who's first

 I'm listening to the news and Joe Biden is insisting that the two-state solution is still the way to go. It should be obvious to everyone that it will not work that way. I have no solution to offer, I'm not that smart or informed, but know that a house divided will not stand. I learned that from Abraham Lincoln! It isn't anything new. In the end someone gets the house! It's as simple as that. When others are viewed as your enemies, you aren't going to allow them to live in your house. And those groups in conflict have been arguing over the house for many centuries. I can't see that ever changing. The best we can hope for are periods of peace. That is usually what follows conquest, until the conquered regroup. And that is proven throughout history to be the case. 

 Who has the right to the land? That is the heart of the matter and how do you decide upon that? Here at home the "Native Americans" claim ownership of the north American continent. Their claim being they were here first. The many tribes that occupied the land were in constant conflict with each other. Their territories expanded and contracted as battles were won and lost. Then the incursion of the Europeans played a role in all of that. Alliances were made, deals cut, and conflict continued. It was the Europeans that united the land. That's the point of view of Americans. The Native Americans see it differently. But does anyone really know just what group was here first? I don't believe we know that answer and it changes periodically. Will the Native Americans ever regroup and take back the land? I don't think that will happen on a battlefield but in the court system a measure of revenge will be gained. Tax breaks being the big thing. For all the reporting of poverty and hardship among native Americans there are large sectors that enjoy great wealth! Those sectors don't appear to be actively helping the others. They aren't spreading the wealth. 

  Who owns Jerusalem? If history is correct the Canaanites have the best claim to that place, they were there first. According to some sources they were an ancient people descended from Canaan a grandson of Noah. He was cursed because of some sin against Noah. His people were wicked and idolators! The Canaanites were not a nation but rather a group of eleven tribes that occupied the general area of Israel, Palestine and Syria. They were conquered by a host of other nations. The Canaanites eventually disappeared, their civilization collapsing. Scholars debate the reason for that collapse. But my point is simply, they were there first. Rather ironic when viewed in a historical sense. A city founded by a cursed grandson of Noah became the religious center for three major religions. It is that city that is at the center of all we are seeing today.

  Who owns the Gaza strip? That is central to solving this issue. Who was there first? Well, it was the Canaanites. They were conquered by the Egyptians, and then by the Philistines, some other groups and Alexander the great. So, the Canaanites no longer exist, they can't claim ownership. The Egyptians are next in line, should they control the Gaza strip? They are the group that are still around anyway. But it isn't that easy at all. In 1948 the United Nations designated territory as an Israeli state. The first in 2000 years. That has been in dispute since the day after the declaration! 

  I'm just attempting to understand what is happening. I could just turn a deaf ear to all of this, but I feel the need to be informed. I'm not interested in taking sides, I just want to know why. Nothing I can say or do is going to influence anyone or make any difference at all. What happens will! And that is what concerns me. Even when living on the extreme fringe of things I am living in a historic moment in time. And yes, in the big picture all of this is just a brief moment in time. A time repeated. It isn't that way to those directly involved, those directly affected. It is imminent history. Can we really use the events of thousands of years ago as justification for the actions of today? Is the argument, we were here first, a valid one?