The current debate over the establishment of a Palestinian State has taken on an ironic twist. Recently the Palestinians have sought to gain recognition from the United Nations and thus are playing an end-around the Middle East Peace negotiations. Then again, those negotiations have been stalled for decades. That is precisely the point raised by the Palestinians.
The Israelis and the United States object to this maneuver. And here is where I find the irony. This small section of Planet Earth has had a long, tumultuous history that pre-dates the Bible itself. This history is so long and complicated that I am going to over-simplify things here and attempt to present the situation as it existed following World War I.
The now-defunct League of Nations created the "Mandate for Palestine" effective September 26, 1923. Essentially it established two States: one known as "Palestine" was placed under direct British rule; the other called "Transjordan" was given autonomous rule. Almost immediately a movement developed with the intent of creating an autonomous homeland for the Jewish people, a movement known as Zionism.
Following World War II, and fueled by the horrors of the Holocaust, Zionism gained international support. The newly formed United Nations took up the issue and, in 1947, passed Resolution 181 that established the sovereign Nation of Israel and a separate, sovereign nation of Palestine, both carved out of a section of the former Mandate for Palestine. The Resolution passed by a very narrow margin. The boundaries that were established were odd and intertwined, which did not help the situation. The region of Jerusalem and Bethlehem would remain under international control and not be granted to either Israel or Palestine. The details were complicated and controversial.
Almost as soon as the Resolution passed it was tested by a declaration of war between Israel and an alliance of Arab neighbors. When it ended Israel looked very much like it does today, minus the West Bank (which went to Transjordan) and the Gaza Strip (which went to Egypt). Palestine was left with nothing. Next came the famous 6-Day War of 1967. In a flurry Israel walked away with control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Again, Palestinians had nothing they could call their own.
Ever since the 6-Day War there have been so-called "Peace Talks" or attempts at "Peace Talks" aimed at creating an independent, sovereign State of Palestine. Occasionally some headway is gained, but in the larger scheme of things the goals have always remained unfulfilled. How long should a people wait on a process that has proven to be impotent for over 44 years? Rightly or wrongly the Palestinians have sought to pursue an alternate route by returning to the United Nations.
It makes sense, I suppose. The United Nations is the authority that created the State of Israel and, originally, a Palestinian State. Interestingly, the United States cast the deciding vote that made this possible. Now, some sixty-four years later, the Palestinians have returned to the UN in hopes of gaining what was promised to them. But whom should they find standing in the way? None other than the United States of America. The same country that cast the deciding vote sixty-four years earlier now goes on record to declare their opposition to such a plan through the United Nations! It is significant to point out that the United States is not opposed to a sovereign Palestinian State. They just feel that it should be established through Peace Talks and negotiations.
In a perfect world the U.S. is correct in their thinking. If the Peace Talks successfully reach an accord in which the Palestinians are granted their own land and the opportunity to govern themselves accordingly, there is a greater chance for success. Such an accomplishment would be born out of mutual support by the two major players - Israel and Palestine. It would be built from the bottom up, which is always preferable to any edict issued from the top down (i.e. coming from the United Nations and forced upon the players.)
This, however, is not a perfect world. While Israel claims they are not opposed to a free and sovereign Palestine their actions indicate otherwise. Rather than taking steps toward that goal Israel continues to build settlements in the disputed territories and maintain a constant military presence in the West Bank. One would think that 44 years would be enough time to reach a diplomatic goal if all parties were serious about a solution. Instead there is an ominous cloud of doubt hanging over the real intentions of Israel. One could say that they hold all the cards - or all the land, as it were - and thus have no motivation to change the status quo.
Perhaps the only real solution is return to the United Nations - but not in the manner that is currently being pursued by the Palestinians. The more logical option is to ask the United Nations to reaffirm Resolution 181 and hold all its members accountable for respecting it. Resolution 181 established two sovereign States, not one. It is time to face the facts and return to the terms and conditions that graciously permitted Israel and Palestine to co-exist in the modern world. If Israel cannot agree to her birthright, then perhaps she needs to surrender it.
And the United States had better refresh its memory and realize that this was the solution it endorsed in 1947 when she cast the deciding vote to usher in this era. To deny it now would be to call into question American integrity in the International Community.
G. D. Gehr
November 3, 2011
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