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Why not divide Jerusalem
Originally published 2 Aug 2000 in The Jerusalem Post

	Jerusalem by William Blake

Superficially, the division of Jerusalem may seem justified, on practical as well as moral grounds. After all, good fences make good neighbors, etc.; but, to reconcile conflicting claims, why not perform a Solomon-like division of what is in dispute.

The proponents of division mostly argue practicality: since the two communities cannot live together, they should separate. In real life, however, cutting a city in half is easier said than done, and having two sovereigns govern different parts may prove not only an impossible task, but also a dangerous one, leading to total chaos.

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Israel needs economic security, too
Originally published 18 Jun 1999 in The Wall Street Journal

After his landslide victory, Israel’s Prime Minister elect Ehud Barak expressed his determination to restart peace talks with the Syrians and Palestinians. But a more urgent priority, for peace as well as prosperity, is to reform Israel’s stagnant economy. Economic inefficiency is responsible for squandering much of Israel’s excellent human capital, and for the country’s growing political instability and widening social fissures. Slow growth is also for hampering the peace process. For better or worse, the Palestinians will remain inextricably linked to Israel’s laggard economy. Their welfare, not only Israel’s, depends on liberalization.

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