Wednesday, April 1, 2015

The Coming French Resolution at the U.N. Security Council

The Coming French Resolution at the U.N. Security Council is designed to facilitate a Palestinian state.  It will specify the usual parameters.  If the U.S. does not fight it, the resolution will pass by a large margin and be the voice of the world.

This will be a win-win:
  • ·       For the peoples of the world it will move the conflict closer to resolution if by nothing else than providing an updated framework to U.N.S.C. Resolution #242 (1967).

  • ·       For the Israelis it will be an affirmation of Zionism because it will declare Israel’s right to exist.

  • ·       For the Palestinians it will improve their seat at the negotiating table, and this conflict will in the end with a negotiated agreement.

We represent the people of the world in dealing with the Israel-Palestine issue because we are humanists.  As humanists our task is to end, or at least reduce, suffering.  We understand what the Buddha learned 2,600 years ago - that suffering is a characteristic of humanity.  Our pragmatic goal is to maximally reduce suffering.

Millions of Palestinians are suffering in the present situation.  There are two components to suffering:  extend of suffering and time that suffering is imposed.  A negotiated Palestinian state alongside Israel is the most effective path to reducing suffering.  As hard as a 2-state solution will be to obtain, it represents the shortest path to reduce suffering. 

Other options lead to more suffering. 
  • ·       A single apartheid state, with or without a mass expulsion

  • ·       A single democratic state that may emerge at some unknown date.  Present levels of suffering will last longer than the time to a two-state solution, perhaps significantly longer.  And as a single democratic state in which they will lose their majority approaches, I predict that the suffering they impose on Palestinians will steadily increase, and the level of suffering can get far worse than now exists.

Palestinian solidarity activists have two objections.
·       French resolution will leave Israel intact as a racist state.  True, but that is the wrong criteria.  The criteria should be does the resolution reduce suffering, and it does.
·       French resolution essentially backs off a full right of return.  True.  And backing off the full right of return entails suffering.  The people enduring the suffering must make the call if future suffering from losing parts of the right of return adds more suffering than the French resolution will prevent.

Most Palestinians will see reduced suffering if the French resolution is adopted and implemented:

  • ·       2.3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank, 40%$ refugees.  Remove the Israeli boot from their neck.

  • ·       1.8 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, 48% refugees.  Remove the Israeli and Egyptian boots from their neck.

  • ·       0.5 million Palestinians living in East Jerusalem, 40%$ refugees.

  • ·       4.2 million Palestinians, mostly refugees, in Jordan, Lebanon, and who had been in Syria and are now displaced again.

  • ·       1.75 million Palestinian citizens of Israel.  No longer will they be sees as an enemy within, which will help end internal legal and custom discrimination.

That means reduced suffering for 10-1/2 of the 13 million Palestinians world-wide.  That is 81% of Palestinians will see their lives improve.  Less directly the French resolution will reduce suffering for Palestinians in the Diaspora by likely shading public opinion away from Islamaphobia and irrational fear of Radical Islam. 

I also want to address leaving Israel as a racist state.  I remember when I was a sub-teen and a teen and suffered some bullying , not enough to distort my personality, but enough to want it to stop.  And it did stop for whatever reason.  I was thankful and wanted to move on with my life.  I was not obsessed with punishment for the bullier after the bullying ended, nor compensation for my suffering. 


I think that story gives us insight as to how Palestinians, or any people, will react to ending or reducing suffering so they can move on with their lives.

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