26th June 2014

Israel-Palestine: Solution to the Conflict in the Middle-East (Galtung Interview in the Swiss NZZ, September 7th 2002)

Read an updated version here:

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/strategy-sustainable-israelpalestine/

Translated with Google Translator

pi. Johan Galtung, the Norwegian mathematician and sociologist who has been engaged for decades tirelessly for peace in this world, analyzes the structural and cultural violence and has, for his pioneering publications received numerous awards, including the alternative Nobel Peace Prize. Thursday evening at the National Museum, he spoke on multilateral solutions in the Middle East conflict. It was a very well-attended event organized this summer by the group “Jewish Voice for a Just Peace between Israel and Palestine.” It strives for a true dialogue between the two sides.

The fact that it Galtung opened the series of lectures and discussions is programmatic. The tireless 72-year-old studies conflicts, however complex they may be, with sober analytical expertise, without ever moralizing. He also applies this to the Middle East conflict. Both sides have two clear objectives: Israel wants security and is expanding; Palestine, wants the end of occupation, freedom and statehood. Given these basic requirements, the question arises, which way leads out of the “madness”.

According to Galtung, the Oslo Accords have clearly shown that there can be no bilateral solution. There is too little land, too many people and too much talk about “choseness”. “To move two million Palestinians across the Jordan” – – The approach propagated by Jewish ultra-nationalists called “transfer solution” is not feasible according to Galtung. Nor is a barricaded Israeli state behind walls and barbed wire. For Galtung, there is one way out: a multilateral solution. As a model, the peace researcher uses the approach which reconciled Germany and France after the Second World War, which led to the European Union. The analogy calls for Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt to form a Middle Eastern Community. Political solutions have to be found on the basis of consensus. The cultural roots are present, according to Galtung. Even before the time of the Crusades Jews, Christians and Muslims peacefully lived together in confined space. Furthermore, what was important was a strong ecumenism: the many similarities, the “soft sides” of religions would have to be moved to the foreground and expounded. Economically and militarily, the six states would have to find a balance, a symmetry.

Is this approach realistic? Or is it merely a vision of a utopian, a visionary? Galtung is convinced that in the near future, “counterforces” and new ideas will emerge. Even currently, a majority of people in the Middle East are in favor of non-violence. The Israeli governments need to seriously ask the question, what kind of future they want, according to Galtung. The policy of occupation encounters more and more international rejection and the consequence are boycott movements. And how long will the U.S. protect Israel? According to Galtung’s statements, Arab neighbors have nothing against a moderate Israel (a sweeping claim that fails to persuade this author). The peace researcher believes that the borders shall one day really be open and a gradual mixing of peoples and religions shall take place.

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