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June 18, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 1, 2004 Historical understanding of a messy divorce Recently, the Tidings published a series of Letters to the Editor regarding the Palestinian/Israeli conflict that reveal serious misconceptions about the origins of this conflict. Although I don't mean to minimize the seriousness of this life and death struggle, it reminds me somewhat of my Aunt Jesse's divorce. Here's the story: Upon separating from my uncle, my aunt proposed a settlement based on the court's formulas and guidelines at that time. Because of my uncle's feelings of anger, shame and a desire for revenge, he rejected it and demanded a settlement that would have made my aunt's life impossible. Over the next year, agonizing events occurred, the children were affected by the animosity as he tried to turn them against their mother and the lawyers were paid a lot of money. Ironically, in the end, the final agreement left my uncle with even less than my aunt's original proposal. So, how does this sad tale relate to the conflict in the Mideast? In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan for Palestine - in essence, a divorce settlement. Jews and Arabs had been living together in a rocky marriage under the Ottoman Empire and British Mandate for many years. The Palestinian Jews, accepting the plan, established the State of Israel in 1948 while the Arab nations rejected the plan. Tragically, after 55 years of subsequent war and terror, the Palestinians will get much less land than originally offered in the U.N. Mandate of 1947. Since then, thousands have died, the Palestinian economy lies in ruins, Israelis live in the West Bank and Gaza, the children and grandchildren of both sides are psychologically devastated and the U.S., Britain, France and Russia have prospered handsomely from weapons sales. Can it get much sadder? Yes. The divorce of the Jews and Arabs of Palestine was considerably worsened by "the family getting involved", i.e. the Arab states. Had the resolution been left simply to the Jews and Arabs of Palestine, though emotional and painful as all divorces are, it would have been resolved long ago. It was the Arab nations who rejected the U.N. partition plan and attacked Israel in 1948 and who even opposed Jordan's effort in 1950 to annex the West Bank. It was the Arab nations who again amassed to attack Israel in 1956, 1967 and 1973, and who, aside from Jordan, never provided any meaningful assistance to the Palestinian refugees even though many had left Israel at their behest. And the Arab nations most certainly didn't pressure Arafat to accept or even negotiate the significant Barak/Clinton offer at Camp David in 2000 (though Saudi Prince Bandar told him it was best deal he could hope for). Even today, Lebanon is lobbing missiles over the Israeli border, Syria officially sponsors Hezbollah and Hamas, Saudi Arabia pays families of suicide bombers, Egypt is broadcasting its version of the Protocols of Zion (all working to turn their children against the divorced party) and whatever Iran is up to, you can be sure it is pointed straight at Israel. This conflict would end if the Arab nations would accept Israel's existence and insure the security of her borders. Negotiating with Arafat will accomplish little because it's really the Arab nations who continue the state of war with Israel and keep the pot boiling. How sad that the Palestinians continue to be pawns of the Arab states. Consider the economic development and focus on education and social welfare that could have advanced an Arab Palestinian nation established 55 years ago. Like my uncle, they could have gotten on with their lives. Susan Wilson Talent DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams