Jerusalem considered the city of God must belong to everyone

A good idea!

Maybe the Pope would like to relocate.

Wise words.  At one time it looks as if the violence in N. Ireland could not be ended.  Persistence and good will eventually brought it.  Unfortunately, it looks as if Israel is giving the finger to the peace process.

A wonderful and workable idea to further the cause of peace.If agreed upon and stuck to by warring factions,peace process could be brought to its logical conclusion.

Coming from you tkk, I feel that I just won the Nobel prize.

@Barry, Some really do not see it the way many arm chair politicos with their self-righteous attempt at what is the right thing to do from their homes on other peoples property from years ago preaching "truth" to  folks still trying to hang on to what they see as theirs.

It is complex and intertwined with so many different interests and so many countries that have used Israel as a scapegoat for their oppressive regimes.

Jerusalem is the "eternal" capital of the Jewish people. Period. Hard facts. like or not.  It is also an important area for Christians where they claim Jesus walked and preached. The Temple mount, former place where the first and second Jewish temple, holy of holies, once stood before being replaced by Islam with two structures. It is the THIRD holiest sight. Not the first nor the second..

It also was not much of an interest by Jordan up until 1967 when Israel regained the area in the 67 war. In fact the entire area of the West Bank was pretty much a backwater with thousands of absentee landlords with Jerusalem highly neglected and with little activity.

YankeeJim,

The words flow sweetly onto the comments section of this article. Words are nice and platitudes are just that. All the wishing in the world will not change people if they do not want to change anywhere in the world.

The attention on the Jewish Nation is a bit out of focus regarding the perilous and volatile state of the world. 90% of the Jews living in Israel would love a 2 state solution and peace. But in spite of all the spin and international intrigue including Obama's personal agenda, no one here, the PA, Hamas, Hezbullah, and other Islamic organizations are ready or willing to accept a Jewish State. Until there is a clear willingness to do just that there will not be a solution.  

Words are easy and cheap when it comes to the Middle East. It flows like honey and it is often full of lies and deceit. This is part of the culture of the region.

I think many of us hold Israel to higher standards because the people are high achievers. The intellectual capacity to solve the problem is in the minds of Israelis. Somehow, these minds must be motivated to apply God given talent to the highest use and best purpose.

@ YankeeJim,

I want to believe that you didnt mean anything but the highest regard by your statement. But no one has the right to keep anyone to a higher standard then everyone else in the world. That is "racism". If not racism that is prejudice at its core.

We are just like everyone else with failings just like everyone else. We may work hard and strive toward personal achievement that may appear to some as extraordinary but that is no reason to put us up on a pedestal of any kind and then berate us when we dont match up. Something is terribly flawed in that approach.

It is not that we dont want peace and know what to do to get it. It is not in our hands since partners are needed.As long as our partner sees his interests served by not making peace then it makes no sense doing it. I am not playing the blame game here just sharing a reality that is the "real-politic" of the moment. As long as there is a hope that the rest of the world, including the US is going to attempt to force Israel into more concessions then expected the Palestinian Authority will hold out if they sense that it is a possibility.

There are many people that I hold to higher standards because they know better, are better equipped to tackle the world's problems. That has nothing to do with race or religion or creed. It has to do with those who have been better able to become educated in all sorts of subjects. People with advantage have a duty and responsibility to care for those less equipped IMO.

The people with whom Israel must deal today are not ideal, and in fact, may have been terrorists and still might be to some extent. The goal is to extract them from that course and provide an alternative, I think.

With highest respect and humility, I submit.

I would agree but the difficult question is how. If someone wants an alternative that would benefit both sides that is certainly a good start. The problem arises when one side is only interested in seeing you disappear and the ultimate agenda is such. Then as much as you want to sit down with the folks and arrive at something reasonable that both sides can live with you still need at least an agreement that there are two sides and a two state solution. This is where it gets complicated and complex. You need two parties that recognize each other and their right to be here. We have not yet arrived at that moment unfortunately.

Yes, the Palestinian position that many hold that the State of Israel should not exist is a non starter. The state of Israel is a modern nation that exists today regardless of the origin of its formation.

I believe that third-party intervention is required to separate the two factions on the most difficult issues of territory.

Problems to me include that 1) Israel is a religious state and should be a religiously neutral one, 2) Palestinians lay claim to land to which they have no legal right and modern people of Palestinian descent are most likely not from the pre-Israel Palestine territory to begin with, 3) Palestinian people are currently divided between Gaza and the West Bank; enclaves do not work. Therefore, I have suggested that the Gaza people be moved to land that is adjacent to and expanded from the West bank--meaning that Israel must trade West Bank land for Gaza to accommodate consolidation. 4) One the Palestinians have land and Israelis have an agreed upon boundary, the parties can work together to coexist with Third-Party (UN) supervision of the Global City of Jerusalem.

You may not like it, but that is as fair an outcome as I can envision.

May you find happiness in my effort.

Guess it is hard to argue against Tik, he has a lot of valid points, plus he lives there and interacts everyday, while we postulate on our comfy chairs far away from the action.