The Forty Year Approach to Jerusalem

I found this hidden gem in Bookworm's comments.  She writes:

I’m...worried that the usual pattern will emerge, of giving the Palestinians a reward before they change their behavior. With half of Jerusalem sitting on the table, how about this: if the Palestinians and surrounding Arabs/Muslims can go for 40 years without attacking Israel, they can get control over half of Jerusalem. I choose the number 40 deliberately because, in the Bible, that’s the number of years it takes for a tainted generation to die out and a new one to arise to take its place. Actually, I believe two things: (1) the Arabs/Muslims/Palestinians will never be able to go 40 years in peace, no matter how much they want Jerusalem; and (2) 40 years isn’t long enough to deplete the hatred inculcated in those cultures. But it’s a starting point for negotiation, as opposed to “we’ll give you half of Jerusalem, in return for your promise to be good.” After the chortling Palestinians/Muslims/Arabs says yes to this one, they’re going to line up to re-sell the Brooklyn Bridge to America and Israel, over and over again.