A Neutral Solution for the Situation in Palestine and Israel
A United Palestine; Harmony for All
New Palestinian State highlighted in yellow; Sourced from Google Maps;
Recommendation by Ashley Heacock 2025
You can also view/listen to this on YouTube with additional commentary from me here.
Table of Contents:
Let’s Start with History
Let’s now go to Socratic Logic of if…then…
Let’s now go to Sensibility
Current Reality of Gaza and the West Bank
Now, let’s go to Solutionality
This is my Proposal
Diplomatic Suggestion
Poetry Reading
Let’s Start with History:
Late Bronze Age (1550–1150 BCE)
Iron Age I (1150–950 BCE)
The Abrahamic Faith; Passover; Exodus; led out of slavery from Egypt to Israel (c. 1300 BCE)
Slavery in Egypt: The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt under Pharaoh for many years.
Moses and the Ten Plagues: God appeared to Moses and tasked him with freeing the Israelites. Moses confronted Pharaoh, who refused to let the people go. To convince Pharaoh, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt, including the death of the firstborn.
The Passover Sacrifice: To spare the Israelites from the final plague, God instructed them to slaughter a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood. The “angel of death” would then “pass over” these homes.
The Exodus: After the final plague, Pharaoh finally relented and allowed the Israelites to leave. They fled Egypt in haste, so their bread didn’t rise, leading to the tradition of eating unleavened matzah bread during Passover.
The Red Sea: As the Israelites fled, Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued them with his army. God parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to escape, and then closed the sea, drowning the Egyptians.
Journey to Israel: After the Exodus, Moses led the Israelites through the desert towards the Promised Land (Israel), where they would eventually establish a nation.
Early Settlement (c. 1200 BCE): The Israelites, previously a nomadic and tribal group, settled in Canaan, which was already inhabited by the Canaanites.
United Monarchy (c. 1000–930 BCE): A period of centralized rule under kings Saul, David, and Solomon, during which a temple was built in Jerusalem.
“King David’s reign as king of Israel is traditionally dated around 1000 BCE. He was the second ruler of the unified kingdom of Israel and Judah, succeeding Saul. The Ark of the Covenant, a sacred chest containing the Ten Commandments, was an important part of David’s reign. He sought to bring it to Jerusalem and make it the central focus of worship, symbolizing the Lord’s presence in their capital.” — Google AI
Division of Kingdoms (c. 930 BCE): Following Solomon’s reign, the kingdom split into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
Assyrian Conquest (721 BCE): The Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, leading to the exile of many inhabitants.
Babylonian Destruction (586 BCE): Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians, and Jerusalem’s temple was also destroyed.
Return and Rebuilding: After the Babylonian exile, exiled Judeans returned and rebuilt the temple under Persian rule.
Persian Rule (539–331 BCE): Judah became part of the Persian Empire.
The Second Temple period (520 BCE — 70 CE) differed in significant ways from what had gone before.[104] Strict monotheism emerged among the priests of the Temple establishment during the seventh and sixth centuries BCE, as did beliefs regarding angels and demons.[105] At this time, circumcision, dietary laws, and Sabbath-observance gained more significance as symbols of Jewish identity, and the institution of the synagogue became increasingly important, and most of the biblical literature, including the Torah, was substantially revised during this time. — Wikipedia
Hellenistic Period (331–63 BCE): Following Alexander the Great’s conquests, Judah came under the rule of the Seleucid Empire.
Hasmonean Kingdom (164–63 BCE): A period of Jewish independence under the Hasmonean dynasty. — Google AI
“The Maccabean Revolt (Hebrew: מרד החשמונאים) was a Jewish rebellion led by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and against Hellenistic influence on Jewish life. The main phase of the revolt lasted from 167 to 160 BCE and ended with the Seleucids in control of Judea, but conflict between the Maccabees, Hellenized Jews, and the Seleucids continued until 134 BCE, with the Maccabees eventually attaining independence.” — Wikipedia
Roman Period (c. 63 BCE — 70 CE): The period of Roman rule, ending with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70 CE.
