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  1. The Three-State Solution – The situation in Israel requires some new thoughts, as nothing seems to be changing. And there is a major new idea in the air: a three-state solution, where EVERYBODY is happy! The State of Palestine, with its capital in Ramallah, The State of Israel with its capital in Tel Aviv and The State of Jerusalem with its capital in Jerusalem. What of course is different here is the independent State of Jerusalem, but the arguments for, and modern historical precedents for, such a State exist: the Vatican is an independent State recognized as the Holy See by all nations of the world. Both the Vatican and Jerusalem carry similar religious fervor, and the model is not bad! Jerusalem would be temporarily governed by its present mayor until a Constitution is generated, and an election held for a President or Prime Minister or whatever the Jerusalem State citizens (who are they?, Residents as of date XXX? well, tbd …). A city council representing all three major religious groups should be created, and the various holy items would be under the guardianship of the State Ministry of Religious Items or some such ministry.
    Some buildings in Jerusalem are revered by more than one of the three main monotheistic religions, but maybe even this could still work, as Friday is holy for Muslims, Saturday for Jews and Sunday for Christians! (Friday night might be a bit sticky, but …)
    Geographic precedents also abound:
    1) the Vatican is the obvious model, but there numerous other small countries within bigger ones: San Marino, Andorra, or even Monaco!
    2) Gaza and the West Bank have some distance between them. But Kalinengrad and the rest of Russia are separated by a “hostile” nation; Alaska and the rest of the USA are separated by a “friendly” nation (not to mention Hawaii and the US mainland), and of course until some 30 years ago West Berlin and West Germany were in a similar situation – and which got resolved after a few decades!
    3) For the rest of the territory, the “right of return” is not a right. Look again at modern history, the most similar being Alsace in France (and Germany and France and Germany .. ). With the correct economic approach – jobs for all – and the passing of time, and a common education idea (even if taught in different languages, as in Switzerland), and a visionary leadership in Tel Aviv and Ramallah (and the UN?) – DO WE HAVE A SOLUTION?

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