| With the Middle East gripped by another war in | | | | used for civilian infrastructure and compensation |
| which the direct combatants are deliberately | | | | to victims and their families, and that a violation of |
| targeting each other's civilians and civilian | | | | points 1-3 would lead to a forfeiture of promised |
| infrastructure resulting in mounting casualties, it is | | | | monies not yet received, grants received would |
| imperative that the violence be halted as soon as | | | | revert to loans with immediate repayment |
| possible. Accordingly the United States must | | | | required and punitive fines as seen fit by the |
| rediscover impartiality and join with the | | | | World Court.5. Implementation of ALL UN |
| international community in demanding an | | | | resolutions pertaining to EACH of the sides with |
| immediate end to the violence especially since | | | | the guarantee that this implementation will be |
| with each hour it continues, more people fall | | | | completed within two-years. The present demand |
| victim and the risks of economic disruption and | | | | that Lebanon honor UN resolution 1559 while Israel |
| recession including to the global economy (from | | | | gets a free pass on 242 is unrealistic and not |
| rising oil prices and the increasing cost of | | | | feasible.6. Upon completion of the implementation |
| rebuilding), disease and famine grow along with | | | | of ALL UN resolutions, the two-year ceasefire |
| hardened emotions of hate.At the same time, the | | | | would become permanent. Afterwards ALL sides |
| United Nations (UN), which has remained | | | | and parties of interest would declare and sign off |
| powerless to date, must enact immediate | | | | on their recognition of a two state solution |
| constructive reforms to end its paralysis. Learning | | | | consisting of a viable and contiguous Israel and |
| from its failure to stem the genocide currently | | | | Palestine and their historical and legitimate right to |
| being committed in Darfur as well as past | | | | exist within their borders as determined and |
| genocides (e.g. Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, etc.) | | | | created by UN resolutions and international law. |
| along with its ineffectiveness and inability to | | | | Compensation (determined by the World Court) |
| address regional conflicts such as today's Middle | | | | and housing would be provided by the international |
| East war, a veto override mechanism must be | | | | community to Palestinian refugees and their |
| introduced. It would work in the following way -- | | | | descendants, and to affected Israelis to address |
| when a single permanent Security Council | | | | Palestinian calls for "right of return" and |
| member vetoes a proposed resolution, such a | | | | dismantlement of Zionist settlements, |
| veto would be overriden if 2/3 of the General | | | | respectively.7. Finally in the interest of world |
| Assembly votes to do so followed by the | | | | peace, the Middle East would be converted into a |
| approval of the Secretary-General, who today | | | | Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and |
| serves as not much more than a mere | | | | nuclear-weapons free zone, requiring Iran to |
| figurehead with no real authority.At the same | | | | cease nuclear-weapons and WMD development |
| time a plan encompassing the below listed 7 points | | | | and production activities, Israel to dismantle and |
| should be adopted since it is the only reasonable | | | | turn over existing nuclear and WMD stockpiles to |
| and impartial means of ending the 2006 Middle | | | | the United States or Russia for destruction and to |
| East War and providing the region with solid | | | | cease nuclear-weapons and WMD development |
| footing on the path to lasting peace. Unless the | | | | and production activities, an all states to formally |
| blame game is stopped and fairness and | | | | renounce nuclear weapons and other WMD. As an |
| even-handedness are used, the guiding principles | | | | incentive, the United States, Russian and the E.U. |
| of my 7-Point plan, lasting peace may never be | | | | could sign off on an "umbrella" security agreement |
| established since simmering feelings of bitterness | | | | in which they guarantee the defense of Israel and |
| and resentment will linger through the | | | | Palestine as long as neither initiate a conflict with |
| generations.1. An immediate cessation of hostilities | | | | each other and/or their neighbors viewing an |
| by ALL sides followed by a two-year ceasefire in | | | | attack on any one of these states as an attack |
| which NO side is permitted to engage in attacks, | | | | on their own countries.If this 7-Point plan would be |
| assassinations, incursions, and interference in the | | | | adopted, the 2006 Middle East War could |
| other's internal activities and politics (since it is | | | | immediately end sparing additional casualties and |
| unrealistic to demand one side to renounce | | | | damage to civilian infrastructure and regional and |
| violence and not the other, the key impediment | | | | global economies with the very real prospect of |
| currently embodied by Israeli-U.S. policy). During | | | | achieving lasting peace by 2008. As Martin Luther |
| this period Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel would be | | | | King eloquently stated during the September 1963 |
| permitted to operate their airports, border | | | | funeral for three of the Birmingham Church |
| crossings and countries as they see fit within the | | | | bombing victims, "Good still has a way of growing |
| context of existing UN resolutions and international | | | | out of evil. The blood of these girls must serve as |
| law.2. An agreement by ALL sides not to seize | | | | a revitalizing force to bring light to this dark |
| prisoners from foreign territory (e.g. Israel could | | | | city."[1] Thus there can be reason for hope and |
| not seize prisoners from Palestine, Hezbollah could | | | | even optimism that good can arise from the evil |
| not seize prisoners from Israel, etc.).3. An | | | | of today's conflict with the blood of Israelis and |
| agreement to release IDF prisoners with a firm | | | | Arabs bringing much needed light to current Middle |
| commitment by Israel to the United States, | | | | Eastern |
| European Union (E.U.), and Russia who would act | | | | _____________________________[1] |
| as guarantors that Israel would subsequently | | | | John Herbers. Funeral Is Held For Bomb Victims. |
| follow the spirit of the Oslo Accords and release | | | | The New York Times. 19 September 1963. |
| ALL Palestinians, Lebanese, and Arabs held in their | | | | 17.William Sutherland is a published poet and writer. |
| prisons at the time of their choosing not to | | | | He is the author of three books, "Poetry, Prayers |
| exceed 6 months. This would avoid the linkage | | | | & Haiku" (1999), "Russian Spring" (2003) and |
| that Israel rejects and provide the much-needed | | | | "Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person |
| spirit of reconciliation to quench the flames of | | | | behind the Mystique" (2005) and has been |
| vengeance. Each side must love the others' | | | | published in poetry anthologies around the world. |
| children as much as they love their own, respect | | | | He has been featured in "Who's Who in New |
| each other as the human beings they are along | | | | Poets" (1996), "The International Who's Who in |
| with their feelings, and value the preciousness of | | | | Poetry" (2004), and is a member of the |
| life, including the lives of others.4. The immediate | | | | "International Poetry Hall of Fame." He is also a |
| establishment of foreign grants to assist Palestine, | | | | contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online |
| Lebanon, and Israel with the rebuilding process | | | | encyclopedia. |
| under the conditions that such aid could only be | | | | |