A most concise, compassionate, erudite discourse. Have you submitted this article to any major US newspapers...NYTimes, LATimes, Washington Post, SF Chronicle? Do any of them have the courage to print it? Why can't American politicians take off their blinders & have an open, honest discussion?

Judith, Napa, US

The problem with Michael's approach is that it would not be accepted by Hamas. President Clinton presented a very workable solution to the conflict and it was rejected by Mr. Arafat. What happens when Hamas uses its new found legitimacy to build a formidable army 20 years from now?

Sam, New York, USA

Thank you for fair well balanced and just plan.
It's atchevabel,and shour will be accepted by the Palestinans,not by Israel.

Mohamad Joudeh, Denver, USA

If Obama can do one thing its to begin supporting the UN in line with its original vision. Implementing a ceasefire and supporting this actively in Palestine would be a way to prove this organisations worth.

We need the UN to work and we need peace in the middle east.

simon, London, England

very well written sir

geny, roseau, dominica

Praise to You Sir. Thank You for expressing what many feels.
May Peace prevail!

Piero, New Delhi, India

As a Palestinian who wants to see justice in the territories, i salute Rabbi Lerner for proposing that Israel adhere to the international consensus and for his acknowledgment of the grievances of the Palestinians. As he notes, violence against all civilians must end for the plan to work.

Caise Hassan, Chicago, USA

Agree completely.

Jagadish, Bromley, England

If words and thoughts of individuals alone can win a Nobel Price for Peace, no one in the world today should deserve to win the price more than Rabbi Lerner. You are one of the handful of the best human beings I have ever come across in my entire life Rabbi Lerner!

David Adeumi, London, UK

Finally , the voice of sanity. By why does this not make sense to the determining powers ? Is it a matter of pride , ulterior interests ?
Ultimately the success of a solution lies with the U.S.,only they have the strength to see it through . May the One, common God guide Barak Obama .

Julian Sammut, Haz - Zebbug, Malta

There is really no point in attempting to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict. I guess it is because people dont read their bible any more that is why it is assumed an end can come to the conflict. This is a conflict that has been fought since ismael and issac were born.

seye, luton, u k

Why does Israel get all the blame for the isolation of Gaza, which has a common border with Egypt ?
Why are the Egyptians under no pressure to help?

Michael Levin, London,

The Rabbi is truly a man of a loving G-d. Regrettably some of the enemies of Israel see G-d in a rather different light. One who is going to not only help them, but insist, the State of Israel is destroyed.

Jonathan , Truro, England

I agree completely with the Rabbi

I very wise and humane proposal. Could somebody please send this to Obama.

Simon, London,

A very good article. But there are things that the Rabbi has left out: The right of return and the support of the surrounding countries for any peace agreement for instance.
I hope what the Rabbi says comes true.

Sarah, Belfast,

Rabbi Lerner's perspective, from a million dollar mansion in the Berkeley Hills, differs significant from mine in a bunker in Beer Sheva this morning, rather than peacefully at work. It must be a great luxury to sit back and pontificate, knowing your safety and that of your family is secure

Gary, Beer Sheva, Israel

An eloquent article, most of which I agree with. I would only add that Israel MUST abide by previous UN resolutions about borders and withdraw from ALL occupied arab lands, including the Golan Heights, and accept Jerusalem as a shared palestinian/jewish capital. Nothing less will do.

Mark, London, UK

Thank goodness! Someone who has the courage to tell it like it is instead of giving us the usual Palestinians bad / Israelis good nonsense.

Paul, LIVERPOOL, UK

The most wise proposal geared to solve the conflict, I have ever read.

Garrido, Braga, Portugal

A good strategy for homeland security would be to make sure it's kept in the homeland. The Military should do "defence" not "protection". Peace and citizens' protection should be the primary concern of decent local public services with independently operational and properly regulated police forces.

Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley, Bacup, UK

As a Muslim, I really appreciated the Rabbi's Article. It is the best way to achieve peace in the middle east. I think both Arabs and Jews should really use their brain; killing one another is not going to solve the problem, I wish there were more people like
the Rabbi in the middle East.