Jewish Revolt against the Romans: The First Jewish Revolt (66–70 CE) led to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. — Google AI
“The Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, is the holiest site in Judaism and a significant place of prayer and pilgrimage. It’s the last remaining portion of the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where the First and Second Temples once stood. This wall is revered because it’s the closest Jews can get to the site of the ancient Temples, which were destroyed in 70 CE.” — Google AI
Christianity (0–33AD): Christ, God, Our Lord was born and he and his disciples and adherents delivered the New Testament: Christ came into the world primarily to save humanity from sin and reconcile them with God. He came to offer forgiveness, restore the relationship between God and humanity, and provide a path to eternal life. Specifically, Jesus’ mission involved becoming the sacrifice for sins, demonstrating God’s love, and revealing the truth. — Google AI
My note: There were a lot of rules and laws for Jews to follow, hundreds, specifically 613 rules of the Torah. That’s quite a lot to interpret, right? Wow. Also, the Pharisees were taking advantage of people. “The Pharisees were criticized by Jesus for taking advantage of people, particularly widows and those in need. They were seen as prioritizing their own traditions and interpretations of the law over the well-being and needs of others, especially those in vulnerable situations.” — Google AI
So Christ came to free them, and spread the message of Love.
You can also read about my series on circumcision here, and how Christ said that rule was no longer needed to be followed. You no longer needed to cut the most important part of your body off (the most sensitive part of your heart and soul). It may have come from ancient Africa to stop the spread of diseases. It is still prevalent in America and other parts of the world today. However, really, all you need to do is take a shower daily. Mohammed’s recommendation to wash your feet and body before prayer also was helpful. Remember, Islam is an Abrahamic Faith. The Qur’an contains references and has chapters on Moses, Jesus, and Mary. Remember, back then conditions were dirtier. So homo sapiens could have died and had diseases had this practice not been followed in Africa. It’s my theory. Read or listen to my entire series on my caution and recommendation to stop this practice of circumcision (and female genital mutilation) on Medium, on my Website, or on YouTube.
AD 30–100: The Apostolic Period: The period of the apostles, including Peter, John, and Paul, is marked by the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to other parts of the Roman Empire.
The Ministry of Paul (AD 35–68): Paul, originally a persecutor of Christians, converted to Christianity and became a central figure in spreading the faith. His missionary journeys and letters, including those to the Galatians, Corinthians, Romans, and others, laid the foundation for much of early Christian theology.
Growth of the Church: The church grew rapidly, with early Christians facing persecution from Roman authorities, but also experiencing periods of relative tolerance.
Development of Doctrine and Theology: Early Christians developed foundational doctrines, including the divinity of Jesus, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the concept of salvation through faith in Jesus.
Schisms and Divisions: Major divisions, such as the Great Schism (1054) and the Protestant Reformation (1517), led to the emergence of various Christian denominations.
“The Roman Empire ruled what is now Israel from 63 BCE to 313 AD, a period of approximately 373 years. Roman control began with the capture of Jerusalem by Pompey in 63 BCE, and it was officially designated as a Roman province in 6 CE, lasting until the legalization of Christianity by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 AD.” — Google AI
“After the Roman conquest, the region known as Israel was ruled by various empires and populations for two millennia, but no distinct state or people developed in the area. Jews remained in the region, and the land saw periods of Christian and Muslim dominance, as well as shifts in religious and ethnic demographics.” — Google AI
Muhammad was the prophet of God and founder of the religion Islam. Born around 570 AD in Mecca, he received divine revelations from Allāh that became the basis for the Qur’an, Islam’s sacred text. His teachings, as outlined in the Qur’an and through his example (Sunnah), form the foundation of Islamic religious belief.
Early Life: Muhammad was orphaned at a young age and raised by his grandfather and uncle. He became a merchant, known for his honesty and trustworthiness.
