In various American cities and across the world, supporters of the Palestinian cause have made statements blaming Israel’s efforts to delay a Palestinian state (the 2-state solution) for the Hamas attacks in Southern Israel on October 7. Indeed, the Israeli government has prevented the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and Israeli settlements in and near the West Bank, which are illegal, have contributed to Palestinian hopelessness. The question is whether the murder of more than one thousand civilians in a terror attack is a proper response?
What is needed is a brief review of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship and an answer to what would be a proper response to the Israeli delay in allowing for an independent Palestinian state? Following World War I, Britain was responsible for the Palestinian territory. They promised the land to the Arabs and the same land to the Jews. In 1948, Israel became a nation and Arab armies immediately invaded, hoping to wipe out the fledging country. Some Arabs who lived there were warned by Israeli authorities to leave, while other Arabs were told by Arab authorities to leave temporarily and return once the Arab armies had ended the Jewish state.
Israel survived, and accepted Jewish immigrants from all over the world. Jewish individuals and groups contributed funds to Israel, which were used to create farms,
schools, factories, and cities. Meanwhile, the Arabs who had fled Israel were placed in refugee camps. The oil-rich Arab states contributed to the Palestinian cause – those funds were used to supply weapons to attack Israel and to make payments to the families of ”martyrs” who, as suicide bombers, killed Israelis. When Soviet Jews were permitted to emigrate to Israel, they bought with them advanced technological knowledge which allowed Israel to be at the leading edge of technological development.
People ask why Israel has not allowed the establishment of a Palestinian state? From 1948 until 1967 (a total of 19 years), Egypt controlled Gaza and Jordan controlled the West Bank. Why did these two Arab countries not help establish a Palestinian nation in the land they controlled?
In 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza and the Sinai desert. When Egypt established diplomatic relations with Israel, the Israelis gave the Sinai back to Egypt. It must be noted that the Sinai, at the time, was the sole domestic source for oil in Israel. In 2005, Israel abandoned its occupation of Gaza, physically removed Israeli citizens who did not want to leave Gaza, and left behind all the infrastructure that had been built up there. What did the Palestinians do with that infrastructure?
If the slaughter of civilians is not a proper response for Israel’s hampering the development of a Palestinian nation, what would a proper response be? Imagine thousands of Palestinians and their supporters marching across the world, carrying signs in English, Arabic and Hebrew, demanding the creation of an independent Palestinian state. They could peacefully march day after day. These demonstrations would create pressure on Israel to help realize the 2-state solution. Hopefully, nobody would be killed or kidnapped, but that is not to be expected as long as Hamas has weapons.