The New Map of The Middle East...Three New Countries...by Jamil Shawwa

*The Middle East will witness in the coming years, not sure how many, the birth of three new countries that should compliment the current political map and would increase peace and security and stability. These three countries will be the vehicle that will reshape the Middle East, which will include Israel and two of the new three ones. The Middle East, the birthplace of the divine religions and the spring of the engine- Oil- of the civilization as we know it right now cannot be or cannot continue to be a trigger point or cause to wars and terrorism. The root cause of these worldwide problems would be eliminated with the establishment of the new countries. I will start with what appears to be the closest one to be declared an independent state, South of Sudan. This new country will help Sudan, the North, to focus, ideally, its resources and energies on democracy and development. The military regime in Khartoum, if it stays in power, would not have any excuse actually to stay. Sudan once described as the basket of Africa, as it could have fed the whole continent if resources are managed normally and I do not even say skillfully. The new South Sudan country will permanently seal Sudan from being an African country per se and make it closer to Egypt and the rest of the Arab countries within the big and new Middle East. The second country, which is on fast track to be an independent state, is the State of Palestine in the West Bank of the River Jordan between Jordan and Israel and the Gaza Strip. It is coming but the final picture is not yet clear, to me. The whole world including the State of Israel recognized this potential state but the issues at stake are very sensitive to both parties and on a larger scale very sensitive to the majority of the people all over the world. The first most difficult one is the status of Jerusalem, it is currently and formerly the capital of Israel and the Palestinians wants it to be their capital as well. Jerusalem will and should be the capital of both countries because both countries have population there and both Israel and Palestine, historically and religiously and emotionally and everything that you can think of, can claim a right in Jerusalem. It has the most sacred places to the Jewish people, the Christians and the Muslims. And If I may add, Jerusalem is a city of the world and it must be preserved as an international historic place where no one country either Israel and Palestine can change it's landscape without the coordination of the other and even maybe get the UN involved with some sort of symbolic observation. The other issue at stake is interconnected and relate to both the refugees who left the pre 1948 historic Palestine to the neighboring Arab countries and the Jewish settlers in the West Bank who feel that they can take over any piece of land in the West Bank and create a settlement there. The rhetoric is high on both sides, but ideally, the settlers would either move inside the State of Israel or be given regular citizenship status within Palestine and be citizens of the new state. There is another issue about the settlements that once resolved, and once addressed and once confronted logically, would create a new way of thinking that would be based on buying lands rather than taking over lands or properties and would give the Jewish people the mindset that they are no longer isolated and no longer need to be living in secure enclaves here and there; the land would be open to them as regular buyers of properties and same applies to Palestinians who wish to buy properties inside Israel, they cannot claim historic ownership on lands and properties inside Israel. In return, the issue of the Palestinian refugees would be resolved once and for all, no return, but be given citizenship in the countries they live in now; Jordan did the same decades ago but without publicity. The Arabs are so scared even to discuss the possibilities that they forfeit the so called right of return. The third country is the most difficult one-imagine something else more difficult than the Israeli Palestinian issue- which is the establishment of the State of Kurdistan in the historic Kurds areas that include lands in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan. I am a pro Kurdistan country for I have to admit selfish and practical reasons; it will in my opinion forever establish a zone that would make aggression from the side of any of its neighboring courtiers virtually not possible. It will create a zone, like an oasis in the middle of these courtiers that would act as a safe heaven and Bastian for peace in the region, it will also create economic prosperity in almost six countries and create business zones along the borders of all these countries. Imagine, those border areas had always been a cause for conflict, the creation of the State of Kurdistan would eliminate that zone, also it would control the drug trafficking to Europe, ensure smooth flow of oil, as Kurdistan is rich for oil fields. I mentioned before here my deep support to the inevitability, from my perspective for the creation of this State. It does not have to be on every inch of the historic land but it needs to be created. Once created, I do not personally see that it would encourage the Shiite in the south of Iraq to create their own country; I think the rest of Iraq would be ok to give the Kurds a country and they, as in Sudan, would focus on their core land and country.

*Maps:

http://www.usefreedomtv.com/images/Kurdistan_map.gif

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/images/maps/israel_palestine_map.gif

http://www.supiriresources.com/images/south_sudan.jpg