Ben Johnson COR 330-06

Ben Johnson

The one state solution is an idea that is gaining traction in the Palestinian community and some areas of the Israeli community. The idea for a one state solution is that the state of Israeli and the settlements of West Bank and Gaza will all become one secular state where all people are treated as equals under the law.

http://youtu.be/X97Eb99 siYY?t=2s http://youtu.be/EwJwJt3jJ g8

Ben Johnson

Establishing a secular state that contains both Arabs and Jews in an area that has recently gone through a period of religious revitalization in the government, and that has become more antiIsraeli would no doubt cause some issues.

Many countries in the Middle East changed their governments and positions during the Arab Spring, which caused many countries to adopt a more anti Israeli, Pro Arab stance. This resulted in some countries to dissolve alliances with Israel and take a more militant approach to prove themselves to other Arab states. By removing Israels status as a Jewish nation, and by treating Arabs as equal citizens, the relations between the Israeli/Palestinian state and other Arab nations have a chance to improve and return to a more peaceful dialog.
Some of the major hostility that Israel garnered was that it was a Jewish nation in a primarily Arab area, and that it displaced a nation of Arabs that was already there. Many conflicts that took place between Israel and its neighbors were to either gain the land that Israel had or to support the Palestinians in trying to reclaim their home. The displaced Palestinians also gained the ire of some of the countries that they sought refuge in. By allowing some of the Palestinians who were displaced in the expansions and creation of Israel, neighboring countries will have less cause to be hostile against Israel/Palestine. The idea of a common enemy brings together unlikely allies and alliances. This idea of a common threat or target has created peace between countries that used to be enemies. For a long time in the Middle East, Israel has been this target. It has untied some militaristic Arab countries against what they perceive as a common enemy. If that common enemy no longer exists what will happen to these alliances?

Ben Johnson

Relations between the Arab states that have previously existed with Israel are likely to remain. Israel already has good or at least stable relations with some countries in the Middle East already. Alliances between countries that believe that Iran is a danger have already begun to form. The recent scare has brought the Israel and Saudi Arabia together already against a common threat (Haaretz). Saudi Arabia is historically a supporter of the Palestinian right to sovereignty and has supported peaceful resolutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Saudi Arabia has been a supporter of both peace and the Palestinian state. Saudi Arabia would likely become an ally of the Israel/Palestine state given their history of supporting Palestine and the recent alliance with Israel against Iran. Since both Israel and Saudi Arabia have had problems with Iraq, they are likely to ally with one another to defend themselves. Saudi Arabias relations with Turkey could put a strain on their relationship with the new Israel. Jordan, one of Israels neighbors, used to be enemies with Israel and occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1949, and provided the residents of those areas automatic Jordanian citizenship after annexing those areas in late 1949 after the Arab-Israeli war. Jordan also provided refuge for the displaced Palestinians. In 1988 Jordan gave the west bank to the PLO. Relations between Israel and Jordan have been well since they signed the Israel Jordan Treaty of Peace in 1994. This ended all land disputes between these countries. Since Jordan has helped the Palestinians in the past and is on good terms with Israel, I would assume that they would remain on good terms after Israel and Palestine became one state. Being the only other Arab nation to have signed a Peace treaty other than Israel, I feel that this peace will remain. Lebanon was one of the first Arab nations to purpose an armistice with Israel after the Arad-Israeli war. Since then there have been conflicts between the Lebanese, the Palestinians, and the Israelis. Israel had military bases and occupations in Lebanon up until 2000, where all troops where withdrawn. After the Lebanon War in 2006 it was thought that Lebanon wont sign peace agreements with Israel due to Syrias major influence in the Politics of Lebanon. Lebanon has a dispute with Israel over Natural gas that was found off the coast off the Mediterranean sea. In 2010 there was a clash between Lebanese and Israeli forces that resulted in Israel destroying several Lebanese military outposts. This constant conflict between Israel and Lebanon makes it hard to see either coming to peace with each other. Syrias influence on Lebanon also makes any change in their relation unlikely.

