Fields: My Solution For The Middle East
BY SAM FIELDS
Guest Columnist
(Sam Fields is a Fort Lauderdale lawyer and a guy who thinks a lot. Today he is thinking about the Middle East.)
Christmas came late to the Middle East.
But it was one hell of a gift. It was the reality that the two state solution, which is backed by almost everyone, is dead.
All doubt was removed when Mahmoud Abbas — legally the President of Palestine, but effectively the President of the West Bank — blamed Hamas for the Israeli air strikes.
Think of the Pope proclaiming: “Jesus had it coming.
In a part of the world where the leaders never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, they just can’t blow this.
It is no exaggeration to say that Abbas has more problems with Hamas than Israel. After all, Hamas will never be a position to overthrow the Israeli government, but they could overthrow Abbas.
Israel needs to sign a final agreement with Abbas that leaves Gaza out of it.
With the passage of time, the peace and prosperity that will develop on the West Bank could undermine the Hamas loonies. At best, they will be more and more isolated
It is a situation not unlike East and West Germany. Government instability in East Germany came from its people seeing how much better it was on the other side of the wall.
There is even a simple solution to the Jewish settlers on the West Bank. Return to the 1967 borders but let them stay.
They will become citizens of Palestine. Or if they don’t like that they can move back to Israel and receive reasonable compensation for lost property.
Don’t blow it guys.
December 28th, 2008 at 11:04 am
No country but Israel is expected to put up with rockets hitting them without striking back. If The Bahamas was sending missiles into Florida, how long would they get away with it? The Israelis have the right to defend themselves.
December 28th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I agree.
It has now emerged that Israel has a different postion vis-a-vis the West Bank and Gaza. Accordingly they should develop a divide and conquer strategy.
In Gaza the violence is coming from Hamas. On the West bank it is coming from the Israeli settlers. Israel needs to cutoff contact with both of them.
They are both extremist groups. I see no reason that Israel allows any supplies or utilities into Gaza or subsidy and military backup on the West Bank
December 28th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It is amazing to me that a self-proclaimed liberal like you would condone the murder of innocent Palestinians. Isn’t it amazing that liberals are against military action except when it comes to fascist Israel.
December 28th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Dear Mr. Right,
I was unaware that liberal equates with pacifist. Perhaps you forgot about WWII and FDR? It was in all the newspapers
As I pointed out even Mahmoud Abas said that Hamas started this round of violence.
Like the Germans who elected Hitler, the Gaza population voted in Hamas. They can’t divorce themselves from the actions of the government they elected. They can’t legitimately complain about the impact on the population.
And by the way, Gaza, like virtually all Muslim countries, is a repressive shithole. I notice they don’t have a problem controlling illegal aliens. Who the hell would want to live their.