Well, if you were to conduct a poll among Palestinians today, there would certainly be a number of people who would prefer that Israeli Jews simply disappear. This does not necessarily mean that they want to expel or murder all Jews in Palestine.

I actually find this wish somewhat understandable, considering the experiences they have had with Israel and Zionism over the last hundred years and are currently having. After all, it was Israel that has so far reduced the Palestinians within its territory to a population share of 20% by expelling them. And it has only not properly annexed the rest of the territory it claims because it can oppress the Palestinian majority there better as an occupying power than if they were citizens.

However, things will look very different once Israel is no longer the invincible bully with the big bodybuilder brother who can simply take what he wants without having to fear any consequences.

Of course, in order to enter into negotiations, Israel would have to apologize for 75 years of expulsion, land theft, disenfranchisement, occupation and oppression. That will certainly not be an easy step for Israel. And they will probably not take it voluntarily. That is precisely why they need loving pressure from their European friends in Europe and especially in America.

Not with violence, of course, but like in South Africa, through political isolation and boycott. I think that nowadays no country, especially not such a small country, can afford to be isolated from the rest of the world. And hopefully that will make the Israeli government more willing to compromise.

We remember that in South Africa there was a right-wing head of government, a convinced racist, under whose leadership apartheid collapsed and the oppression of the black population ended.

Germany and France were also once arch enemies. And today they are the heart of the EU.