A Novel Approach to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Israel

By Ban Ki-Moon Jan. 31, 2016 (LINK to article)

I would like to suggest a novel approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict, which entails questioning long-held assumptions about the very nature of the state itself. In this instance the state of Israel and the proposed Palestinian state, but principally all states.

The principal assumption we make about the state is that, as the modern counterpart of our original tribe or nation (thus the notion of the "nation state" and appeals to citizens' tribal loyalty), its purpose is to serve society at large.

This assumption, however, is wrong, but suits the state's ruling elites and favoured (especially wealthy and academic) clients. The primary purpose of the state, even the democratic state, is what it has always been, ever since the very first states emerged form a tribal society long ago, which is to facilitate that society's SELF-exploitation, to the personal advantage of these ruling elites and favoured clients, at the expense and ultimate self-destruction of society at large. This is why all past states and civilisations have declined and disappeared, as will ours, unless we quickly recognise the cause and correct it.

This insight is the social and political science equivalent of the Copernican world view, which replaced the Ptolemaic view. It may not seem that important at first, but in fact changes everything. It is certainly not a quick fix, but will set a revolution in motion, putting us on the road to long-term solutions not just to existential political problems in the Middle East, but around the world.

Recognising the true nature of the state demands a human-evolutionary perspective: see BLOG.