Almost nothing can said about justice for Israel and Palestine without discussing the need for a two-state solution. For Israel the need is for safety and security. For Palestine the need is individual freedoms and self-determination.
So many years have passed in search of a solution that a conclusion seems impossible. So many alternatives have been pitched that none seem viable.
The impediments are immense: a distrust between the two peoples, the recurring violence, the intertwined geography with Israeli settlements mixed in among Palestinian areas, Hamas control of Gaza, and conflicting messages from the international community.
George Mitchell’s new book, A Path to Peace, is a thoughtful and detailed analysis of the history of the conflict, with some proposed solutions. But Mitchell’s ideas contain little that is new.
The fact is that neither side wants a settlement bad enough to make major concessions. Until such time that one or both sides become desperate, it is unlikely any agreement will be reached.
For the present, the Palestinians are stuck with their current situation of control by an opposing government. Justice is not in the cards for the Palestinian people.
