IsraelandPalestinianStatehoodContentsOverviewofIsraelandPalestiniansArab-IsraeliConflictsStruggleforPalestinianStatehoodDisproportionateForceIsraeliinfluenceonUSForeignPolicyOverviewofIsraelandPalestiniansAfterWWI,landunderBritishcontrolknownasTrans-JordanwasdesignatedforaJewishHomeland,IsraelAfterWWII,BritainfounditincreasinglydifficulttocontrolduetoinfluxofEuropeanJewsduringtheHolocaust.TheJewishpopulationoftheyettobestatehadrisenfrom11%to33%,withPalestinianremainingthemajority;partlyduenotonlytoEuropeanJewscomingdirectlytothearea,butalsoduetootherstatesturningawayJewishimmigrantsRiotsbrokeoutwithBritainandin1948,aftertheevacuationofBritain,DavidBen-GuriondeclaredIsraeliindependence.ThissetofftheArab-IsraeliconflictArab-IsraeliConflictsIsraelaidedtheBritishandFrenchinseizingtheSinaiPeninsulain1956SixdaywaronJune4th1967PreemptiveStrikeagainstSyria,JordanandEgyptCapturedGolanHeights,GazaStrip,andWestBankasbufferzonesFromJuly1967toAugust1970,EgyptandIsraelfoughtWarofAttritionacrosstheSuezCanal.IsraelhadbeenoccupyingtheSinaiPenn.sincetheSixDayWarThefailureofArabstatesinthiswarledtonon-stateArabactorslikethePLOtomobilize.ThePLOclaimedthatarmedstrugglewastheonlywaytoliberatetheirhomelandIn1973duringtheHoliestDay,YomKippur,EgyptandSyrialaunchedasurpriseattackWarlasted20daysIsraelwon,butsufferedgreatcasualtiesIn1977,EgyptianLeaderAnwarElSadatvisitedIsraelandtwoyearslatersignedtheCampDavidAccords,markingthefirstArabstatetorecognizeIsrael’ssovereigntyIsraelwithdrawfromtheSinaiPeninsulaIn1981IsraeldestroyanIraqnuclearreactorsuspectedofweaponsuseIn1982,IsraelintervenedintheLebaneseCivilWartotakeoutPLObasesthathadbeenlaunchingrocketsatIsraelYitzhakRabinwasservingasPrimeMinister,promisingpeacewithIsrael’sneighbors,wasassassinatedbyafar-rightJewasheleftapeacerallySummerof2006,HezbollahcapturedtwoIsraelisoldiersandsetoffthesecondLebanonWarIsitanerrortoestablishPalestinianStatehood?NoTheestablishmentandrecognitionofaPalestinianstatewouldconfirmthepoliticallegitimacyandlegalequalityofthePalestinianpeople.GrantingStatehoodgivesPalestinianmoreresponsibilityandrightsandgivesthemsomethingtoloseshouldtheycontinuetheirviolence.ThereforetheyarelikelytoquellconflictwithIsraelStruggleforPalestinianStatehoodStruggleforPalestinianStatehoodIsitanerrortoestablishPalestinianStatehood?YesIsrael’sexistenceispermanentlyintolerabletoMuslimbeliefsbasedonDaralHarb(HouseofWar)andDaralIslam(HouseofIslam).AnylandonceacquiredbyDaralIslammustremainwithinitforever.PalestinewasoncepartoftheOttomanEmpireandthusDaralIslam.APalestinianstatewillnotsatisfyIsrael’senemiesAPalestinianStatewouldnotbeafriendoftheUS,itwillbeanenemy.UndertheOsloAccords,IsraelputmuchoftheWestBankunderPAcontrol,anditquicklybecameaterroristentity.Hamaswassoonelectedintopower.EstablishingaPalestinianstatewillnotrectifysupposedhistoricalinjustices.Arabshavebeengiven99.5%ofwhathasbeendemanded,22es.Israelhas8,000esofsovereigntyand2,000indispute.Palestiniandemandswillnotbesatisfiedwithstatehood.Fatah,HamasandHezbollahdefinetheirgoalasthedestructionofIsraelandtheyclingtothatgoalevenwhentheyfighteachotherforcontroloftheareasthatIsraelgivesup.PalestinianapproveoftheHamaslineofsuicidebombingsandmurderofIsraelis.ItwillnotbringpeaceandstabilitytotheMiddleEast.ItwillestablishasovereignnationalbaseforviolentJihad.EveryareafromwhichIsraelwithdrewisnowabaseforterrorismandpreparationformilitaryattackAPalestinianstatewouldbearmedanddangeroustoIsrael.UndertheOsloaccords,whichArafatcomparedtoatreatyMuhammadmadewithanArabiantribethathethenattackedandannihilated,PApolicewastobenomorethan8,000withnoheavyweapons.However,itacquiredaforceof50,000withheavyweaponsDoesIsrael’spolicytheuseofdisproportionateforceviolateinternationallaw?No,Israel’sforceisproportionatetothethreatposedbyitsenemiesIsraelfacedrocketsfiredbyHezbollahintocivilianareasIsraelrespondedbytargetingHezbollahassetsIsraelisfightinganunconventionalwaragainstaterroristorganizationDisproportionateForceDisproportionateForceDoesIsrael’spolicytheuseofdisproportionateforceviolateinternationallaw?YesStatemustmakeadeterminedefforttominimizecollateraldamagegiventheimportanceofthemilitarytargetStatescannotattackenemyciviliantargetsonpurposeandmusttakegreatcaretominimizecollateraldamageAmnestyinternationalconcludedthatIsraelleviedcatastrophicdamageonLebanonHumanRightswatchsaysthatIsraelviolatedthemustfundamentaltenetsofthelawsofwar,thedutytocarryoutattacksononlymilitarytargetsTherewasasystematicfailuretodistinguishbetweenciviliansandmilitarytargetsHumanRightsWatchfoundnocasesthatHezbollahusedciviliansasshieldsThereisalsonoevidencetosuggestthatHezbollahforcesorweaponswereintheareatheIDFtargetedduringorpriortotheattackThereportfoundthattheIDFconsistentlytargetedahighlevelofciviliancausalityforquestionablemilitarygainUSInterestsintheMiddleEastWipingOutTerrorismReigninginRogueStates,IranandSyriaFightingtheIraqWarandNationBuildingWipingOutTerroristThewarinLebanonhas:inflamedAnti-AmericanismIncreasedthenumberofpeoplewillingtodietokillAmericansIncreasesympathyforgroupslikeHezbollahandHamasReigningRogueStatesThewarinLebanonhas:drivenHezbollahandSyriaclosertogetherIncreasedsupportofHezbollahbyIranIranhasmoreofanincentivetopursueitsnuclearoptionsincetheUScontinuestodisplaythreattotheIraniansFightingtheIraqWarandNationBuildingIraqisdominatedbyShiiteTheShiitecompriseHezbollahTherefore,oursupportofIsraelduringthiswarhasoutragedtheShiite,ouralliesinIraq,makingabadsituationworseIsraeliinfluenceonUSForeignPolicyDoesUSforeignpolicybendinfavorofIsrael,outsideofwhatUSnationalinterests?YesGroupslikeAIPACandotherscoupledwithEvangelicalNeoconservativeslikeBauer,Falwell,RobertsonandDeLay,amongotherslobbycongressandexecutivebranchtosupportIsraelTheirflowofpowerisunmatchedbyanyotherinterestgroupTheyalsoworktopreventnegativediscourseaboutIsraelfromgettingafairhearinginthepoliticalarenaTheLobbymanipulatesthemedia,61columnistsandcommentatorswhocanbecountedupontosupportIsraelreflexivelyandwithoutqualification,5fivecanbefoundwouldconsistentlycriticizeIsraelibehavioro