Why a one state solution will not result in the loss of Israel.
First, I need to make sure people understand: I am about to say some things that you won’t like, but think of it like ripping off the bandaid instead of peeling it slowly. You also need to understand, I am not Christian, I ascribe to no apocalyptic theology saying that Israel needs to go boom for the messiah to come or any other such foolishness. I believe Israel has spiritual significance to me insofar as it’s an example to every indigenous people struggling to go home. The Jews have given us the blueprint and I don’t believe most of you even realise what a gift to the world that really is. So my apologies if some of the things I say are not gentle, because I believe you need to hear them.
Israel does not exist in a vaccuum, in fact it exists in a very hostile neighbourhood, nobody will dispute that. Israel often must walk a very fine line or risk an all-out war, nobody will dispute that.
I believe, however, two of what have been Israel’s most intransigent neighbors finally understand that a peaceful, non-expansionist neighbor is far preferable to one who will kill you for not being “Muslim enough”. This changes the dynamics of this entire argument. So let’s look at some facts, not opinions mind you, but facts.
Fact One: Israel has a lawful, legal and moral claim to the ancestral lands of the Jewish people.
The league of nations mandate still holds legal validity under article 80 of the UN charter. Period. This is a fact. Jewish claims to any land taken in the Six Day War also hold validity as land taken from an illegal occupier (Jordan, Egypt & Syria) in a defensive war. FACT. I don’t think I even need to get into the fact that Israel also has valid claims according to indigenous rights and rights of longstanding presence. There are also more and more Muslims waking up to the fact that the Koran states clearly that Israel is the land of the Jews. Hard to argue against your own holy books I suppose.
Fact Two: No NATION other than the Jewish Nation has ever claimed the area as its own homeland.
The proof of a Jewish ancestral homeland is beyond dispute, with archaeological and historical evidence being incontrovertible. The other claimants base their claim solely on longstanding presence after conquering the ancestral lands in the 7th century or extremely nebulous blood ties. They have no cultural claims, no religious claims and no traditional claims; in fact their very claim that it is “Palestinian” ancestral land is completely based on nebulous blood ties at best, outright fabrication at worst. A significant proportion of the Arab populations immigrated into Israel AFTER modern Zionism became a movement.
Fact Three: Hostile populations have been reconditioned drastically before.
Post WW2, the United States rapidly re-educated and rebuilt Japan: within two decades they were able to completely withdraw. They used a combination of education, massive influx of capital and outside-of-the-box thinking, so we know that such a paradigm change is possible if done correctly. Remember the Japanese were openly hostile. I won’t even get into the whole “but the Arabs will outbreed us” argument – the numbers simply don’t support that assertion, and let’s be honest, Israel is surrounded by Arab countries who outnumber them more than 100-to-1, yet Israel exists.
Fact Four: The Jewish people are known for being excellent innovators and outside-the box-thinkers.
As a people who have won more Nobel prizes per capita than any other group, I am reasonably certain that if they were focused on viable solutions, the issue would be solved quickly. It is clear that the current “solutions” being proposed haven’t worked. I am willing to put my faith behind Jewish ingenuity and innovation, are you?
Fact Five: Arabs are increasingly understanding that being perpetual refugees harms them.
Increasing numbers of Arabs are starting to see that being perpetual refugees is not only wrong but harmful to their people. Men like Bassem Eid are openly challenging the status quo of the Palestinian Arabs being nothing more than weaponised refugees. They have stated openly that dignity is more important than saving face, and that living in peace and prosperity with the ability to provide for and educate ones children is far better than living in squalor and being pawns in a struggle that has no relevance any more.
Fact Six: Demonising the Jews is folly.
Much of the Muslim world is beginning to realize the folly of demonizing a group of people who are no threat to your own people while a real extant threat actually exists. The issue of extremism in a religion like Islam is real; it is now not only a threat to the West, but it’s a bigger threat to actual Muslim countries who are seeing significant support for ISIS inside their own borders. More moderate regimes and even regimes like the Saudi and Yemeni regimes are starting to understand that giving money to extremists never pays off in the end. Now they find themselves in the crosshairs and are having epiphanies that the Jews make far better allies than enemies against the rise of extremism. This creates a better environment for Israel to exercise its sovereignty over all its ancestral lands.
Fact Seven: Iran is going to get a nuke.
Not one single country in the Middle East was happy with the Iran deal. Nobody wants the suicidal kid in class to be given a bomb, especially when that kid has openly told everyone else that he wants to bring on Armageddon. Rich people don’t usually worry too much about getting to visit Allah and get 72 virgins – they would rather enjoy their lives on earth – so even the other Muslims are looking at who will have enough stones to prevent Iran from nuking the Middle East and guess what? Only one country has the technology and the will to use it. I will give you a hint, it rhymes with the Jews.
Fact Eight: Jews are stubborn.
Seriously, people have been trying to get Jews to assimilate for almost as long as there have been Jews. Your entire history is about people trying to kill you, trying to force assimilation and you somehow prevailing (and then eating, but that’s another article).
So can anyone tell me why they would believe that adding a couple million Arabs to the greatest concentration of Jews in the world, on their ancestral homeland and in proximity to the Jewish sacred places, will result in something that has been tried by the enemies of the Jews for millennium? Seriously, that anyone believes that assimilation will be the result of one state, hasn’t paid any attention to Jewish history. You have always found ways to integrate and not assimilate even in diaspora. You maintained your nation in exile for TWO THOUSAND YEARS – think about that. Now you believe that a couple million Arabs coming into YOUR ancestral homeland, bringing hummus and tabbouleh is gonna turn you Arab? No.
Fact Nine: You are Jews.
I have never seen a more contrary, stubborn stiff-necked bunch outside of my family reunions. If I told you guys the sky was blue, I would get several replies that no it is in fact aquamarine, or cobalt or that it only appears blue because of the visible light spectrum, I might get a few agreeing with me just to throw me off, but it’s your nature to argue! Heck, the name of your nation translates to “wrestles with god” or something, so anyone who doesn’t like arguing probably won’t get along with Jews. But I’m Metis, and we argue with everyone, so I like you people; you remind me of my own folks. Anyway, you argue with everyone all the time, even yourselves, so why stop now? By arguing you learn, by learning you move forward, by moving forward you make things better. I think that’s the whole light unto the nations thing, but I don’t know. I could be wrong, after all I am not Jewish.
There is no Fact Ten.
By the way there are only nine facts because I didn’t want people thinking I’m trying to be like Moses, I have enough trouble trying to figure out how to lead my own people, plus I didn’t want anyone telling me to get lost. I guess long story short, you need to understand that Israel exists, and Israel will continue to exist, and you should know that there are a lot of us who are very happy about that.
