You’re wasting your time here.

BNPlite are Israel’s biggest apologists. They even wanted to send gunboats over to help maintain the siege of Gaza.

Samer

I wonder if posts like this, that suggest the middle-east problem can be pushed ahead by just one side unilaterally, really help.

Wouldn’t it be equally true, to say that Hamas could push the peace process if it stopped making the settlement building a pre-condition – or even to recognise the right of Israel to exist.

It takes two to tango…

The two state solution appears to be seen by Israel as a euphemism for the creation of Arab bantustans on the least inviting parts of Palestine. Why would Palestinians mourn the passing of a two state solution anyway? Surely they’d be better off with outright annexation and be done with it?

6 of one, half a dozen of the other. It seems to me that there are significant proportions of both sides that aren’t willing to copromise and are playing fo all or nothing. As far as I’m concerned, an article about the peace process that doesn’t mention Gaza is somewhat lacking.

Correction: “doesn’t mention HAMAS”

Coerced to remain at the negotiating table? Are you having a laugh?

Why not ask the question: Why wasn’t Mamoud Abbas there for the first 9 months of the recent settlement freeze? Was it so that the resumption of any developments (starting house extensions as well as new settlements) could be turned into an issue to be used as an excuse to walk away from negotiations?

It doesn’t take a genius to realise that the longer it takes for a deal to be negotiated the less land there will be to be assigned to the PA. So with that in mind isn’t it the duty of the Palestinians leadership to pull their finger out and secure as much land as they can now ….. not in the never never future?

Tell me Samer, if this two state solution ever becomes a reality, will the Palestinian Arabs who account for between 16% and 18% of Israel’s population be packing their bags too, or is it envisaged that it will only be Jews who are ethnically cleansed?

When Britain leaves occupied Gibraltar and Malvinas islands then give me a call…..

Are all the region’s refugees in in neighbouring countries meant to go back to this new Palestinian state? Will Lebanon be encouraging people to leave?
It will be a miserable little state even if it ever is brought into being.
Control of the border with Jordan was a major sticking issue last time I think.
And control of airspace. I can’t see how any progress will be made.
And the connection between Gaza and the West Bank will be like one of those controlled roads that used to run through East Germany to West Berlin.

Abebird,

When Britain leaves occupied Gibraltar and Malvinas islands then give me a call…..

I’m calling – the fact the inhabitants of both territories wish to remain independent of Spain/Argentina kind of makes them analogous to Palestine, whose inhabitants want to be independent of Israel. I think you may have got the wrong end of the stick here – this is not about ‘colonialism’ but rather self-determination.

Have to say, I have yet to hear one reasonable argument against a Palestinian state other than the fact so many groups have vested interests in the current conflict. (Sorry those who think being right wing means you are opposed to a Palestinian state – there is far more to issues than tribal decisions).

Flowerpower: “Tell me Samer, if this two state solution ever becomes a reality, will the Palestinian Arabs who account for between 16% and 18% of Israel’s population be packing their bags too, or is it envisaged that it will only be Jews who are ethnically cleansed?”

Throwing accusations of wanting “ethnic cleansing” at the Palestinians strikes me as just a tad hypocritical here, given the current ethnic makeup and geographical origin of the people currently living in the massively overcrowded and insanitary refugee camps found in the current Palestinian-run cantons.

Jimmy: “Why would Palestinians mourn the passing of a two state solution anyway? Surely they’d be better off with outright annexation and be done with it?”

Yes – they would be better off with outright annexation – but even if all Palestinian militants surrendered unconditionally Israel wouldn’t ever do that, because then the population could vote in Israeli elections, and they would quickly vote Israel out of existence. Israel’s preferred solution has already been implemented, which is perhaps why they appear so apathetic about negotiation.

Jungle @ 12

Throwing accusations of wanting “ethnic cleansing” at the Palestinians strikes me as just a tad hypocritical here..

Hypocritical? Why? I have never ethnically cleansed anyone.

As for “throwing accusations” – bah humbug. I was merely politely inquiring. You see, I am genuinely puzzled as to why settlements have to stop if Jews are to be allowed to live where they like in Judea and Samaria (as Arab Israeli citizens are in Israel) once all this unpleasantness is over. The only reason, surely, to insist on a settlement freeze is if the intention is ultimately to remove the Jewish population. Which would be ethnic cleansing.

Personally, I hope that around 18% of the population of the West Bank 50 years from now will be Jewish, just as a similar proportion of Israelis are (already) Arab.

Two states need not mean ethnic apartheid.

But perhaps we are getting ahead of ourselves. There is no prospect of any solution to the ME’s problems while Islamist terrorism remains undefeated globally.

@Jungle. Yes I understand why Israel don’t like the idea. What puzzles me is the idea that somehow this is doing Palestinians a favour.

@Flowerpower. If ethnic separation is unnecessary then why have two states at all?

@ 14

If ethnic separation is unnecessary then why have two states at all?

To give institutional expression to linguistic, cultural and religious differences. Britain and France are two states, but English people live in Provence and the Dordogne and South Kensington is increasingly French.