29 games. No wins. 13 defeats. Why would anyone give you a corner store to manage, let alone an entire region of the world?

"Both sides have idiots whose wishes will have to be discounted if peace is to be achieved. "

Agreed. However, while Israel has uprooted its religious settlements in Gaza and Sinai, I don't see any hope to expect any Palestinian leadership to be able to move against its religious extremists. You are then asking not only Israel to give in to an 'acceptable amount' (what a ridiculous term) but also knowing those committing that violence will go unpunished. Again, a very tough sell for any PM.

The issue with all of these debates is this: most people are tribal about them, and then rationalise a conclusion as to who they should support. Thus, many people are of the disposition of disliking Israel (often as a corollary of disliking the US) and hence come to the conclusion that the Israelis ought to accept rockets falling on them lying down.

Others, thinking tribally, find the Arab attitudes distasteful, particularly with regard to the West, and thus have the view that Israel should be allowed to so whatever it pleases.

Neither of these positions are really satisfactory, and, although I do hold the latter, I do so from a set of beliefs distinct from any tribal tendencies.

Actually, sex is the answer. If people lost all their cultural hangups about sex, and we followed the example of the Bonobo, there would be far less conflict and anger in the world.

Give the Palestinian people there own state. After that Both Israel and the Palestinian must fight against radicals from both sides. So when there is an attack somewhere those army's support each other. If they do that, there can't be a oppressed group, only two governments that worked together in the name of peace.
There will be still civilian casualty, though both governments are not to blame because they worked as an team. After time real peace can be realised.

At least that is what I believe.

@tja122: And how would you get the Palestinian and Israeli armies to work together?

And how would you get them a state. That's half the battle. Next you'll ask for fairies and pixie dust.

(Then take a poll of Palestinians and ask how many of them believe in the 2 state solution. I think you'll be surprised.)

The territories are almost slit up as we speak. Also when the Israeli government start to say they want a two state solution they can work this out with the Palestinian government where the borders come. But the first problem is that the Israeli government does not even want to consider this. Remove this and this conflict can have a happy ending.

Well if you give them a state you get the same situation like in Ireland. The civilians have a chance of living in peace. And also there wouldn't be a need for a blockade of goods. If the government of Israel reads out to the Palestinian people not only with words, than many people will stop supporting the radicals because they don't have a valid reason anymore.
Israel should support the people of Palestine for real and the people of Palestine should accept this, and accept the Israeli state.

". But the first problem is that the Israeli government does not even want to consider this. Remove this and this conflict can have a happy ending."

This is simplistic and wishful thinking. While you might be able to say the CURRENT Israeli government doesn't want to consider a 2 state solution (which is debatable) there are previous Israeli governments (Barak, Rabin) that have tried to implement a 2 state solution. Desire does not equal progress, and if you want to blame one side for the conflict, you don't know enough about the conflict.

You'd think after 48 hours some of the world's greatest International Relations experts would come to a consensus for a solution via an internet forum.

lol

@DingleberryJones
Of course it is, but it's a fact that both party's demand unreasonably things, or (witch happens in most cases) come with a solution on the table but withdraw this when the first bomb goes off.
That's why I said that the Israeli government should work to build this two state plan. No matter what Bombs or evil things are done in that time. They have to see that there are a lot of radicals who don't want to share a single piece. So that is why they have to go on, and not stop the process when there are troubles on the road.
When they go on and on, I'm sure there will come a time when it all starts to work out.
Though there will be loss on both sides, but to end this conflict it is necessary to keep moving on. Otherwise they lose at the end a lot more....

@yayager
Lolz we don't, but the question was: "How would you bring peace to the Middle East? "
Well I would try it that way.Hard working on a two side state, don't look at the victims but keep going, otherwise you end up in a never ending bloodshed. Like they do now...

Remove religion
Problem solved.

@tja122 point taken... but reading this thread you'd think the question was actually "How would you bring peace to the Middle East & more importantly ignore the flaws in your plan while making snarkiy points about the opinions and logic of others?"... then again this is a peculiar corner of the interwebs.