# An idea for peace in the Jerusalem/Isreal **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 24, 2015, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693 "2015-08-24T05:24:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/81 "2015-08-24T15:19:38Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > And in Mad Max 3: “Two religions enter… One religion leaves!” The Humungus Robert163: There has been too much violence. Too much pain. But I have an honorable compromise. Just walk away. Give me your Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the whole city, and I’ll spare your lives. Just walk away and we’ll give you a safe passageway in the wastelands. Just walk away and there will be an end to the horror. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/82 "2015-08-24T15:44:45Z")
Another realistic solution to the problem was proposed back in the 1930s as a way to ensure world peace. H. Allen Smith wrote of a plan to cap all the world’s volcanoes, thus building up pressure culminating in a blowout where the earth’s crust was thinnest. That of course was Germany, where the crust had been worn down to the nub by generations of marching men. You can easily see how such a plan is applicable to the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/83 "2015-08-24T15:53:43Z")
I don’t see how this is going to reduce terrorism. Israel has a lot of terrorism now, and a good deal of it comes from people who don’t live there. This idea of only allowing Jews/Muslims/Christians in the city on a day pass (or whatever) isn’t going to change that. The terrorists would just be from out of town. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/84 "2015-08-24T16:36:31Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > No Christians either. Turn the place into a place for religious tourism, like Disneyland or Yellowstone, but religious in nature. Donate all money raised to religious charities. NO permanent settlements allowed except for people to work in restaurants hotels and tourist shops etc… Will these permanent settlements of restaurant, hotel, and tourist shop workers only accept people that are not Jewish, Christian, or Muslim? In what way would that be verified? Do wannabe workers have to take an oath of non-belief and/or an oath of belief in some other religion (e.g. Buddhism, Scientology, etc.) to get their residence visa? Will it be based on ancestry, so atheist children of Jewish people will be barred, current nonbelief notwithstanding? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/85 "2015-08-24T17:02:48Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Ethnic cleansing via forced migration kills a lot of people (see the India or Iraq partitions), but one could almost imagine it being preferable to some otherwise horrible genocidal conflict. That’s not Israel-Palestine though. People and news organizations treat it’s the alpha and the omega of wars and blood feuds, but only something like 10k people have died in the conflict since 2000. And only 30k since the conflict started in '46, according to Wiki. I guess what I’m trying to say is that maybe the reason they’ve been fighting over this bitch since Ancient times is that they’re terrible at it :). ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/86 "2015-08-24T17:13:46Z")
Well given that both Jews and Muslims recognize Solomon as a wise historical patriarch, we could use his solution and threaten to kill (nuke) the baby, unless one side agrees to give it up. However I have a sinking feeling that both sides would rather see the entire region reduced to glass than fall into the other’s hands. So I don’t think it would work. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/87 "2015-08-24T17:17:14Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > No Jews or Muslims are allowed to live there as permanent citizens. Any Jew or Muslim is allowed to visit there as a religious tourist any time they want. No police or military forces are allowed to operate that is either Jewish or Muslim. All police and military is run by the UN or some similar organization. If they will not stop fighting over who can occupy that piece of land it seems to be the only reasonable solution that neither can occupy it. Yeah- and the first time a few UN soldiers get shot at by a Jewish militant, or blown up by a Hezbollah rocket launcher, how long you think they’ll stay? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/88 "2015-08-24T18:38:05Z")
I guess we missed a great opportunity by not letting the Mongols have it back in the 13th century. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/89 "2015-08-24T19:26:21Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t see how this is going to reduce terrorism. Israel has a lot of terrorism now, and a good deal of it comes from people who don’t live there. This idea of only allowing Jews/Muslims/Christians in the city on a day pass (or whatever) isn’t going to change that. The terrorists would just be from out of town. > > Regards, > Shodan Well said. Sorry, OP, Shodan’s analysis talked me out of taking this seriously. > [@Kobal2](#): > > And only 30k since the conflict started in '46, according to Wiki. > I guess what I’m trying to say is that maybe the reason they’ve been fighting over this bitch since Ancient times is that they’re terrible at it :). They really are, it’s pathetic to watch. