What Is The Real Problem And The Only Solution?

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Hamas is not the problem.
Hizballah is not the problem.
The Palestinians are not the problem.
We, the Israelis, are the problem for not solving the Palestinian problem, so there is no reason for Hamas and Hizballah to flourish.

Why are we not solving the Palestinian problem—and it is a problem: millions of Palestinians without a future, without rights, without pride and identity, and rejected by their Arab brothers (the Jordanians, the Syrians, the Lebanese), who killed them in the thousands?

Seven reasons come to mind that keep Israel from addressing the Palestinian problem, and by default, the decision  to do nothing and let the situation continue as is.

1. “Not our problem”. Who should be responsible to solve the problem is who can solve the problem. The Arab nations can not and even if they could show no interest to solve it on their land. Foreign powers can send food and that is how far their “solution” goes. The only one who can give a future to the Palestinian people is Israel. So yes, it is our problem.
   
   
2. Not our fault: I suggest this is a bogus claim. The fact is that foreign nations, to clear the conscience for all the suffering they imposed on the Jewish people, decided to grant the Jews a state on a piece of land the Palestinians occupied. It, as can be expected, caused a war, and the result of wars is refugees. If Israel were not established, there would not have been a war, and there would not have been a Palestinian refugee problem.
   
   We, the Israelis, should take responsibility for the Palestinian refugee problem without accepting any fault. We deserved to have our state—with no apologies needed—but at the same time must recognize that our justified need came at the expense of people who already lived, procreated, and worked the land we now occupy.
   
   
3. There is no Palestinian nation is a manifestation of arrogance: who are we to decide who can or cannot identify itself as a nation? They are fighting, dying for a nation they call Palestine. Does that not qualify as proof that there is a nation of Palestine? The fact that they came from neighboring states and thus are “not a nation” is as ridiculous as claiming there is no American nation because the American population came from other countries.
   
   
4. "Over time the Palestinians will slowly but surely leave the area by themselves, and the problem will be solved by itself.” It is wishful thinking. Some will leave, but we are not talking here about thousands leaving and peace ensuing. There are millions of Palestinians and expecting that most will leave and find somewhere else to live is wishful thinking.

5. Fear. A Palestinian state, few miles distance from Israel is a danger for Israeli survival. This is a very legitimate fear, and Israel cannot take chances—none of them. But this fear can be addressed, and not just by international guarantees. I do not rely on such guarantees for my survival because countries act in self-interest, and guarantees could be violated if it turns out to be in the interest of the guarantor. We cannot take those chances. However, we can establish a Palestinian state with common institutions that decrease the fear and the hate that fuel the actions we dread. Joint police forces, a joint ministry to prevent the rise of terrorists in both countries, and a common ministry of education to teach mutual tolerance and respect is an example.
   
   
6. “God granted us this land” is a legitimate reason to oppose establishing a Palestinian state if you are a religious Jew willing to die rather than relinquish the God-granted land. The problem, however, is that not only religious Jews are dying for what God promised us. Many non-religious Jews are dying for a cause they do not even believe to be legitimate, and it is not fair for a radical Jewish minority to endanger the survival of the majority of the Israeli population simply because God promised them something.
   
   
7. “Muslims are on the march”  to conquer the world. It is a major threat, but it is not within Israel’s capability to solve it by itself. All countries that fear being taken over by radical Muslims should join with Israel and address the issue.

Bottom line: all seven reasons are legitimate, but they are not hopeless, they are addressable.

On the other hand, it is  dangerous and irresponsible to do nothing about the Palestinian problem and believe that it will be solved somehow by a foreign power or by itself? I see no factor that would cause the problem to be solved spontaneously or externally. It is very dangerous to believe in miracles. They happen and should be celebrated but not expected.

I think there is probability that the situation will not be resolved by itself or through foreign intervention. The higher probability is that the situation will worsen over time: the Palestinian population will continue growing, world support for them will increase, antisemitism will rise even further, and Israel will grow weary of losing  many of its citizens to ongoing terror, while the Palestinians are emboldened by increasing Muslim and international support.

The problem is not Hamas, Hizballah, or the Palestinian refugees—it is the inaction on the part of Israel to solve the Palestinian problem. We must establish a second state for the Palestinians—but with joint institutions to minimize the risk of failure and increase the chances of success through cooperation. Israel has to do it. Israel has to show goodwill, implement a Marshall Plan at its expense in Gaza, and by doing so preempt the claims for the right of return.  Only through peace actions can peace be realized.