excellent analysis
Reader comment on item: Does Israel Need a Plan?

Submitted by Alfred Dukesz (Canada), Feb 2, 2003 at 13:37

Dear Dr Pipes,
As always I thoroughly enjoyed your article #305, however I did not find a practical solution to our almost century old problem even after the Arab states and particulary the so called Palestinians accepted defeat. I would appreciate your opinion on an idea I have (only in priciple):

Creation of a Israel-Palestinian state (after the Arabs accepted defeat) on the example of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy of the second part of the 19th century.
Separate goverments, parliaments, one ceremonial head of state, one army. Israel's capital Jerusalem, Palestine's Amman. This, I realise sounds idealistic, but I think it would be feasible if the Arabs would realise that it could be to their best interest. Israel has the technology, science and the Arabs could have the manpower and possible agriculture devlopments helped by the israeli scientific knowledge. Israel would retain its Jewish culture and I am sure that the israelis would easier coexist with their arab cousins. The real question is how to reverse the ideological, religious objections and vicious propaganda by the Arabs( which lately results to the vivious anti-semitic viollence around the world).
With kindest regards and admiration,
Alfred Dukesz
P.S.: I wish you further success in your very important work.

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