Horse 1406 - Who Won Between Israel and Palestine?

The Australian on its masthead of Friday 23rd November asked the question of the conflict between Palestine and Israel "Who Won?". It then quite sensibly on page 10 in its reporting, avoided answering the question. Depending on the tone of how the question is asked (which isn't easily conveyed in print) this could either be a direct or rhetorical question. If it isn't a rhetorical question, then the answer is either "everyone" or "no-one".

The basic problem which still confronts both Israel and Palestine is that they still both exist.
Although Palestine doesn't say it officially, both Hamas and Fatah which are its two main political parties, are offshoots of the former PLO. Both are committed to the destruction of the Israeli state and the Israeli people.
Israel whilst claiming it has the right to self-defence continually, still has a belligerent habit of deliberately antagonising Palestine and her people. It never apologises ever for building settlements in nominally Palestinian land and equally as in this conflict, actively goes about disrupting Palestinian politics via the instrument of assassination.
Murder and bloodshed are the "tools" of both sides of this conflict and whilst both often like to make murmurs of peace, their actions betray this. Every time these sorts of conflicts flare up I always find myself condemning both sides.

I hold the view that this rolling series of conflicts is not a "war", though it might be considered to be warfare. "War" is usually a definable series of conflicts with a command structure like Generals and Admirals who have objectives with distinct endings. "Warfare" which this is, has no obvious objective or ending other than the perpetual rolling and display of power for power's sake.
I really don't think that the governments of Israel or Palestine are ever committed to real and lasting peace because that would mean an erosion of the political and power base which the respective governments enjoy. It is far easier to whip up political support when people are in a frenzy. Keeping people fearful is quite an effective way of maintaining power and its even better if that fear is generated by an outside party because you can then appear to be responsible and chivalrous when you choose to attack them.
Israel in essence chooses to ignore the 1967 boundaries and Palestine has never agreed in principle to the terms of the 1948 instrument which created the modern state of Israel in the first place.
Really if you want to be pedantic about it, the land should by rights belong to Britain who won it through a definable war in 1923 from the Ottoman Empire.

History has shown that only one solution to this conflict properly works; that is the imposition of an even worse foreign belligerent power who cares naught about the petty brotherly squabble that rages forever.
The Roman Empire was able to establish relative peace in Syria, Palestina and Arabia, and the Eastern Roman Empire and finally the Ottomans still basically imposed brutal rule over the region from a seat of power in Constantinople.

Really the only proper modern workable solution is one which would be utterly abhorrent to both sides of the conflict, and that is:
Shut up, put up, get over it.
End the conflict by tearing down every internal boundary between Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and Palestine. Send everyone in government from both sides to a Pacific Island and never ever provide any means of escape, ever. If people want to continue the conflict, let them do so by bashing each other over the head with bits of driftwood.
Rename the new nation "Abraham", since both Jews and Arabs claim him as their father. Give full and unqualified representation to Arabs and Jews in the new parliament. And finally, destroy every weapon and ban all firearms except in a common military.

I really am sick of hearing every excuse imaginable; anyone who tries to defend the butchering of innocent people for any reason over the last 64 years is an idiot of the most stupid, pathetic and moronic persuasion. How the continuance of bloodshed, rage and violence is supposed to be an agent for peace, is really quite beyond me. If you punch someone in the face, their natural reaction will only be wanting to punch you back. Multiply that by more than half a century and the road to peace looks very very very far off in the distance indeed.
I'm sorry but I can not honestly think of any just cause why this continues other than the selfishness of a few people who must get some sort of perverse joy in watching people blown to pieces.
I don't really see any difference between a rocket that lands in Jerusalem or Gaza City. People's lives are destroyed and to be honest, I think that if they were given the opportunity to live quiet, peaceful lives without fear of bombs raining down on their house, they'd prefer to, and that goes for everyone on both sides if this conflict and indeed every conflict.

The answer to the question of the conflict between Palestine and Israel "Who Won?" is either:
1. "Everyone" because it is sort of over for  now.
2. "No-one' because nothing was solved and it cost people's lives and the destruction of property for precisely zero benefit.