Divine Revelations: Around the age of 40, Muhammad began receiving revelations from God (Allāh), which he believed to be the Word of God. These revelations, compiled into the Quran, formed the basis of Islam.
Preaching and the Hijra: Muhammad started preaching his revelations publicly, initially in Mecca, but faced opposition. In 622 AD, he and his followers migrated to Medina, an event known as the Hijra, which marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
Political and Military Rise: After the Hijra, Muhammad and his followers established a political and military presence in Medina. They gradually gained control over Mecca and then unified much of Arabia under Islam.
“Muhammad visited Jerusalem and ascended from the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem during the Night Journey (Isra’ and Mi’raj). He was transported from Mecca to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, where he led prayers with other prophets before ascending to the heavens. The Dome of the Rock is believed to be the place from which he ascended, according to Islamic belief.” — Google AI (My note: it is very close to the Jewish Wailing Wall. Christ’s Birthplace is in the West Bank, as well as Mary’s Milk Grotto. Virgin Mary’s Tomb is in Israel. I visited all of these places while I was living in the Middle East.)
“Muslim Conquest by The Rashidun Caliphate under Caliph Umar conquered the region in the 7th century AD. This was after Prophet Muhammad’s death in 632 AD. “— Google AI
“Europe’s Christianization was a gradual process, starting in the Roman Empire in the 1st century and continuing through the Middle Ages. The Roman Empire officially adopted Christianity in AD 380, and this was followed by the widespread conversion of European tribes during the Early Middle Ages. The process was essentially complete by the 15th century with the Christianization of the Baltic region.” — Google AI
“The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated by the medieval papacy, aimed at wresting control of the Holy Land from Muslim control. These military expeditions, spanning from 1096 to 1300 AD, primarily focused on retaking Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, which had been under Muslim rule for centuries. The Crusades were fueled by a desire to protect Christian pilgrims and regain control of holy sites, particularly Jerusalem, which was considered sacred by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The Crusades involved large-scale military campaigns organized by European powers, often with papal support.” — Google AI
“The Ottoman Empire conquered the region in the 16th century, and remained in control until the British acquired it in 1917.” — Google AI
“In the second half of the 19th century, Jews’ yearning to return to their ancestral land was given concrete expression in the form of the Jewish nationalistic movement Zionism. Zionism arose in response to mounting virulent Jew hatred in Europe and czarist Russia. As Jews began to trickle back into the land, they encountered a sizeable Arab population that had been there for centuries, both Christians and Muslims.” — InternationalAffairs.org
The British Empire ruled over the Palestinian territory until 1947
“Mandatory Palestine” — comprising also the current state of Jordan — came into existence in 1923. Until that time, the Arabs living there saw themselves primarily not as “Palestinians” in the sense of a nationhood but as Arabs living in Palestine (or to be precise, “Greater Syria”). — InternationalAffairs.org
“The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan proposed a division of Mandate Palestine between an Arab and a Jewish state, with Jerusalem and the surrounding area to be a corpus separatum under a special international regime. The regions allotted to the proposed Arab state included what became the Gaza Strip, and almost all of what became the West Bank, as well as other areas.
The Partition Plan was passed by the UN General Assembly in November 1947. The Partition Plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership, but rejected by the Arab leaders.”— Wikipedia
Let’s now go to Socratic Logic of if…then…:
The United Nations passed through a border project that Israel agreed with but the Arabs did not.
So, if…the Arabs do not agree with the plan, then…you can expect war again :(
So, a better solution would have been more diplomacy to come to an agreement agreed upon by all
This could have prevented war, terrorism (on all sides), and the families there may have actually all had a peaceful existence.
Let’s now go to Sensibility:
Isn’t it kind of funny that the British termed the state they created for this totally different culture than theirs: “Mandatory Palestine”
The verbiage, the grammar, the usage of the term mandatory indicates force. It’s just not a very harmonious sounding term.
Also, the United Nations, which would have been led by European and American powers, would not have understood the local culture. So they probably should have listened more to the local population to come to a solution that was amenable to all. But, they were kind of used to just ruling by force it seems.