Mohamed, Minneapolis, USA

I fully agree.

However, in the 25+ years I've lived here I've learned the hard way that Americans, in matters big or small, shoot first (if you're lucky just their mouth), and leave the thinking to their horses because they have a bigger head and much more sense...

BeN, Blue, Texas, USA

There is one blinding flaw in this highly logical proposal. The groups who are firing the rockets may not be answerable to Hamas anymore than the 9/11 hi-jackers were answerable to SA or Pakistan. I don't think there is the required control over the rocket cells on either side. They are war seekers.

James Cullup, Oxford,

Well said Rabbi. But so many things have been well said in the past concerning issues as this. The major thing we fail to talk about is the underlying issues(that which goes beyond me and you), and also the interests of some external parties beside Israel and Palestine. These are the determinants.

Nana Adewale, Lagos, Nigeria

Appreciated reading one of the most well-balanced opinions on the current Gaza debacle. Thank you Rabbi Lerner!

Anna de Brux, Brussels, Belgium

You talk without knowledge of history dating thousands of years ago.
Which part of Hamas does not want Israel to exist do you not understand ?
The whole purpose of Hamas and Hizbollah is to destroy the state of Israel which has become the only safe haven for Jews since the end of the second world war

Stan, MK,

Where were you Mr. Lerner when the Hamas terrorists were launching 3000 rockets into Israel?

Ted Baines, New York, USA

Your article is very moving and does a lot to redeem the view of Jewish thinking which all too often appears totally hostile. One can only hope that other Jews, the state of Israel and the United States can be persuaded of your point of view.

Geoff Crocker, Bristol, UK

This shows extraordinary good sense and vision.Tragically Israel is replicating past behaviour-remember Arafat and how Israel blockaded him and then said he was not doing enough. All sides need to change their mindsets.This is a blueprint for doing so.

G davies, cardiff, wales

Excellent summary of a very misserable situation...but why does Israel have to open their border and do all that work to help to rebuild? Why not open the border with Egypt - a friendly, brotherly Muslim country - to move all the goods and to help with rebuilding?

Nitka, Adelaide, Australia

Thank you Rabbi , for confirming what we all know, vengeance can never be a basis for peace. Israel must find the political maturity to take the moral high ground and resist the pressure to always find excuses to reaching the ultimate solution: a two state one that recognises past ills.

kemetu amana, nairobi, kenya

Having visited Israel a few times, the tensions there are palpable at every junction, it is a country at war.
The notion of "tooth for a tooth" should not prevail in a democratic country, nor should hatred teachings take place in religious places.
More articles like these from both sides, please

sab, london,

For once one human being brave enough to write the truth. Why do the press keep blaming Hamas for not respecting the truce when they and the morally bankrupt politicians know the truth?

fred, london,

what if Hamas does not want peace? At the end of the day Hamas exists because of its role against the hated enemy.
What if Hamas is backed, encouraged or even forced to provoke Israel by another country (Iran?).
there is not a magic solution and a military one is not worse than the invasion of Iraq

andrea ceccanti, london,

Funny how many of my friends have blind spots in their personal relationships when professionally they are objective and knowledgeable. Israel seems the same way brilliant in dealing with the world and pathetic in dealing with its relations.
A little objectivity could go a long way here.

Rick, Dover,

Kazuki, Japan
"Time for the UN to put its foot down."

In case you have had your eyes closed for the past few years, the UN cannot successfully put its foot in it's mouth, let alone do anything about the world 's problems.....

David Ashton, Bathurst, Australia

I agree with the article absolutely,Arabs were not responsible for the holocaust and the Palestinians are 3rd class citizens in their own land,America has got to stop supporting Israel in everything it does..truly it is becomung a terrorist state!!

Jean, London, England

"a worldwide compensation effort for all that Palestinians lost during the Occupation"

I agree. The Palestinians lost Palestine - Israel should compensate by returning all Arab land.

John, Cleggan, Ireland

Hear hear, very well put.