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/90 "2015-08-24T19:38:32Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I guess what I’m trying to say is that maybe the reason they’ve been fighting over this bitch since Ancient times is that they’re terrible at it :). I know what you mean. The Israelis are constantly being accused of “genocide,” and yet the Arab population keeps going UP! ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/91 "2015-08-24T19:46:32Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > I don’t really care how the people currently living there feel about it. Yes, that’s rather obvious. Why propose a solution to a problem if you don’t care about the people involved? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/92 "2015-08-24T19:54:30Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Well, actually, I guess I am criticizing religious stubbornness more than anything… although my initial suggestion was not 100% hypothetical… but I can see now if the Jews and the Muslims are going to fight and disagree with each other they will fight and disagree with any logical, objective third party just as harshly ☹ Know what you’re doing is demonstrating you know very little about the conflict. It’s not about religious beliefs but about nationalistic pride. You keep referring to “the Muslims” and “the Jews” she it’s actually Israelis vs Arabs(who are both Muslims and Christians). You might want to visit there or at least read up on it. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/93 "2015-08-24T19:55:44Z")
This sounds like it will merely piss off everyone; won’t create peace. And how exactly would you evict people? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/94 "2015-08-24T19:56:47Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > I don’t really care how the people currently living there feel about it. Well, with that attitude, any political policy is feasible. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/95 "2015-08-24T20:24:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Israel has a lot of terrorism now It does and it doesn’t at the same time. I understand and recognize that terror is a constant threat to the people of Israel but I’m browsing the Jpost website right now and one of the top headlines is about the police finding a brood of chickens in a car. No headlines about battles or bombings or kidnappings. Chicken smuggling. I’m not kidding: > **[Police find brood of chickens in family car, driver arrested](https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Police-find-brood-of-chickens-in-family-car-driver-arrested-413083)** > > Chickens were being transported without a permit. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/96 "2015-08-24T21:00:34Z")
For those who are inclined to treat the Arab/Israeli conflict as religious in nature, ask yourself: who ruled Israel for the first 30 years of its existence? Hassidim? Meir Kahane disciples? Ultra-Orthodox Likudniks? NO! Israel was founded and long run by atheist and/or agnostic Jewish socialists like David Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir. And during that same time, the most important Arab leaders were secular, intellectual socialists like Gamal Abdel Nasser. Meaning that, if all we needed for Middle East peace was non-religious leaders, we HAD that for decades! I seem to recall that secular Jews and secular Arabs went to war with each other on a regular basis. Was I imagining that? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/97 "2015-08-24T21:16:14Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Yes, that’s rather obvious. > > Why propose a solution to a problem if you don’t care about the people involved? Because he doesn’t want to miss screwing with those damn dirty…well, _you know_ [wink wink]. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/98 "2015-08-24T23:23:35Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Ultra-Orthodox Likudniks? For that matter, how many Ultra-Orthodox Likudniks can you think of? Nobody that important. So, another question about the OP’s scenario. Lets say hypothetically, in spite of all the other problem, you manage to move the Israelis to Long Island and the Palestinians to Patagonia. How are the Long Islanders and Patagonians going to react? Probably not very well. So now instead of Israelis and Palestinians clashing with each other, Israelis are going to be clashing with Long Islanders, and Palestinians with Patagonians. So now instead of solving the problem, you’ve doubled it. You’ve replaced one ethnic conflict with two. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/99 "2015-08-25T13:23:42Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t see how this is going to reduce terrorism. Israel has a lot of terrorism now, and a good deal of it comes from people who don’t live there. This idea of only allowing Jews/Muslims/Christians in the city on a day pass (or whatever) isn’t going to change that. The terrorists would just be from out of town. > > Regards, > Shodan Dibs on the Uber franchise! ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693/100 "2015-08-25T17:46:01Z")
umm…in case you guys don’t know it, TheOnion has already reported on the ultimate solution to problems in the area: [God re-floods the Middle East](http://www.theonion.com/article/god-re-floods-middle-east-132). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-idea-for-peace-in-the-jerusalem-isreal/728693.md?page=6)