The problem with Steven's question is this: what are we supposed to do about something that was done decades ago? The British promised that there would be a Jewish state, we know that from the Balfour declaration. They promised the Arabs that they would have their own country, at least so says T.E. Lawrence, who was there, although I think that was all rather vague. The idea of the British making such promises seems quite strange to us these days, but that's the way things were done in those days, and they were shouldering some of the burden of dealing with the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, the "sick man of Europe" and elsewhere.
And now Israel and Palestine are fait accompli, just as Pakistan, India and Kashmir are fait accompli. The problems exist in the here and now.
Going back to 1921 is not possible.
We all know the Palestinians have been bitterly opposed to it from the beginning. However, at the time the land was partitioned, the UN was in charge of it, and the British were maintaining it. The UN voted for the partition, not the Brits. Great Britain abstained.
On the other hand, the UN has voted, repeatedly, that Israel is supposed to go back to the status quo in 1967, so any settlements inside that line are in violation of the UN.
Israel has been attempting to deal with the Palestinians directly, without going through the UN, and we all know where that's got them.
Yes, it's a mess, but it's a mess in real life. Steven lives in his head. The world would be a lovely place if it was like the world in Steven's head, but it's not. |
