever they fall.

Steele seems to have the answers to the situation but will not get involved at a diplomatic level in solving the unsolvable. Palestinians do not want a two State system for the area, perhaps Steele has not heard or understood the chant, "From the River to the sea, Palestine shall be free"? They want The Israel State totally removed, FULL STOP!

He is Ok with Israeli children being kidnapped and tortured, and Hamas continuing to fire rockets into Israel territory in their effort to remove Israel from the area, fulfilling their hope

Josephus,

Kindly stop stoking even more division on this forum.

Take a deep breath. I'll say a prayer for you.

Dear Josephus,

«Steele seems to have the answers to the situation»

But I love his answer very much, if only it were true, and if only there still was a power today that could enforce it.

Israel's 1967 occupation made it arrogant, it was born in sin, it corrupted Israel, it brought violence into every walk of its life, it stole away Israel's erstwhile good old humble spirit.

Those Jewish settlers came later, they are not true Israelis, they do not understand Israel's pain, their motives are not Israel's motives, their war is not Israel's war, yet by their presence they prevent Israel from healing itself.

By now these settlers are too strong to remove, thus Israel should have the courage to unilaterally disengage from both these cursed territories and from these settlers, even though it can no longer ask for peace in return.

May God help those two peoples who will be left behind, Jewish and Muslim, because nobody else can.

Hi SteeleRedux,
- The 2 state solution you referred to is an good as any, but I'm not entirely sure the Arabs would be satisfied with it.

Why?
Because the Yom Kippur war in 1973
(to which this current conflict was on it's 50th anniversary)
- Occurred because Arab militants wanted to take back land they felt was unfairly taken in 1967.
- That should tell you there are still problems with that potential settlement.
There would still be animosity from the Arabs and a feeling on land theft.

I'm not saying I don't think it's doable.
Both sides are going to have to compromise.
But I think in order to have both truly sides agree to it, there needs to be some kind of redress for lands taken back in 1948, and 1967.

And at the end of the day, I'm not sure the Zionists will ever be happy until they take the lot.

Dear Critic,

1. «but I'm not entirely sure the Arabs would be satisfied with it.»
2. «I'm not sure the Zionists will ever be happy until they take the lot.»

Neither generalisation is helpful - there is no such thing in reality as "the Arabs" nor "the Zionists". Both terms belong in the 19th century, and both terms are used by different people in 100's of completely different ways. Bundling them together is an indicator for having no real desire to solve anything.

Moderate Arab and moderate Zionist-Israelis have way more in common between them than between themselves and their extremist counterparts.
You can even find some Arab-Israelis who consider themselves Zionist!

Prior to October 7th, Israel was on the brink of splitting up into two Zionist states with pretty opposing values.

There always will be some people who disagree, with anything,
but most people are only concerned with practical issues rather than the historical.

The question is just, how can both sides rid themselves of their extremists.
Israel is now helping the Arabs to get rid of their Hamas,
and most Arabs are thankful to Israel for that, even while they wouldn't say it out loud,
but who will be helping Israel in the day after this war, to get rid of its crazy Messianic settlers?
Any constructive ideas are welcome!