a_joker, I agree with your assessment regarding the 2 state solution.
I think it's fair to ask Hamas to recognize Israel. But I also think it's fair to ask Israel to recognize Palestine. What do you think?
My main problem with the current plan of 2 states, is that it's not a 50/50 split. That is the only way it could be done.
A very fair question also, is why the Palestinians who lives in Palestine/Israel, have no right to vote?
Since they are such a big part of the population in Palestine/Israel, it is only fair that they are represented in the Knesset, the parliament of Israel.
-Hedge
I agree Israel should recognize Palestine and help to make a 2 state solution work. This should include corridors to access both Gaza and the West bank and should include land that their neighbouring sates hold, including land in Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
I wanted clear some things up. Arab Israeli's can vote. Palestinians can't. A Palestinian that lives in the conquered land or was refugee.
The main issue stopping the final peace process iis the right of return and this really needs to be addressed.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf18.html#aIsrael is one of the most open societies in the world. Out of a population of 6.7 million, about 1.3 million — 20 percent of the population — are non-Jews (approximately 1.1 million Muslims, 130,000 Christians and 100,000 Druze).1
Arabs in Israel have equal voting rights; in fact, it is one of the few places in the Middle East where Arab women may vote. Arabs currently hold 8 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Israeli Arabs have also held various government posts, including one who served as Israel's ambassador to Finland and the current deputy mayor of Tel Aviv. Oscar Abu Razaq was appointed Director General of the Ministry of Interior, the first Arab citizen to become chief executive of a key government ministry. Ariel Sharon's original cabinet included the first Arab minister, Salah Tarif, a Druze who served as a minister without portfolio. An Arab is also a Supreme Court justice.
Arabic, like Hebrew, is an official language in Israel. More than 300,000 Arab children attend Israeli schools. At the time of Israel's founding, there was one Arab high school in the country. Today, there are hundreds of Arab schools.2
In 2002, the Israeli Supreme Court also ruled that the government cannot allocate land based on religion or ethnicity, and may not prevent Arab citizens from living wherever they choose.2a
The sole legal distinction between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel is that the latter are not required to serve in the Israeli army. This is to spare Arab citizens the need to take up arms against their brethren. Nevertheless, Bedouins have served in paratroop units and other Arabs have volunteered for military duty. Compulsory military service is applied to the Druze and Circassian communities at their own request.