Carrying on our last post on the clash of civilizations, we'd like to apply that theory to the Middle East, and, in particular, to the military conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, proposing a peaceful solution to that conflict for the benefit of both sides.
We saw earlier that the Jews are probably sided with the West, and that the West is a distinct cultural sphere, different from that of Orthodoxy or Islam. In very practical terms this means that the artificial creation of a Western State in the heart of the Middle East is by itself destabilizing the area and causing conflict.
We also saw that conflicts between different cultural spheres can carry on for centuries, as the military conflicts in Russia attest. But having the conflict continue for centuries is not at the best interest of any side. Which is why a peaceful solution is to be sought for, a solution that takes into account the cultural differences and identities of the peoples that are involved in the conflict.
At the same time, we should be realistic. Two (or possibly three) peoples already live in the same territory. Thinking the problem will be resolved by having one people out of the area isn't a feasible solution. So, taking for granted that the Israelis and the Palestinians are going to live in that area, we should come up with the best possible solution.
In my view, the solution of two separate States isn't resolving the conflict, because both sides are making a claim for the same territory. That's why the traditional concept of a State with territorial integrity isn't going to take us anywhere. Therefore, it's the way the state is organized that needs to get changed, if we want a peaceful resolution to the problem.
My proposition entails two (or possibly three) distinct States occupying the same territory, with each people being subject to its own State's laws. This transformation of what a State means can resolve the cultural conflict, since the territory will be inhabited by both peoples, and they will be free, without violating the other's right to exist.
Of course, this requires a change of mentality. If all sides insist on their own State's territorial integrity, the conflict will continue and many more human lives will get lost. The clash of civilizations can help us introduce new ideas about what a State means, so that different cultural spheres live autonomously in each other.
It goes without saying that this mutual indwelling comes with new practical challenges. We view them, however, as secondary. What's important is that the mentality gets to changed. Practical issues can be resolved in a productive way. After all, human civilization dealt satisfactory with more difficult problems in the past.
In the hope that our ideas can be useful to the resolution of this crisis, we write this article in English, so that it gets as wide an audience as possible. It is our firm belief that in our era we cannot but develop a sensitivity towards other people's cultural identities. This peaceful resolution of the clash of civilizations is, as far as we can see, the only viable alternative to the barbaric military conflict between the various cultural spheres on planet Earth.
