__________________
"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left."
Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)

They tried that for years, it didn't help. I remember how they used to have demonstrations and strikes and so on and got nothing for it. Only a fool continue to try a solution that obviously dosen't work. Also remember that the first Intifada was a lot less aggressive then the current one. What't the point in telling someone: "You are mean, you hurt me" if you get the answer: "So what, who cares? I control the media so the world knows that you are the evil one."

The "country" the Palestinians are being offered right now is completely unviable. The new state would be almost completely dependant on Israel's goodwill. It would be like the "new" countries created under the Apartheid in South Africa.

Ah the cynic you...

Basic Premise
A bi-national state would exist for the time period of 10 years in which there would be a reconfiguration of the shared space of Palestine-Israel. During that time period, Israel and the US would work with Palestinians to plan, implement programs and build the infrastructure needed to maintain a sovereign Palestinian nation while working to build a respect and working relationship between both peoples. This reconfiguration would based on the current demographic distribution of both populations and the need to accommodate the returnees from the exiled Palestinian population.
The Palestinian state would include the population of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Bir es Saba’ region in the south. The Palestinian state would absorb the bulk of exiled Palestinians based on a new territorial configuration that reflects the current demographic distribution of Israelis and Palestinians. Each of the states would have sovereignty over its territories and have its own legislative council. Residents of each state would fall under the jurisdiction of that state regardless of their ethnicity.
Details
From the signing of the agreement, there would be permanent committees would be created to deal with issues concerning both nations. The councils would be manned equally by Palestinians and Israelis as well as a small contingent of US personnel to act as intermediaries. These councils would handle the following issues:
Infrastructure: provide services to both states such as energy and power facilities, water and irrigation, interstate highways and transportation, postal services, communications, and economic development and immigration.
Ethnonational Relations Commission: would regulate social, civil, economic, and interfaith relations between the two societies. For this union to succeed, it must be based on mutual respect by both peoples and their authorities to every citizen of the country regardless of ethnicity. The following measures are proposed to promote normalization and diffuse tension between the two peoples:
 Anti-discrimination Commission: would establish and administer an anti-discrimination commission that monitors the conduct of private and public institutions with respect to race and ethnicity. No discrimination of any kind would be permitted against the inhabitants of either state on the basis of race, religion, language, or gender.
 Residency: Any citizen from either state can establish residence in the other state accepting the laws and regulations of that state after the transitional period of this arrangement.
 Equal Opportunity: All citizens of both states would have equal opportunities for employment in all private sectors of either state.
 Language: All citizens of either state or the District of Jerusalem would be free to use any language in private intercourse, commerce, press, or publications of any kind.
 Freedom of Worship: Freedom to all citizens to exercise all forms of worship, while observing public order and public morale, would be granted by both states and the District of Jerusalem.
 Freedom of Religion: No measures would be made by either state or by the District of Jerusalem to obstruct the enterprise of religion or charitable organizations of any faith.
 Commerce: Businesses from both states would have the right to branch out to either state observing the local laws and regulations.
 Property: All citizens of the country would have the right to buy and sell property to any other citizen from either state.
 Land Acquisition: All institutions that work to acquire land and territory for political intentions would be suspended and prevented from such acquisition.
 Immigration: The Federal Union would set new immigration laws to replace the Israeli Law of Return that would apply the same measures to immigration applicants regardless of religion or ethnic background.
Refugee Returnee Commission: form a special commission in order to address the placement of refugees wishing to return. The majority of the Palestinian returnees would be accommodated in the proposed Palestinian state. Returnees wishing to resettle in territories designated for the Israeli state would have the right to do so based on feasibility and regional planning.
Language. The Arabic and Hebrew languages would both be the official languages of the both states. All documents, records, announcements and publications would be published in both languages.
Currency. Both the states of Palestine and Israel would introduce a single currency system and administer one central bank.
Trade. There would be completely free trade between the two states, and between either state and the district of Jerusalem.
State Authority
Citizenship. All permanent residents of each state would have the right of citizenship of that state. Residents of a state may elect to maintain citizenship of the other state, but are subject to the judiciary system of the state in which they establish permanent residency.
Flag. Each state would have its own flag and national anthem.
National Holidays. Each state would adopt its own national holidays and celebrations.
Legislative Council. Each state would have its own legislative council elected by all citizens of that state regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.
State Government. The elected state council would form an executive state government that would administer the following areas:
Police and Internal Security: All matters of internal security, maintaining order and law enforcement would be conducted by the local state police.
Education: Each state would provide education for all of its citizens in its own language. Each community would reserve the right to maintain its own private schools for the education of its members in their own language, while conforming to the local state educational requirements and general regulations, shall not be denied.
Social Services: Each state would be responsible for providing health care and social services for its citizens.
Military: Each state would have the right to establish their own armed forces. The US and Israel would assist the Palestinians in the creation of their own armed forces. This does not necessarily include the sharing of arms.
Economic Planning & Urban Planning. During the 10 year period prior to Palestinian sovereignty, Israel and the US would assist the Palestinians in the planning and implementation of a stable Palestinian economy and public planning programs. After the 10 year period, each state would initiate and implement its own economic planning and development projects.
Judiciary System. The legislative council of each state would set its own laws and regulations that respect the civil, social and religious rights of all residents of the state on a non-discriminatory basis.