Ben Johnson

The recent developments in the Iranian nuclear program have a lot of Middle Eastern countries worried. This has resulted in some unlikely partnerships by other nations in the area. Iran is a primarily Shia nation which sets it apart form the Sunni majority countries that are prevalent in the Middle East. Along with its new nuclear program, Iran has a history of anti-Zionism. Currently Iran doesnt recognize Israel or even call it by name. The Iranians have been big supporters of a Palestinian state however. Iran has funded groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah in the past to attack Israel and the previous Iranian president often made comments that were taken as threats by the Israeli government. Irans increased nuclear capabilities have made many countries in the region nervous. The fact that the United States is looking to reduce sanctions is also making nations, such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt nervous. The fact that Iran has so much animosity toward the Jewish people makes it hard to see them accepting a state where Palestinians and Jews live together. Iraq has close ties to the Palestinians, both countries having been made from the Ottoman Empire after World War 1. In 1948, Iraq declared war on what would be Israel and since then relations have been hostile. The Iraq has also continually supported the Palestinians since then. Hussein, former leader of Iraq was well known for his anti-Israel stance and his contributions to Palestinian attacks on Israel. After Hussein's down fall, the Iraqi government condemned the attacks during the 2008 Israel-Gaza conflict. Recently Iraq has called on the other members of the Arab League to pressure Israels allies through oil. The Iraqi might end up being neutral toward a secular state, because the Palestinians would be allowed to return to their lands. They might also take exception to that fact that they are sharing the land with the Israeli. The Iraqi relations with Saudi Arabia and their partnership with Iran might also strain relations with other countries. Syria is in a bad way as far as the world is concerned. The current rebellion in Syria and the governments use of chemical weapons have put them on the worlds watch list. Syria has threatened to attack Israel in response to Western support of the rebels forces. Syria and Israel have fought three major wars since each nations establishment. They have no diplomatic relations and are hostile toward one another. While Syria has supported the Palestinians in the past, this was to damage Israel more than to help the Palestinians. The Syrians have attacked the Israeli in the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. Syria has allied itself with Iran after the Lebanon war, where it defended its assets in Lebanon. Syria would never have relations with the Israel even if they became a secular nation.

Ben Johnson

Turkey used to have a fairly good relationship with Israel before the Arab Spring. After the Arab Spring the new government took a more hostile approach toward their relations with Israel. Feeling the need to prove themselves as militaristic to Iran, Syria, and other Islamist allies, they supported the Gaza Strip war and the Gaza Flotilla. Since the relation that Turkey is trying to build is one that is militaristic in supporting other Islamic nations, I dont see relations improving with a secular state that still has a Jewish population. Their aggression against Israel might result in sanctions and actions by the US and UN. Egypt has had close ties to Israel since the signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978. Cairo was even heavily involved the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Since the resignation of Mubarak relations between Iran and Egypt have improved, but after the Military regime was in place that relationship slowed. Irans interest in Egypt is that it would surround Israel with Iranian allies. After the Mubarak stepped down relations between Israel and Egypt were a bit strained, but once the military took over relations returned to normal. Since Egypt has supported the peace process for Israel and Palestine, I believe that they would continue to do so if an Israeli/Palestinian nation came into being. Egypt houses the Arab League headquarters, which might strengthen relations between secular Israel and other Arab states.
Ben Johnson 6

Creating a democratic state where Israelis and Palestinians live together with equal rights and freedoms in a secular state would create some new relations between countries. Creating peace between Israel and Palestine wouldnt bring peace to the middle East, but it would end some minor conflicts in the region. The relations between the nations in the Middle east wouldn't be effected as much as I thought they would be. I was thinking that by ending the Israeli Palestinian conflict more doors for peace would open up, but the conflicts between countries has be going on so long that it didnt make much of a difference. Just because there wouldnt be much change now doesnt mean that it wouldnt happen later. Change is constantly going on over in that area of the world and anything could be possible.

Ben Johnson

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Ben Johnson