Israel's Challenge

I am concerned for the people of Israel because 1/3 of the Jewish population in the world live there, and I am concerned for their welfare just as I am concerned for the welfare of all my fellow Jews everywhere. I am less concerned for the shrines and land, and who owns what piece of real estate. Although the history of the Jewish people in ancient Judea certainly explains our interest in the location of the Jewish State, the real justification for Israel's existence is the fact that it exists and has done so for generations.
Herzl's dream was for a normal country at peace with its neighbors. Israel is part of the way there, but there are still challenges to reach that goal. The Palestinian Arabs resent the existence of a predominantly Jewish nation on land that was once predominantly inhabited by Arabic speaking Moslems. The Israelis are scarred by years of intifadas and bombings which made normal life impossible. They see chaos, danger, and war in the surrounding neighborhood, and fear that it would engulf them if they allowed that world into their space.
Both sides have their differences, but they also have common interests (for example economic development for the region). They also have common enemies (for example ISIS and the hardliners in Iran).
So what can the people on the ground (Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians) do to meet their common interests and minimize their differences?

What can the Palestinian Arabs do:
1. Accept the existence of a predominantly Jewish Hebrew speaking state in Israel.
2. Accept the fact that there are 2 separate Palestinian states with separate governments at least for the time being. Fatah on the West Bank can not negotiate for Gaza if it can not control the belligerent actions of Hamas. The separation does not have to be permanent, but they can only be united when they can make a united peace. It is not Israel's responsibility to bring them together.
3. Drop their insistence on the right of return of Palestinian Arabs to Israel. 1948 was 67 years ago. Generations have come and gone. There was a migration of Arabs out from Israel and a migration of Jews into Israel (including a large influx of Jewish refugees from the surrounding Moslem states). A massive immigration of Arabs into Israel could change the character of Israel and destroy Zionism.
4. Stop preaching hatred of Jews and Israel to their children.

What can Israel do?
1. Accept the fact that 1/4 of the population within Israel is not Jewish and most of those non-Jews are Arabs. Arabs and other non-Jews are equal before the law. Some have positions of prominence in the government and private sector. Many are educated and live like other Israelis. But there are problems on a personal level. Many Jewish Israelis do not trust their fellow Arab citizens. So to improve things on a personal level, politicians have to stop playing on those fears (like Netanyahu did before the most recent election). Schools need to promote kinship and tolerance between Jews and Arabs. The Palestinians might actually be partially descendants of Jews who did not leave when Judea was destroyed by the Romans 2000 years ago, but instead stayed and accepted whatever religion came along in order to remain, first paganism, then Christianity, then Islam. Perhaps believing that we are genetically related might bring us more together (maybe not). The more Israeli Arabs are brought into the mainstream of Israel, the more it will strengthen Israel. This is already happening. It needs to be a priority.
2. Settlements on the West Bank need to be curtailed. There are some Jews in and outside of Israel who believe that all of the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River (the Land of Israel as opposed to the State of Israel or the Land of Palestine as opposed to the Palestinian Territories) should be Jewish. The radical religious ones believe God said so in the Bible. The others claim the Balfour Declaration. They reality is that things happened as they happened. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are inhabited by our cousins who worship the same God differently and speak a different language. But they live there and do not plan to go away any more than the Jews of Israel plan to go anywhere else. It is too late to create new facts on the ground. To do otherwise will give the Arabs no hope, and without hope conflict will continue.
3. Make the most of present common interests. Iran and ISIS threaten Israel, the Palestinians, and the surrounding Arab nations. Include the Arabs nations and Palestine as much as possible in the economic development and scientific development happening in Israel. This is happening already. It needs to be maximized.
4. Cooperation with Arab leaders and governments is good, but more important is inclusion of the Arab people in Israel, in Palestine, and in the surrounding Arab region in the economic and scientific progress that is happening in Israel. Governments and leaders come and go, but people stay.