What is the proper libertarian view of the Arab-Israeli conflict? Should we support an Arab state in Palestine?
The problem is the concept of “state” itself. This is a very good article on the subject.
Their should be no state in Israel.
It is likely that the conflict will continues as the two groups hate each other and refuse to reconsole their difference. Basically it is an eye for an eye gone really wrong.
Plus elements on both side probably have an interest in crushing the opposition. Basically everybody lose out. The only possible solution for us outsider is just stay the heck out of their way when they go shoot each other to death. The only possible solution for peace is for all party to admit wrongdoings and start paying retribution if possible.
kiba, whilst technically i agree you, i would urge caution in how you present the argument.
i know that to many people hearing ‘there should be no state of israel’ makes them think the speaker is anti-semitic , or has a desire to see jews crushed by their anti-semitic persecutors. Just so, it would be more prudent to say that Their should be no state in Israel or Palestine, for israeli’s or palestinians, or americans or english or japanese. etc. so they get the idea of where we are coming from on this.
I agree that it would be best to have no states in the area, but are there no less “radical” steps that can be taken to improve the situation there?
For starters Israel could stop building more West Bank settlements and walls on land privately owned by Palestinians.
This.
Would you please elaborate on how they violate Arabs’ property rights?
The other day, Lew Rockwell called expansion of Israeli settlements an act of eminent domain. What’d he mean by that?
I suppose he meant that the settlements are using the power of “eminent domain,” which is really just seizing land. Here in the U.S., eminent domain at least requires some token repayment for losses by the government.
Should the settlements be located on private land–Arab or Israeli–it would violate property rights.
The tricky thing about this conflict is that the individuals involved tend to see themselves as part of some collective entity, and the land at some level also belongs to that entity. This collective attitude is what I feel drives this conflict. When the Arabs and Israelis wake up one day and decide that they will not be part of their respective collectives, then will peace break out.
Privatize the Middle East!
Now there’s a slogan.