Peace cannot be built on crumbling foundations

Conclusion

One of the most enduring and explosive conflicts in history refuses to dwindle. It is clear that a mixture of international pressure and involvement, constant interference by Arab neighbours and successive US administrations and even disagreement and infighting between Palestinians, has only served to make a future peace settlement more strenuous and intense than ever.

The Palestinian struggle to date has had much anger and bloodshed but without long-term compromise or a realisation that co-existence, in whatever form, is the only way forward. Reprisal attacks and military incursions by Israelis and subsequent suicide bombings and retaliatory attacks by Palestinians could continue for decades more.

A balanced solution is the key: the Jews have the right to statehood as do the Palestinians, but with self-determination. However, the same Arab countries have not batted an eyelid at the claim of 35 million Kurds for independence over a greater patch of land that perhaps holds for the Arabs a much less symbolic significance. While Arabs have fought bitterly for a 23rd Arab state, Kurdish calls for a single Kurdish state have been met with repression and ethnic cleansing.

Unfortunately, the conflict is not merely about the Jews and Palestinians, but is as much about a greater Arab-Western conflict - as with the days of the Crusades - and is concerned with pride and historical standing.

However, the excessive force deployed by Israel should not be tolerated either. Intimidation and hostage taking of its soldiers is intolerable, but the destruction of its neighbours infrastructure and economy is a totally unacceptable response: especially by a country seeking peace with its Arab counterparts after decades of war and bloodshed.

In the new age of democracy, liberty and human rights, no race has the power to subjugate another, or deny its existence. Without long-term peace, based on compromise and diplomacy, conflict is likely to be the normal way of life in the case of Israel and the Palestinians for centuries more.