A commentary by Tobias Krämer
When two children fight over a bar of chocolate, you divide it and each child gets half. But if the chocolate was promised to one of the children, has already been shared once, and sharing it again is viewed critically by both, the situation becomes complex. This complexity is often ignored in discussions about the Middle East conflict.
Partitioning the country is the solution that intuitively comes to mind. The question, however, is whether this would be a good solution (Gaza is a stark reminder). For Israel, this solution is dangerous. If terrorist organizations or enemies like Iran were to establish a foothold in Palestine, Israel would be virtually indefensible. For the Palestinians, who want to establish their own state in the "Palestinian territories," this solution is risky. Whether a new nation like Palestine would become a livable state with good prospects is questionable.
This leads to the alternative of a one-state solution: a state of Israel where Palestinians can live freely and have a future. Many who identify as Palestinians but live in Israel are already living this way, and thus a local coexistence is emerging that is reminiscent of Ezekiel 47:21-23. The second alternative: no solution. The conflicting parties are left to their own devices until they learn to find a solution on their own. A difficult but honest (and perhaps even the only) way.
