There is no question of the long history of the Jewish People, their claim to the Land of Israel and their return in 1948. The Arab/Israeli unrest from 1948 to the present is not about who has the right to live where, but the Israeli system of government and whom it
represents. The Israeli governing bodies are based on religion and that religion is Judaism. The Israeli system incorporates Jewish symbols such as our national anthem - Hatikva - which speaks of the return of the Jewish People to their homeland. Who but the Jewish People can sing the words of this national anthem? The Star of David, our flag, and the Menorah, the symbol
of Israel from the Jewish Temple, represents the pride and nationalism of the Jewish People for Israel and rightfully so.
There are approximately two and a half million Palestinian Arabs in Israel and the territories. The Israeli government should apologize to the non-Jewish population - Muslims, Christians and other minorities for
having issued them Israeli citizenship which they cannot identify with. Our cultural differences create animosity, animosity leads to hate and hate is a dead end.
Every person wants to have their own sense of pride, dignity and nationalism. Therefore, Israel needs to take the initiative for the non-Jewish Arab majority population and create a Palestinian State from Judea, Samaria and Gaza (not a land that is divided into territorial sections needing military police on both sides that would constantly cause tension - no different then the situation that now exists and which no nation can accept) - giving the Arabs and us a realistic solution.
The Israeli Arabs, who belong to the Palestinian nation, and non-Jews who live in Israel may continue to reside there and be granted RESIDENT STATUS which means personal, civil and, religious rights (which they already
have). The Israeli Arabs, with the creation of a Palestinian State, will also have the right to vote for their leaders in their new homeland as citizens of Palestine and not in the Israeli Knesset. If we don't include the Palestinian Israeli Arabs with the West Bank/Gaza Palestinian Arabs in the solution for stability now, we will be faced with creating a second
Palestinian state in Israel. After all, the Palestinian People are one nation.
There is also the possibility that under Israel's democracy, the Palestinian Arabs could drop their demand for a state, choose Israeli citizenship and
demand new elections. What would we do then? It is very unlikely, but not impossible, that 200 settlements will be dismantled in order to create a Palestinian State. We are leaving ourselves and the Palestinians with no way out. It is time for Israel to focus on the 53-year cause of the problem rather then the consequences of today. Let us implement this with dignity and wisdom, not through submission and despair. In the eyes of the world we are
seen as a democracy. This will be slightly altered if we are to live as we truly are, a Jewish State. We must be true unto ourselves. If the Israeli/Palestinian issue is not resolved in the very near future, we will see the destruction of the State of Israel. Military force against the Palestinians has not brought us a solution.
There is no justification in holding onto the occupied territories in the face of terror, death and economic destruction. The covenant that God made
with the Jewish People regarding the Land of Israel is forever no matter who occupies it. We must compromise for now and change our way of thinking for the survival
of the State of Israel. The OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM, the City of God, should not belong to anyone but
God. It should be maintained by all the religious representatives until God says otherwise. No man should ever fight or die for Jerusalem again. The
Old City of Jerusalem should be kept as it is. It is just a matter of maintaining it for generations to come.
God gave the whole world to mankind. One square mile - the Old City of Jerusalem, the City of God - should be left in peace. The Old City of Jerusalem should be internationalized and self-governed. How do we begin to make a change? There are too many political parties in the Knesset. By raising the per centage of votes significantly, agreed upon by referendum by the citizens of Israel, and shortly after to hold new elections, a significant reduction in parties will strengthen the
government of Israel to make decisive, realistic and political solutions for the times we are living in. All. parties should consider this a vital step that will
benefit Israel and not look for personal gain. As I said above, our whole way of thinking must change.
I've written this article to convince myself, and hopefully others, that there are alternatives to what we see happening in Israel today. The concern of all the Jewish People in Israel and around the world should be
a PLAN for the future survival of the State of Israel before it is too late. When stupidity rules, the soul hurts.
Eliezer Tatz was born in Jerusalem in 1948. Served in the I.D. F.
liad114@hotmail.com