-Demosthenes

Basic Premise
A bi-national state would exist for the time period of 10 years in which there would be a reconfiguration of the shared space of Palestine-Israel. During that time period, Israel and the US would work with Palestinians to plan, implement programs and build the infrastructure needed to maintain a sovereign Palestinian nation while working to build a respect and working relationship between both peoples. This reconfiguration would based on the current demographic distribution of both populations and the need to accommodate the returnees from the exiled Palestinian population.
The Palestinian state would include the population of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Bir es Saba’ region in the south. The Palestinian state would absorb the bulk of exiled Palestinians based on a new territorial configuration that reflects the current demographic distribution of Israelis and Palestinians. Each of the states would have sovereignty over its territories and have its own legislative council. Residents of each state would fall under the jurisdiction of that state regardless of their ethnicity.
Details
From the signing of the agreement, there would be permanent committees would be created to deal with issues concerning both nations. The councils would be manned equally by Palestinians and Israelis as well as a small contingent of US personnel to act as intermediaries. These councils would handle the following issues:
Infrastructure: provide services to both states such as energy and power facilities, water and irrigation, interstate highways and transportation, postal services, communications, and economic development and immigration.
Ethnonational Relations Commission: would regulate social, civil, economic, and interfaith relations between the two societies. For this union to succeed, it must be based on mutual respect by both peoples and their authorities to every citizen of the country regardless of ethnicity. The following measures are proposed to promote normalization and diffuse tension between the two peoples:
 Anti-discrimination Commission: would establish and administer an anti-discrimination commission that monitors the conduct of private and public institutions with respect to race and ethnicity. No discrimination of any kind would be permitted against the inhabitants of either state on the basis of race, religion, language, or gender.
 Residency: Any citizen from either state can establish residence in the other state accepting the laws and regulations of that state after the transitional period of this arrangement.
 Equal Opportunity: All citizens of both states would have equal opportunities for employment in all private sectors of either state.
 Language: All citizens of either state or the District of Jerusalem would be free to use any language in private intercourse, commerce, press, or publications of any kind.
 Freedom of Worship: Freedom to all citizens to exercise all forms of worship, while observing public order and public morale, would be granted by both states and the District of Jerusalem.
 Freedom of Religion: No measures would be made by either state or by the District of Jerusalem to obstruct the enterprise of religion or charitable organizations of any faith.
 Commerce: Businesses from both states would have the right to branch out to either state observing the local laws and regulations.
 Property: All citizens of the country would have the right to buy and sell property to any other citizen from either state.
 Land Acquisition: All institutions that work to acquire land and territory for political intentions would be suspended and prevented from such acquisition.
 Immigration: The Federal Union would set new immigration laws to replace the Israeli Law of Return that would apply the same measures to immigration applicants regardless of religion or ethnic background.
Refugee Returnee Commission: form a special commission in order to address the placement of refugees wishing to return. The majority of the Palestinian returnees would be accommodated in the proposed Palestinian state. Returnees wishing to resettle in territories designated for the Israeli state would have the right to do so based on feasibility and regional planning.
Language. The Arabic and Hebrew languages would both be the official languages of the both states. All documents, records, announcements and publications would be published in both languages.
Currency. Both the states of Palestine and Israel would introduce a single currency system and administer one central bank.
Trade. There would be completely free trade between the two states, and between either state and the district of Jerusalem.
State Authority
Citizenship. All permanent residents of each state would have the right of citizenship of that state. Residents of a state may elect to maintain citizenship of the other state, but are subject to the judiciary system of the state in which they establish permanent residency.
Flag. Each state would have its own flag and national anthem.
National Holidays. Each state would adopt its own national holidays and celebrations.
Legislative Council. Each state would have its own legislative council elected by all citizens of that state regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.
State Government. The elected state council would form an executive state government that would administer the following areas:
Police and Internal Security: All matters of internal security, maintaining order and law enforcement would be conducted by the local state police.
Education: Each state would provide education for all of its citizens in its own language. Each community would reserve the right to maintain its own private schools for the education of its members in their own language, while conforming to the local state educational requirements and general regulations, shall not be denied.
Social Services: Each state would be responsible for providing health care and social services for its citizens.
Military: Each state would have the right to establish their own armed forces. The US and Israel would assist the Palestinians in the creation of their own armed forces. This does not necessarily include the sharing of arms.
Economic Planning & Urban Planning. During the 10 year period prior to Palestinian sovereignty, Israel and the US would assist the Palestinians in the planning and implementation of a stable Palestinian economy and public planning programs. After the 10 year period, each state would initiate and implement its own economic planning and development projects.
Judiciary System. The legislative council of each state would set its own laws and regulations that respect the civil, social and religious rights of all residents of the state on a non-discriminatory basis.


