The
longstanding and still unresolved TERRITORIAL DISPUTE between Israel and
Palestine has several dimensions. The current nomenclature in legal and
political sciences used the term TERRITORIAL DISPUTE. Yet, the Israel-Palestine
difference is a clear example of an ongoing dispute that has to do with
territory as well as population, government and law domestically, regionally
and internationally.
This
blog series TERRITORIAL DISPUTES originally aimed only to briefly introduce
conceptual elements (first ten posts of the series) and thereafter present a
succinct overview of relevant and current examples. Before we covered the
Israel-Palestine difference, we had addressed Kashmir, the Malvinas/Falkland
islands, and Gibraltar. The plan was to write and publish only ten posts (like
with the rest of the case studies) for the Israel-Palestine difference. Thanks
to the comments made by one of our readers, I decided to extend the assessment
of this particular case study.
Because
of the nature of this series and its platform (a blog), I have covered the
basis in relation to the Israel-Palestine difference and the application of the
EGALITARIAN SHARED SOVEREIGNTY to evaluate a solution. However, there are questions
that are more complex and more serious problems to address. I am addressing
these questions with future dedicated research. To give an answer to these
points deserve a more in depth analysis that will have to include
technicalities in terms of statistical information, methodology and content
based on the disciplines of reference. In addition to this, I do my best to
keep this blog series as accessible as possible for anybody (at least, most
people) to be able to get a grasp and participate in the discussion.
Having
said that, the last 24 posts (all links below) have enabled us to:
· Be familiar
with a brief historical chronology.
· Distinguish
historical facts from religious account.
· Understand
some key domestic, regional and international reasons behind this difference.
· Introduce the concept of
“colourable claim” and explore three different grounds: historical entitlement,
legal basis and moral standing. Its main outcome is that both Israelis and
Palestinians ought to be part of any negotiation concerning the sovereignty (de jure and de facto) over the disputes territories.
· Introduce the solutions
presented in resent years by the United States, United Nations and Arab League.
· Learn that all the
aforementioned solutions suggest explicitly or implicitly partition.
· Assess why partition is not
a recommendable and fair solution.
· Evaluate by means of an
abstract experiment how the EGALITARIAN SHARED SOVEREIGNTY may solve the
difference and could materialise in terms of population, territory, government
and law.
With all this in mind,
three main partial conclusions leave the door open for future reflection and analysis:
1.
Sovereignty of the disputed territories should not be totally in
the hands of only one of the claiming parties either Israel or Palestine.
2.
If existing conditions in terms of sovereignty continue, they will
only perpetuate a status quo and therefore, a legal and political limbo
securing only one result: a volatile area in many ways.
3.
United Nations or any other party alien to the dispute (for
example, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Arab League) should not
interfere.
There
is nothing completely unresolvable if we look together for a solution. Indeed,
if we choose not to solve the difference and we do not look for ways to move
forward we are not going to find it. It is usually the case in this kind of
differences that victory for one party means the other party has to suffer.
When we shift the focus and understand we are all human beings and we are all
fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters doing our best to
let our future generations live in a better world we may have a chance. It is
not only up to Israelis to find a solution. It is not only up to Palestinians
to do it either. It is up to all of us.
Next post will introduce
another TERRITORIAL DISPUTE. In the meantime, links to some informative sites
and the previous posts below.
For an interactive map of TERRITORIAL DISPUTES see
Interactive map by Metrocosm
For current information about TERRITORIAL DISPUTES see CIA’s The World Factbook at:
CIA's Factbook
Previous posts of the TERRITORIAL DISPUTE series (only about the Israel-Palestine difference below):
Previous posts of the TERRITORIAL DISPUTE series (only about the Israel-Palestine difference below):
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