THE NEXT 70 YEARS

The next 70 years: Israelis divided over the way forward

As Israel marks the 70th anniversary of its founding, Palestinians continue to commiserate over their displacement. Here's a look at the challenge both peoples face in the seemingly intractable conflict.

An air show during the 70th Independence Day festivities in Tel Aviv on April 19. Israel marked 70 years since the founding of the country according to the Hebrew calendar with a national holiday celebration.
An air show during the 70th Independence Day festivities in Tel Aviv on April 19. Israel marked 70 years since the founding of the country according to the Hebrew calendar with a national holiday celebration. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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Graffiti on the concrete wall - located between Bethlehem and Jerusalem which the Israelis call an anti-terror fence and the Palestinians denounce as an apartheid wall - aptly summarises the political situation in the Holy Land on Israel's 70th Independence Day.

A white peace dove with an olive branch in its beak can barely keep itself in the air, because its opulent body is weighed down by a bulletproof vest. It needs this vest, because the crosshairs of a sniper float above its heart. Peace in the Middle East - an endangered species.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on April 29, 2018, with the headline Israelis divided over the way forward. Subscribe