It would have been nice if they could have thought about preventative measures (for instance, instead of a two-state Palestine, which is similar to a divide-and-conquer strategy, meaning separation and division, meaning probability increase of more conflict)
It would have been nice if they could have formed an agreed-upon solution by all relevant parties to ensure everlasting peace in the region.
Current Reality of Gaza and the West Bank:
I visited Israel and the West Bank. Here is a photo of one of the borders. There are accounts of women in ambulances with babies not able to get healthcare. This is a very sad state of affairs.
“The West Bank barrier has many effects on Palestinians including reduced freedoms, loss of land, increased difficulty in accessing medical and educational services in Israel, restricted access to water sources, and economic effects.” — Wikipedia
A photo I took at the border on the side of the West Bank
I did not go to Gaza. It is a very sad situation. Imagine being locked up in a tiny little city unable to move around. Medical supplies blocked. Necessities blocked. Starvation.
“If one has to refer to any of the parties as a terrorist state, one might refer to the Israeli government, because they are the people who are slaughtering defenseless and innocent Arabs in the occupied [Palestinian] territories, and we don’t regard that as acceptable.” (1990) “All of us need to do more in supporting the struggle of the people of Palestine for self-determination.” (1997) — Nelson Mandela
“Amnesty International investigation concludes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.” — Amnesty International 2024
Just look at these statistics below:
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor
Now, let’s go to Solutionality:
The past is the past. So what can we do now?
Israel has turned into a terrorist state. All the neighbors fear each other. It is an unstable condition. Clearly. Who is to blame?
Is it so egregiously evil in that region because the Europeans were extremely ignorant and unaware that they created a divided Palestine, which the Christian and Muslim Arabs did not even agree to in the first place?
Could we have a peaceful solution?
Have you ever heard of Divide and Conquer? That is an evil presupposition I’m proposing. Unfortunately, it may actually have been carried out into reality because of the European UN map decisions, that seem so bizarre to my logic and rationality. If you want peace, why not one state of Palestine? Why would you split it apart? Then there will be factions. Were there malicious intentions by the UN, like there were in the past by Europe all across the Middle East during the colonialism period (read my report on this topic here)? Or were the Europeans and UN just stupid and we need to help fix this problem?
This is my proposal:
First, look at these maps of the current borders that the Europeans drew for the Abrahamic People of the Middle East:
Google Maps
Now, let’s look at my solution for a United Palestine, that would make Israelis and Palestinians feel much safer.
They would be all be protected, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Baháís, and any other spiritual faith. And the Palestinian families, the Christian and Muslim Arabs, could be united with their families. So there would be Harmony.
New Palestinian State highlighted in yellow; Sourced from Google Maps;
Recommendation by Ashley Heacock 2025
If you can see in this new map, Lebanon would be protected by a barrier, Egypt would be, Jordan, and Syria, would all be protected by this barrier of Christian-Muslim Palestine. It would be one state. There would be no barriers to families moving around.
The Jews could then also feel protected and feel peace. They could relax, restore, and rejuvenate after the awful Holocaust that transpired in Germany.
The Jews, and the Christian-Muslim Palestinians who have lived there for centuries since our Abrahamic freedom from slavery in Egypt, thanks to Moses, could also finally feel peace.
We all could, around the entire world, feel at peace.
Jerusalem can be a separate entity, that all people of religious faiths could fly into and experience a religious pilgrimage.
For some hope and inspiration, in my research on the Hebrew Bible and its numerological significance, inspired by Annick de Souzenelle’s book on the Kabbalah, I uncovered significant mysteries you can learn about on my YouTube Channel.
Also, did you know that the Hebrew word for harmony carried over into the Latin language? Is that synchronistic? Is that spiritual?
הַרמוֹנִיָה
(harmonia in Hebrew) — you can listen to it on Google Translate here.
=
Harmonia and Harmony in Latin and English
Diplomatic Suggestions:
Spiritual Leaders from all faiths should be included, including the Baháí faith located in Haifa, Israel.
