How do you explain to a Palestinian child he must ration his drinking water so an Israeli can swim?

Over the past 60 years or so the situation in Palestine has reached astronomical dimensions that stretch far beyond what could have been expected.

In the midst of it all, Palestinians past and present have watched their young killed, jailed or exiled, their homes blown up, their fields ravished and their olive trees uprooted, their freedoms ripped away from them and their country depleted by the day.

All of this was done to them by Israel and its supporters in the name of freedom, godly wish and imperialism.How do you explain to a young Palestinian that his father is being kept in Israeli jail because he was born Palestinian? How do you explain to a young Palestinian that his sibling was shot because he or she wanted to look out of the window? How do you explain to a young Palestinian that he has to ration his drinking water so an Israeli youngster can swim? How do you explain to a young Palestinian that all of the countries in the world are against you because you keep saying no to occupation, corruption and imperialism?

The Palestinian leadership is meeting in Cairo in October, 2008 for yet another round of reconciliation. The unfortunate precursor to such a meeting is the number of times they have met in the past and how many times they expect to meet in the future to further discuss national unity.

The Palestinian people are tired of all the talk, disagreements and the time wasting agenda their leaders claim they need to eventually deliver a national home for the Palestinians.

While the Palestinian leadership is busy talking and dealing, the Israeli leadership is confiscating and dividing the land as they see fit. In addition, there are the academics, scholars and intellectuals who love to debate and hypothesize about conflicts and solutions.

Two theories have been debated as a solution to the Palestinian/Israeli dilemma. One issue has to do with a "Two State Solution" where Israel and Palestine can live side by side in peace and harmony. The second theory calls for a "One State Solution" where Palestinian and Israelis live together under one flag while enjoying equal rights and freedoms. As romantic and enticing these ideas may seem, the fact on the ground remains bleak and dangerous. The problem on the ground is not whether to establish one state or two states solution, nor is it a problem of reconciliation or lack of. The problem being displayed on stage is a problem of occupation and oppression.

Long before discussing a one or two state solution, there must be an agreement to end the occupation.

However, an end to the occupation will never materialize as long as the Palestinian leadership is divided and in constant struggle to control the decision making at the helm.

Without a unified objective to the Palestinian struggle, Palestine will remain under Israeli occupation and the Palestinians will remain oppressed by an unrelenting Israeli leadership.

If the Cairo conference fails to deliver a strong and committed Palestinian unity government, Palestine will remain occupied and the Palestinians will remain oppressed, tortured and robbed of their properties by Israel and its imperialist supporters.

http://windowintopalestine.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-do-you-explain-to-palestinian-child.html