-Demosthenes

A very nice elaborate plan, but it would fail. Simply because the US is no longer a neutral mediator as it was in Oslo, now the Bush administration has taken a clear leap in Middle East policy to clearly support Israel, and as such the Palestinians would refuse such a settlement.

Also almost all of the provisions of the proposed agreement would be completely unacceptable to Israel.

I'd present some counter-proposals, but Finland's playing now.

Sporklord,


As sad as it is to say this, I believe you are right. The US is no longer an impartial third party as it was in Oslo and also in Dayton. Bush has made it clear that he backs the Israelis. But he backs them not because he believes thier cause, but it is because he needs the Jewish vote to be re-elected. Also, there will never be peace in Israel until Israel is willing to accept the need for a sovereign Palestine and palestinians are willing to acknowledge a soverieign Israel. Too bad it is not likely to happen in the near future without some serious outside pressure.

-Demosthenes

That did summarize the current dilemma with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict quite nicely. TThis conflict is likely to extend for the forseeable future, unfortunately.

Ok your plan seems good enough, but somewhat beside the point. Israel already has a Constitution now what it needs is a system of checks and balances...

Oh and this is random, but I doubt Orson Scott Card would enjoy being plagiarized with your use of Demosthenes and Locke....

__________________
Save the environment! Plant a Bush back in Texas.
The last time people listened to a bush, they ended up wandering around the desert for 40 years.

The window is indeed closed for now. With the combination of Sharon, Bush and Arafat all we are left with is a well staffed ship of fools...

oc