It is time to say the obvious: After ten years we can come to the conclusion that these two kids, Israel and Palestine, can’t solve their problems on their own. They have been in this sandbox for too long and they have been hitting each other too hard that by now both are almost bleeding to death. It is time for the referee to step in and tell the sides: you must stop. Your bloodshed is staining the entire universe. Maybe you want to consider Chess instead of boxing?
But who can become this referee? I am counting out France and Italy. I mean, look who these people voted to lead their respective countries. I can’t trust them. England? Didn’t they make the mess to begin with? Besides, sometimes I read and see England’s and Spain’s action toward Israel and I think to myself: If Goebbels was around he would probably telegram them to cool off. So, in my opinion, we are left with Germany. I think its schizophrenic case will is a perfect balance: its guilt will write off its tendency to support the underdog.
But what should Germany do? If I learn something about German people it is that they are very calculated with their money. they earn x amount of money and they know exactly how much they will spend on bills, rent, food and vacations. Maybe a few can afford to live above their means. It a very responsible system, no credit cards to run your dream on.
So how come Germany (and the EU and Japan) is not accounted for the money it pours into the Palestinian hands? for two decades now the world had invested billions in Palestine, and it seems like nobody seems to care where are this billions are gone. It is obvious that Israel carry some of the blame with its restrictions, control of the borders and its horrible bombing, but Israel should also be the example. It was built by people who held a rifle in one hand and worked the fields with the other. There are many negative things to say about Israel but no one can take away the miracle of how it built itself, and how it functions as a normal democracy with all the infrastructures in place.
I expect Germany to say: look, we gave you all this money, but we can’t see any infrastructure here, we can’t see and seeding for the roots of building your own country. And then I expect Germany to reach the most humanist conclusion: freeze most of the money it gives to Palestine and invest it in German companies. Give these companies huge tax breaks and other encouragements and ask them to open new factories in Palestine. The Palestinians will have work places, the companies will have cheap labor force. I understand that this is not so easy, that, just like in Africa, this idea can run and killed by the local bureaucracies, but isn’t worth a try? didn’t we exhausted all the other great ideas of “let’s sit down and talk” and giving unfulfilled ultimatums?
But why do I call it humanist solution if this is pure economic? because I believe that the people living in Gaza or Nablus are not different from me or the average citizen in the West. That all they want to have is a decent job, with a decent salary. That just like me they just want to go to work, come back for dinner with a family, sit down on the balcony or with friends in a cafe, have two vacations a year, secure the future of their kids. And buy some bandages to stop this deathly blood.