Luke Buckley, Edinburgh,

"If Mexico had a group of anti-imperialists bombing Texas, imagine how long it would take for America to mobilise a counterattack. Israel has every right to respond."

Mr. Lerner, Mexicans are not occupied and being starved to death by USA, inside an Aprtheid wall.

James King, Leeds, UK

Mr Michael,
This is obviously the delirious view of a non-Israel inhabitant,please do me a favour and start by a 1-week trip to Sderot.
http://www.tikkun.org/rabbi_lerner/bio ... this self-published biography looks to long to convince.
And please do not mourn for the sake of a nice conclusion h"v

Yattah, Ashdod, Israel

Intelligent & serious. Rabbi Lerner shows us what the right way looks like.

Ernest Werner , Trumansburg NY, USA

The British Government should send an aircraft carrier to anchor off the Gaza Strip to ensure food and medical supplies can be delivered to those who are suffering. Such a move would provide an effective and valid deterrent should Israel wish to sustain their despicable acts of terrorism.

I Moses, Wakefield, UK

Excellent article. The first I have read that made me empathise with the Palestinian / Hamas version of events. I am sickened by the death toll. It is not worth it.

Time for the UN to put its foot down.

Kazuki, Tokyo, Japan

Forward this article to all world leaders! Let's have peace in the Middle East!

Richard, Surrey, UK

The Palestinian's firing rockets into Israeli territory come a close second also.

IAN PAYNE, WALSALL,

what is proportionate? one rocket is too much,one death is too much...The result will be proportionate>People are talking too much after the fact not enough before.Every body is wrong and every body loose.The proportion of how much they are wrong that seem to be the concern???

bernard , san antonio, USA

A well balanced article. For both sides - remove the fear, ditch the spear.

Enock Tayali, Croydon, UK

I agree wholeheartedly with Rabbi Lerner. Unfortunately, if you espouse this view and are not Jewish, you are usually accused of being anti-israel and therefore anti-semitic.

James Warner, Chicago, USA

So Rabbi if you are so inteligent, ¿why don't you say it before? You think the boys are playing in the battle? ¿You think there can be peace whit Hamas and friends? ¿You really think that? please think, the mind must command the heart. Now we don't send messages, now we battle.

Gabriel Goldman, Montevideo, Uruguay

This is extremely interesting. I am pleased that you (a Jew) and I (a muslim) can both agree wholeheartedly on this very constreversial issue. With no offence intended, it does surprise me that someone has actually spoken out and presented this (to me) very obvious solution in such a coherrent way.

Eliot, Swansea, U.K

A commentry that is full of solutions that are well balanced and an obvious path to peace. Talking will eventually have to be the solution, make it now before the next generation, becomes filled with hate and mistrust. Well said Rabbi.

Eugene Murnane, Sydney, Australia

Agree completely.

William Kent, Brandon, Canada

Excellent article. If I can pick up a newspaper and find a workable solution like this one within minutes then what are the US and UN waiting for?
Do the people (us) have to do it ourselves or the governments elected and paid for by the people? Let's do it. Who can start us off?

Peter, Brisbane, Australia

At last some humanity and common-sense. This will force the end of the 'toe-dipping' attitude of the key foreign powers in regard to this horrendous and long-running saga.

nick, Muscat, Oman

this is a very fine article.

Vivian, Vancouver , Canada

The most insightful and sound solution I've ever heard. We all want peace - for everyone.

nicola, toronto, canada

Thank you, Rabbi, for a very constructive comment. This destruction cannot be in anyone's best interest - except the warmongers and armourers.

Geoffrey Morton-Haworth, London,

Such an insightful and clear commentary on this war, in comparison with other UK media coverage to date. If only the will and the means existed to broker such concrete measures to end this suffering. A glimpse of the possibility of redemption at such a bleak time.

Emily Bell, Bradford, UK

perfect solution, we are people of books and worship same god, then why to fight each other, no religion in world teaches us to fight. i wish to see this solution implemented in my life time. people of books follow the principles of prophets.
god bless mankind :)

azeem, austin, usa