The screenshot below is the entire problem, in a nutshell, for all those bewailing the lack of a “political solution” in the Middle East. Israel has, quite demonstrably over the last 12 months, shown that they’re going nowhere and will take violent steps to defend their right to existence. The first step on the path to peace is the acceptance of that. And yes - that’s tough for those Arabs raised on a diet of grudge, historical grievance and hatred. They will have to throw away the keys to grandparents’ houses in what is now Israel, etc. Unfortunately that’s the price you pay for starting and losing wars over land. Realpolitik. I bet all those taking the line below will be the first to yell about “international law”. Israel is legally a state. It will and can defend itself by force of arms (self-defence being also part of international law). It therefore logically follows that the first step must be acceptance of Israel’s existence by all parties. The alternative is a violent and legal response from the strongest military power in the region. Choose. (And yes, there are plenty of other steps to take on both sides. But this is the first.) Mariam is very firmly part of the problem not the solution.
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