A peace plan for Jerusalem
The Palestinians have suffered for a long time from Israeli oppression. They have had their lives controlled by Israelis, and land occupied, and have been killed, and have had their livelihood destroyed, and have had much mental anguish.
I am not sure people can fully appreciate that kind of suffering. Your family members being killed and harassed, your children unable to go to school, your daily life controlled by soldiers and cross roads, and being treated without dignity that some would like to give to a human being.
This kind of life can generate much pain. Generation after generation suffering the same conditions. And now, that Hamas has won the elections, democratically, they are not being recognized by the US, and worse yet, they are being called terrorists. When the very people you choose to represent you are being called terrorists, it indicates lack of respect for peoples choice of who they want to speak for them. Israel want to occupy the Palestinians, and tell them who is agreeable to it as Palestinian representatives. This can be understandable, as Israel wants to control the Palestinians.
Israel has insisted on Hamas recognize Israel first. This is like asking someone, to before they negotiate, to give up their bargaining chip.
On the Israeli side, the story of the Jews seems wound up in a long history of suffering. That had nothing to do with the Palestinians. But such history of suffering, can lead one, instead of remembering the suffering of others, to sometimes want to stop feeling the pain of others. Why would a person do that? One reason maybe that they get tired of feeling their own pain, and do not want feel more pain. Feeling and knowing the other persons condition can be painful, and I guess that as human beings, one can feel only so much sympathy with others. Another factor, is conflict of interest. There seems to be a large religious component to it, or a component tied to history and mixed in with religion. It must be hard for someone who believes in a certain set of religious values to relinquish those beliefs, or the things associated with them. Some Jews believe that this land is theirs, and others just like it or want it to be theirs. I don't know. It is all too human.
The bottom line is, the Israelis, those who do not respect the Palestinians, have and continue to inflict great suffering on the Palestinians. And the world watches, and claim to care, except they seem to be helpless. By fear. They claim to respect human dignity, and yet, if so many believe in human dignity, why are all these people so impotent. Why can's people give dignity? Why can't so many people to profess to believe in something, not be able to make it happen? Who is holding them up? Fear of speaking against Israel? Fear of mentioning Jews? And have some Jews used their historic misery to inflict it on the Palestinians.
What have the Palestinian done to the Israelis? Have they gone to Poland to kick them out of there? or have they kicked them out of Germany? What exactly is the problem of those Israelis with the Palestinians? Are these the moral values Israelis claim to have?
For the Israelis and Palestinians who have had enough suffering and want to put an end to this pain, here is a possible solution. The Palestinians would give the Israeli settlers, in addition to current Israeli citizenship, Palestinian citizenship. I am not sure why a Jew from Poland or Russia or the US is entitled to live in Palestinian areas, while a Palestinian who live in these areas and deported or made a refugee cannot live there. Also, the Israelis will do the same for the Palestinians living in Israel and those who have been made refugees, by giving them Israeli citizenship.
As for Jerusalem, it will be an international city with autonomous character. It seems like it has been the city of war, instead of the city of peace, and let it be a symbol of peace for the world to enjoy.
And for the Israelis, that fear that too many Palestinians will effect the balance in population and politics, you would need to ensure you give them a good education in your values, if you believe in those values, so that they will have them. Your destiny will be shared and intertwined.
The other part of this problem is the issue of occupied Syrian Golan. Simultaneously, an agreement between the Syrians and Israelis for Israel to return the occupied Syrian areas, for a complete peace. Peace that would not be signed between leaders, by also a referendum of the Syrians and Israelis. This would not be peace by having a lack of war, but a complete peace were both sides will give all the needed assurances to the other side that this means a complete end of hostilities and start of genuine people to people peace. This means trade, people movement, etc. Let each side enjoy knowing and living with the other side.
The Lebanon - Israel issue over Shabaa Farm area is an issue that can be resolved easily with those two main issue resolved.
On the regional level, Israel also can be given membership in the Arab League.
Israel was defeated in Lebanon by Hizbullah. And Israel has failed to break the Palestinian will which grew stronger to confront Israel with the election of Hamas, instead of getting weaker. Israel has stronger weapons, but the Palestinians and others have been winning the moral and morale battle. Israel has also quieted down its hostile rhetoric against regional states such as Iran for good reason. Iran has become strong, and looks like it will be getting much stronger. All these factors indicate a weakened Israeli position.
If one party would seek to take advantage of such a negotiation with one side, as seems to have happened frequently in the past, paying psychological games, such as by Israel using the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to weaken the Syrian side or the Israeli-Syrian negotiations to weaken the Palestinian side, that would be a sign of bad faith. What Israel should be seeking is assurance for a genuine peace, people-to-people all out peace. What are all the needed agreements for this would be done for each side would be the main focus. The reason for secrecy would be that Israel would not use the mere talk of an agreement as a weakening of the will of the other side, as Israel seems to have done frequently in the past. This is not going to be a game. These decisions would be the decision of very courageous leaders who want genuinely to have peace and are willing to go all out for it.
Both sides can choose to keep fighting, or can make a genuine peace. Israel does not have to recognize Hamas, and Hamas does not have to recognize Israel. Leaders or their proxies can talk between themselves in complete secrecy, for an all or nothing solution. These leaders would have the courage to make such an agreement, and to put it to a referendum to be voted on by Palestinians and Israelis on the same day. This is one idea that can be a winner, if leaders have the courage to challenge their citizens with it.
This idea came at the expense of those who paid for it, on my behalf, with their suffering,
Jamil Kazoun