Oh Isratine: The One State Solution

The New York Times had a curious op-ed piece this week from Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi who proposed a “one-state solution” to the Palestinian crisis: a new Israeli-Palestinian state called Isratine. It was a surprising source for advice on the issue from a man not only linked to “Carlos the Jackal” and terrorist operations like the destruction of Pam Am flight 103, but a man whose previously solution was to push Israeli Jews into the sea.

Qaddafi the columnist can be credited with the idea of reaching a compromise — and for the improvements in his relations with the West in the last few years. It is also a major advance to hear Qaddafi say the following words:

The basis for the modern State of Israel is the persecution of the Jewish people, which is undeniable. The Jews have been held captive, massacred, disadvantaged in every possible fashion by the Egyptians, the Romans, the English, the Russians, the Babylonians, the Canaanites and, most recently, the Germans under Hitler. The Jewish people want and deserve their homeland.

It is the new country that he outlines that is a bit of a novelty:

In absolute terms, the two movements must remain in perpetual war or a compromise must be reached. The compromise is one state for all, an “Isratine” that would allow the people in each party to feel that they live in all of the disputed land and they are not deprived of any one part of it.

It is better that Qaddafiland. It sounds better in a national anthem.
Oh, Isratine
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The One State strong and free!
From far and wide, O Isratine,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Isratine, we stand on guard for thee.
O Isratine, we stand on guard for thee.

For the New York Times op-ed, click here.