Every U.S. President sets off on the same fool's errand at some point during his Presidency: "Bringing Peace to the Middle East." Every President has suffered the same failure. Peace in the Middle East has not ever been anything that could be made by decree or fiat. World leaders have tried for hundreds of years, drawing "borders" that no side recognizes, supporting leaders that no one wants. In the final analysis, the world will always fail to bring peace to the Middle East because it is not the world's conflict. It is a family feud that began 4,000 years ago.
1. This is a Very Old Problem Between Families.
Islam, Christianity and Judaism are called the "religions of Abraham." This is because we all have the Biblical patriarch Abraham as our common ancestor. Christians are largely made up of people who are not ethnically Middle Eastern. However, Jews and Arabs share a relation by blood.
According to Genesis, 4,000 years ago, Abraham and his wife, Sarah, could not conceive a child. Although God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the sands on the beach, Abraham decided to take matters into his own hands. He had sex with Sarah's Egyptian servant, Hagar, who bore him a child. The child was named Ishmael. Abraham loved Ishmael (and Hagar for that matter.) Nevertheless, God told Abraham that Ishmael would be a wild and warlike man, and that he too would have numerous descendants. God also told Abraham, much to his disbelief, that his 90 year old wife Sarah would bear him a child named Isaac. Abraham thought God was joking, but a year later, Isaac was born.
Sarah and Hagar, understandably, could not get along with one another. They were always vying for Abraham's attention and their children were growing into rivals. Abraham, at Sarah's bidding, sent Hagar and Ishmael away to live in the wilderness. However, God took pity on them and made a promise to Ishmael. It was simple, Ishmael would have many descendants, many more even than his half brother. His line would produce 10 kings who would go on to rule the nations of the Arabian Peninsula. They would, however, always be at war and never know peace.
Ishmael's descendants in fact did rule the rest of Arabia for 4,000 years and were, in fact, more numerous than Isaac's descendants, the Jews. They have also, in fact, been at war with one another since the day Abraham threw Hagar from the tent. God went on to promise Isaac the land now known as Israel, but the passions, rivalries and disputes are very, very ancient.
The Koran teaches a slightly different version. Abraham had 8 sons instead of two and Ishmael was the one promised the land which is now known as Israel as his birthright. According to Muslim tradition, Isaac stole that birthright and the Israelites continue to occupy land that was given to Ishmael and his descendants by God.
The two sides have had 4000 years to resolve this family dispute over land. They have not yet done so and likely never will. If they do, I can promise you that it will not be because of anything Barack Obama or any other President or leader does. It will be when the two sides tire of fighting or one side wins, neither of which will ever happen.
2. The Arabs Do Not Like the Palestinians Either.
The rest of Ishmael's descendants joke amongst each other about their dislike of the Palestinians. Palestinians have historically been outcasts from the rest of the arab world, even if the arabs would never admit that to a westerner. They have special epithets that they reserve for Palestinians, and none of the other arab states in the region have offered to take them in. In other words, the Palestinians are stuck where they are and, even if they were inclined to leave, there is no where for them to go.
3. The Arabs Get Political Mileage out of the Conflict.
As discussed above, the descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac have never liked each other. There is no doubt that the descendants of Ishmael take a certain satisfaction in seeing Israel struggle with its neighbors. Israel's presence in Palestine provides each arab leader with an opportunity to focus attention away from their own failing policies and on a common enemy. If things get tough internally, they can rely on their more militant brethren to shoot missiles at the Jews and ignite pan-arabic anti-semitic passions.
As it so happens, many people in Europe still have a problem with Jews too. A blow up in the Middle East also brings with it European (and sometimes American) condemnation of the Jews. Further isolation is then achieved by lobbing missiles on Tel Aviv or kidnapping Israelis and waiting for a response. Instead of talking about Iran's nuclear ambitions, we are talking about Israelis "targeting civilians," who just happen to be guarding Hamas missiles.
4. No One Can Win.
This is a conflict that cannot have a victor. The arabs fundamentally believe that Israel has no legitimate claim to a state anywhere in Arabia. They believe that Ishmael's birthright has been stolen, and they want it back. It would take a sea change in the fundamental tenants of Islam to bring about any concession on this ultimate point.
On the Jewish side, the same sentiments prevail. As the Hebrew God promised in Ezekiel, the Jews would be scattered amongst the nations as a punishment for their wickedness and their continued rejection of his law. However, they would also be gathered from the nations to return to the land He had promised to them. The Jews believe that God gave them that land and actually instructs them to return there. For many Jews, disobeying God's direct order to return is impossible. They are not going to leave.
That said, no one can win. Israel has the power to wipe out arabia with nuclear weaponry, but not without also being wiped out or at least suffering a radiological disaster of their own. As a result, this moderate to low level conflict, with measured Israeli responses, will continue ad infinitum.
5. There is Nothing To Win Anyway.
The arabs wish to eradicate Israel. It is their stated objective. Israel intends to stay. The land over which they are fighting is not the cradle of civilization. It is not the Nile. It is not Eden. There is no oil there. They are fighting over an arid, narrow strip of land on the Red Sea. It takes remarkable effort to grow anything there, including trees and crops. It is the place that harbors the ominous Har Megiddo and Valley of Jezreel where the battle of armageddon will be fought, if you believe such things. The only thing there worth having is the wealth that a few million industrious Jews created through hard work and, without the Jews, there would be no wealth of any kind left to loot. In other words, there is nothing to win except the eradication of the Jews. It is their sole objective to once again scatter the Jews among the nations.
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