If you are unfamiliar with the Bahai faith, here is a summary you can also find here: “Throughout history, God has sent humanity a succession of divine Educators — known as Manifestations of God — whose teachings have served as the foundation for the advancement of civilization. These Manifestations have included Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. The most recent of these Messengers, Bahá’u’lláh, explained that the world’s religions come from the same Source and are, in essence, successive chapters of one religion of God.”
The diplomatic corps should consist of an equal balance of men and women from all backgrounds. Ratio of 1:1. We are in the 21st century. There are plenty of beautiful, intelligent women who could serve in a dignified way during the process, and help reign in male egos.
I would be cautious of politicians and their egoic intentions. I would lean towards Spiritual Wisdom Leaders.
I am from South Dakota, where the Lakota Sioux have a sacred practice of coming to decisions together. They smoke the peace pipe in a teepee, sacred tobacco, that reveals the spirt world and the truth. Importantly, they allow for breathing. Meditation. Listening. There should be a leader who allows everybody’s voice to be heard. People should intuit when to stand back and when to step forward. Allow space for pauses and silence and prayer.
If you are part of this diplomatic process, but are not from the region, then know that and maybe be silent or do not be part of the process. Ideally, the diplomatic corps will consist of people who are familiar with the region, the history, the culture, the economics, the religions, etc.
Gentleness is recommended. Listening. Caring. Wondering. Hmm…Why would they believe that? Why would they feel that way? It’s just a thought experiment. Or, you could ask them. If something feels bizarre to you in their logic, or if something or someone makes your body feel icky, then breathe deeply, and try to be gentle. Ask them questions. That may lead them to realizing their own hypocrisy. They may be in a process of deconditioning from racism and manipulation, or some other malicious propaganda. So be smart. Be intuitive. Be instinctual. Be gentle. Be kind.
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
To end, here is one of my poems:
Be Like Water
Flow with Feeling
Image from rawpixel.com on Freepik
Be neutral in your mind.
Colorless, odorless, tasteless ~ able to hold All with non-judgmental Acceptance and Love.
But Flow with Feeling.
Express your Heart in all its Compassion, Truth, and Love!
The softest touch can
Wear the hardest stone.
Speaking your opinion from your egoic, separated mind, will lead you to experience pain and separation because another egoic separated mind will have another ego, separated opinion.
If you express from your Unconditionally Loving Heart, you will experience Connection with The Whole, and will receive a Warm and Welcoming Embrace.
Why?
Because you have shared a deep Truth that Resonates with the Hearts of All.
The world doesn’t need more people with more opinions.
We need more people who can Hear their Hearts, and share how they Feel.
This is scary for most people because it can involve a vulnerability we are afraid to face.
That’s why we start with Silence and Listening, so we can hear the subtle gentle waves of Love caressing our tender Hearts.
We can then share from this neutral, compassionate space.
Then people may listen.
Not because we’re right,
But because we’re Loving.
-Ashley Heacock
This is my proposal for the situation in Palestine and Israel. What are your thoughts, insights, ideas? Do you have contacts that could be helpful in making this a reality? Please feel free to email me at ashleyheacock@gmail.com.
Written by
Ashley Heacock, Researcher, Writer, Mentor, Guide
MIT Sloan School of Management, MBA
Harvard Kennedy School of Government, MPA
The George Washington University, BA Economics, BA International Affairs
Contact: ashleyheacock@gmail.com
Website: awakeningconsciousness.community
More articles related to this topic you can read by me:
https://www.awakeningconsciousness.community/healing-the-world/spiritual-reflections-on-the-situation-in-palestine-and-israel
https://www.awakeningconsciousness.community/healing-the-world/the-logic-of-love
https://www.awakeningconsciousness.community/poetryoftheheart/a-prayer-to-god
https://www.awakeningconsciousness.community/healing-yourself/god-in-different-languages
https://www.awakeningconsciousness.community/poetryoftheheart/be-like-water
