In the shadows of this picture on a park bench, “Caus” in the statement “Jews Caus War” is spelled wrong. Wars are declared and wars are fought, but not collectively caused by 18 million people who live on many lands not deemed as holy as those found in the Fertile Crescent.
As a Jew living in the U.S., I cannot speak for the various sects of Jews in Israel, but I am deeply bothered by the walls, fences, and barriers that I read and hear so much about. Can you imagine a slogan such as, “Building Barriers to Bring Peace?” I have spoken with Palestinians and Israelis alike, but I have yet to visit the Holy Land—home to Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
Some argue that a two state solution is ideal; others advocate for one. What about no state and something entirely different? It is common knowledge that the international system of states is relatively new, a result of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. Today, Palestinians seek a state to call their own; Israel was formalized in 1948.
Palestinians and Israelis are creative and innovative people, sharing a lot in common. The boundary lines that separate Israel and Palestine are socially constructed; they exist because most citizens of the world believe in the nation-state, which replaced multi-ethnic empires. But change is constant, and imagining a world with boundaries beyond the nation state is a possibility.