I am not an expert in the Arab–Israeli conflict, (since I am a South African who has lived in Israel/Palestine for only a fairly short period of time) but in my opinion there is one very important element missing in this region which prevents a peaceful solution from happening – something which South Africans certainly had during this critical period of transition from Apartheid to Democracy: The belief that you can live in peace with your fellow man, and the understanding that we all have to live in social cohesion with each other.
I, and people like me, did not support the first democratic election in South Africa in 1994 because we felt intimidated by the international community, or because we were afraid that the ‘Blacks’ would over-run us – no, we did it because we believed in peace and realised that humanity is more important than politics.
So what if our fellow black citizens are the majority? As long as there is democracy and peace it does not matter whether Black, White, or Yellow people run the country.
Back now to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Is it idealistic to believe that Arabs and Jews can get along together?
Of course it is. But we do not live in the dark ages anymore, either. In fact, living in peace with your neighbor is actually not such a radical idea in this day and age. It is not as if supporters of the one-state solution are proposing to re-invent the wheel here.
As one author has put it: “Why would a one-state solution to the West of the Jordan River, where all the hotheads from both sides would be forced to come to terms with one another under the rule of law, be a more of a mistake than two ethnically based states on a small piece of land where radicals of opposing stripes may rise to power?”
On the other hand, Dov Khenin, a Jewish member of the Knesset’s Arab and communist-inclined Hadash party, sees two states as the only practical path to peace even while sympathising with the ideals of the one-staters. “If the two peoples want to have a binational state, OK,” he says wistfully. “But my impression is that Israelis and Palestinians don’t very much like each other.”
Yes, the Israelis and Palestinians don’t very much like each other; that is no great revelation – I think the whole world got that by now. But neither the Israeli’s nor the Palestinians should be proud of that fact. And if they continue to cling to hatred and unforgiveness – the age-old enemies of mankind – they will sooner or later destroy each other. In short, forgiveness and trust has to come from both sides. But it is true that the first move has to come from the Israeli political elite. Here again, South African history serves as a good example. Without President F. W. de Klerk, Nelson Mandella would most likely still be in prison on Robben Island. It takes two to tango.
True, it is not an easy situation for Israel. But some decision has to be made to bring a just peace to all people living in the region; either a one state or two state solution. But Israel’s stubborness to say ‘no’ to all variants of peace is simply not good enough.
From my experience in South Africa, when I particiapted in the first democatric elections, there was a willingness from the majority of the South Africans citizens to belive in trust and forgiveness.Yes, peace can be achieved by power of will alone! I have personally witnessed and participated in such a miracle. And in the Middle East we need to call for such a miracle as well…
