A Look at the Israel-Palestine Conflict

The breakdown of the peace process in the Middle East due to escalation of violence in Palestine has once again brought forth the complexity of the situation. Both Israel and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital and it seems odd enough that they could exist as two separate states.

After the second world war, the Jews realizing that they needed a homeland went to Trans-Jordan and settled there. Due to frequent clashes between Jews and Arabs, the United Nations created four states out of Trans-Jordan, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Later due to various wars between Jews and Arabs, the size of Israel tripled.

Now the Palestinians are demanding an independent state carved out of the New Israel with Jerusalem as their capital, which is sacred to both the Jews and Arabs. The main issues involved are ownership and allocation of water resources, borders of the new Palestinian state, the question of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, and the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in Israel.

The main problem with the peace process is that both sides have too many reservations about the issues. Taking advantage of this extremists on both sides succeeded in derailing the entire process. The majority of Jews and Arabs are for a peace settlement, but the main issue is the question of homeland. Dividing the land will surely be a painful process since relocation of people will surely bring a lot of resentment among both the communities.

Till then, Palestinian suicide bombers will continue to wreak havoc on Israel's streets and the Israeli army will be pounding Palestinian cities. Israel says that there will be no discussions unless the violence stops.

Both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority should sit down at the negotiating table and try to diffuse the crisis. Until that happens the periodic violence rocking the Holy Land will continue undiffused and reach catastrophic levels.