How can Palestinians and Israelis develop a common understanding of Independence Day and Al-Nakhba Day?

Good day to you Muslim by choice,

I am with Gareeb on this question. I believe there is no need to look to the past in order to find answers for the future. It matters not who was here first. What matters is to find out how we will live together again in the future.

You see, Gareeb and I live here and because we are so close to the issue at hand, we want peace as quickly as possible. Notice how he quickly jumped in and wrote that what he really cares about is peace? That's because he knows first hand, as I do, what it feels like to live with the terror, stress and discomfort of being enemies.

For us this is not just media, headlines and dramatizations - it is daily life. We are just human beings trying to make our way in this world. From my stand point, I have no problem sharing this land because I know it belongs to Gareeb and it belongs to me too. We are from this region and we understand each other. I know that our father is the same, and therefore I feel an affinity for Palestinians. They are warm and lovely people.

We use to once be able to visit in Gaza and spend the day shopping and eating in local restaurants. We use to be greeted like family. The bank I use had a branch in Gaza and some Israelis use to work there and in other places as well.

Gazans use to come and work in Israel, and things were working out well. I miss those days, but I trust that we will see more days like those.

That's how Palestinians and Israelis can develop a common understanding, because we had it once before.

Ma'a el salaama/peace/shalom

Sincerely,

Ms. Miche ; })

As a Jew, I am very touched by the responses of Gareeb and Ms. Miche. They make sense to me, and give me hope.

In the future, when there is peace, it may be possible to develop a common understanding of that day in 1948. I think that while there is still occupation and bloodshed on both sides, fewer people are willing to try to develop a common understanding.

Both societies will need to accept each other as equally important and dignified human beings for this to happen, not demonize each other as terrorist Palestinians who want to kill all Jews or as apartheid Nazi miltaristic evil European colonizer Israelis who want to kill all Palestinians. This will be a lot easier when both societies make changes on the ground, i.e. peace and a Palestinian state.

The Six Day conflict grew to become into in 1967, you're thinking of the 1948 conflict. And sure, the favored version is greater propaganda than actuality. collectively as the Arab governments engaged interior the worst varieties of threats and sabre damn, they actually gave the Palestinians little or no by using way of economic and militia help, and the thought Arab armies poured into Palestine to tension Israel into the sea is organic unadulterated BS. The Israelis did in actuality have have the better forces in 1948 and the consequence of the conflict grew to become into on no account truly uncertain, it grew to become into Israel that captured the lion's share of Palestine, no longer the Palestinians.

One of the primary Palestinian obligations under the road map for peace is to affirm Israel’s right to exist in peace and security. How then does one interpret Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s description of the decision to create a Jewish state in 1948 as a crime?

While Israelis were still celebrating the 60th anniversary of their independence, Abbas and other Palestinians were mourning the establishment of Israel on what they call Nakba Day. Had the Palestinians and the Arab states accepted the partition resolution in 1947, the State of Palestine would have also been celebrating its birthday, and Palestinians would not be lamenting Al Nakba (“The Catastrophe”).

Palestinians are understandably bitter about their history over these last six decades, but we are often told that what they object to today is the “occupation” of the territories Israel captured in 1967. If that is true, then why isn’t their Nakba Day celebrated each June on the anniversary of the Arab defeat in the Six-Day War?

The reason is that the Palestinians consider the creation of Israel the original sin, and their focus on that event is indicative of a refusal, even today, to reconcile themselves with the Jewish State. Abbas’s comments on the occasion, along with those by PA Prime Minister Ahmed Korei, who said “our wound is still bleeding 60 years later,” hardly inspires confidence in their willingness to end the conflict with Israel.

And Hamas, which has never left any doubt about its refusal to accept Israel’s existence, said that Israel is a “cancer” and promised to continue fighting “until the liberation of the last inch of our land and the last refugee heads back to his home.” .

Another disturbing aspect of Nakba Day was that traffic stopped and people stood straight and silent as sirens of mourning sounded, intentionally mimicking the Israeli practice on Holocaust Remembrance Day. This was an insidious way to make the odious comparison between the Holocaust and the creation of Israel.

It may be that the current leadership does not truly represent the feelings of the Palestinian people. A May 2005 poll, for example, found that 54 percent of Palestinians are prepared to accept a two-state solution.This is a hopeful sign, however, as long as the Palestinian Authority treats Israel’s creation as a catastrophe on a par with the Holocaust, the prospects for coexistence will remain bleak.

The Arabs want Israel to cease to exist.

They would like a 23rd Arab state to replace Israel.

There is no reasonable discourse with someone who wants to shove you into the sea.

You may note that it's kind of hard to reach peace with an enemy who wants to destroy you and shows you that every day.

Israel must survive, and the only way to reach peace is by an overwhelming defeat of the Arabs who are trying to drive Israel into the sea. Otherwise they will not give up their efforts to drive the Jews into the sea.

And there is nothing new in their strategy.

Muhammad led his army and attacked the Jews while they were on their way to work on their date palms. Khaibar was a settlement defended by a number of forts spread apart from each other. One by one, Muhammad's army took the forts. Finally, the last few surrendered to him.

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one way only , forget the past both, and see the future , only this, no other way to have understand about the past,

im falesteeni and i want israel and falsteen to both be free and peace,

Education is the key.

We all must study both issues and educate our kids as well!

The first step is for the Israeli to recognize what they did to the native people of Palestine was wrong.

i accept both narratives.

israel returned to its homeland, after 2000 years, jews of the world joined jews who had always been there to reform the jewish state of israel, our hope, our tikvah.

from the arabs point of view, they had control over lots of the middle east since they took it by sword in the 7th centrury. they don't want jews around, they don't want to share any land with jews, they feel that it's still okay to declare a land jew-free.

we need to stand up and tell the arabs that it's no longer acceptable to call for a land that's free of jews or muslims or blacks or anyone. it's time for them to join the civilized, modern world. it's as simple as that.