Can of Worms—Israel and Palestinians

The world is a can of worms, and it is always open to those who want to engage in problems in pursuit of solutions. Doing so is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for lazy people seeking silver bullets or for people who lack the intellect to do so competently.

 

I am not a genius and am about as average as anyone else. However, I make sense

of our planet's needs, beginning at home and then thrusting into the enormous

issues that jeopardize everyone's security. 

 

I discovered the can opener: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris

on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected

, and it has been translated into over 500 languages."

 

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

 

The General Assembly Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a

the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that

every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration

constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect

for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and

International, to secure their universal and effective recognition and

observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the

peoples of territories under their jurisdiction. "

 

What belongs to us. http://whatbelongstous.ca/preamble

 

I will not repeat the document, though I encourage you to read it all

yourself. I am going to select a few significant points to ponder as we consider the

Israel and Palestinian questions and conflict. The conflict is narrower.

Moreover, it is the clash between people with different beliefs:

 

· Religions

· Government Models

· Economic Models

· Rules

 

By subscribing to the Universal Declaration as signatories, as is the United States, We the People, are sworn allegiance under the rule of law. The grave deficiency is that most Americans have failed to grasp the significance of their education. Throughout my life, I have witnessed grievous violations of the UDHR, and one problem is there is no objective universal arbitrator. The United Nations could be. However, many voting members are principal violators.

 

Humanity is stuck with an institution that undermines credibility by permitting members equal powers even when they don’t deserve it or have otherwise forfeited them due to violations.

 

For instance, any nation that embraces authoritarianism for leadership should be disqualified:

 

“Characteristics. Authoritarianism is characterized by highly concentrated and centralized government power maintained by political repression and the exclusion of potential or supposed challengers by armed force. It uses political parties and mass organizations to mobilize people around the goals of the regime.”

 

Authoritarianism – Wikipedia

Countries That Have Authoritarian Governments:

· Afghanistan

· Azerbaijan

· Burundi

· Central African Republic

· Chad

· DR Congo

· Equatorial Guinea

· Eritrea

· Guinea-Bissau

· Iran

· Libya

· Laos

· North Korea

· Russia

· Saudi Arabia

· Sudan

· Syria

· Tajikistan

· Turkmenistan

· United Arab Emirates

· Uzbekistan 

 

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/what-countries-have-authoritarian-government

 

Russia: “This is a sign of a society that is no longer authoritarian, but partly totalitarian, and accepts the state position as its own. Once spoken about hybrid authoritarianism, Russia later turned out to be a fully mature authoritarian regime.”

 

(Originally published in Russian in the New Times.)

What governments are ruled by religion?

Theocracy is defined as the "government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided" or "a state governed by a theocracy" (Merriam-Webster). Theocracy countries include: 

 

· Vatican City, 

· Yemen, 

· Saudi Arabia, 

· Sudan, 

· Iran, 

· Afghanistan

 

https://southern.libguides.com/governmentforms/theocracy#:~:text=Theocracy%20is%20defined%20as%20%22government,Sudan%2C%20Iran%2C%20and%20Afghanistan

 

Israel has no official religion. However, the definition of the state as Jewish creates a strong connection and a conflict between state law and religious law. Political interaction of different parties keeps the balance between state and religion largely as it existed during the British Mandate.

 

Consider the first ten “human rights:”

 

Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7

All are equal before the law and are entitled, without any discrimination, to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile.

Article 10

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in determining his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

 

Skip ahead to 13 and 14:

 

Article 13

Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14

Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

 

For instance, Palestinians can move within and beyond their border. People fleeing harm in South America or Mexicans seeking to improve their lives can move to the USA under the rule of law.

 

Ponder these considerations.