Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict: Perspectives and Challenges

Different groups have been fighting over ownership of Jerusalem for centuries. The two conflicting groups in the modern era are the Israelis and the Palestinians. Israelis have seemed to gain more and more power and control in Jerusalem over the past few years. The Palestinians who are still in Jerusalem, live in heavily concentrated areas full of Palestinians. Jerusalem's mayor envisions a strategy to gradually displace Palestinians by purchasing their homes and resettling Jewish residents in their place. He additionally proposes constructing an elaborate network of tunnels beneath the residences, seemingly aimed at erasing any sort of structure or roots the Palestinians have in Jerusalem. It is clear that Israel and the Jews are stronger and have more resources than the Palestinians in the city. 

The state of affairs in Jerusalem, Israel, and Gaza resembles a chaotic fiasco, where any decision made appears destined to leave at least one group unhappy. After reading the “Dinner and Discussion” excerpt from “Second Person Singular”, by Sayed Kashua, two instances of possible reconciliation were presented. While reconciliation is a pleasant term, a more realistic term to be used would be a “solution”. One of the lawyers in the story had a predicament, where he could choose between two parties to represent. He chose the stronger group because “If he could get them to agree, there was no doubt that the weaker one would consent, too.” (Kahsua, 2010). Despite the monetary support the United States provides Israel, they officially moved their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, clearly showing their support for the nation. It is possible that in this situation, by supporting the stronger nation, a compromise is more likely to be reached. It may not be realistic, considering the actions the Mayor of Jerusalem has taken. 

The second instance of a possible resolution came from Tarik, who proposed that raising kids based on their culture’s history and roots may not be the best idea. If neither Isralis nor Palestinanis raised the youth based upon these traditional ideals, a reconciliation may be more realistic. This idea relates to Marc Ellis’ Israel-Palestine solution ideas, in the sense that neither side would be happy which could lead to the best answer. In conclusion, the Israel-Palestine conflict poses a significant dilemma, and while the “Second Person Singular” excerpt provides fresh perspectives on the situation, the prospect of a resolution appears distant for the time-being.

Photo Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/changing-the-jerusalem-skyline-679008