Semi-Sane Rantings About Society Today

Quite a number of people and groups on the left call for territorial returns from Israel as part of any solution to the crisis in the middle east. The territories in question being the Golan Heights (to Syria), with the West Bank and Gaza as part of a new Palestinian state. Of course I once favoured this as a young student lefitst – but I’m in favour of a federal state of Palestine-Israel along the lines of any of the federal republics that have existed in history. But as both the Israeli and Palestinian sides want separate states, territory may of course be part of the negotiations.

What I’m perplexed by is the leftist (and rightist) tendencies in the Palestinian rights movement calling for territorial returns as a precondition of peace. Quite amazing in that there are many nations with territories nicked in previous wars who have good relations to each other. Now imagine a few scenarios from history…

Greece v. Bulgaria

After WW1 Bulgaria gave  Greece the province of “West Thrace”. Since the end of WW2, Greece and Bulgaria have had reasonably good relations and West Thrace is hardly mentioned.

Germany v. Russia + Poland + Belgium + France

In WW1 Germany Lost Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium, Alscace lorraine to France and West Prussia to Poland. These areas have not since been an issue. In WW2 Germany lost Pommerania to Poland and East Prussia to Russia. All of these nations have been at peace, although admittedly Germany has not been in a position to ask for those territories back.

The Big problem the Palestinian solidarity movement have is that territory is a precondition rather than a subject of negotiation. It’s no wonder that there has not been a solution for the best part of 60 years to the crisis at hand.