Alma's Two-State Solution

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has proven to be one of the most complex and “intractable” conflicts of modern history – or as some may even add – of all time. And after many decades of failed attempts at peacemaking in this region, there still seems to be no conceivable end to the conflict. During those same decades, most of the parties involved as well as the international community have embraced the idea of a two-state solution, but the question we pose today asks whether this solution is still a viable option considering the present context, and if not, is it finally time to consider a one-state solution? This essay will argue that although a two-state solution remains the more

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the one of the world’s oldest conflicts, and it is still an ongoing problem in the world. Zionists and Arabs: two groups with conflicting beliefs who both claim Israel as their own. In wake of the Holocaust the U.N decided to gift the Jews a homeland for the lives lost in the genocide. In 1947, the U.N Partition divided the land of Israel (Historic Palestine) into two separate states: Arab and Jewish. Since then, the state of Israel has been the center of conflict between the Arabs and the Zionists. As time passed the Zionists gained more land from winning the Six-Day War, and consequently the Palestinians had to live as refugees in other Arab countries. Additionally, more than 75% of the land belonged to

The Israel-Palestine conflict is one of the most long-term, pressing, and largely confounding social, political, and national quandaries of our age. Since we have been moving with surprising velocity into the vast horizons of globalization, the conflict has built up tremendous momentum and has called into question the adequacy of our current attempts at coming to a peaceful resolution that can simultaneously and successfully address both sides of the struggle. The purpose of this paper has been to understand the prospect of a two-state nation solution for Israel and Palestine. The discussion arises a retrospective view of the context behind the present analysis. We begin with a discourse that informs the reader of the historical narrative between the Jewish inhabitants of Israel and the Palestinians who also seek to live in the lands which comprise Israel. At the forefront of the discussion are some key issues such as trends in Israeli settlement expansion over time, the manner in which these settlements create political challenges towards the prospect of a two-state solution, and the fragmentation of power within Palestinian political parties which inhibit the opportunity for proper negotiations amongst the two parties. Finally, we delve into a discussion on nationalism, it’s importance in the discussion of a two-state solution, and the challenges posed when trying to formulate US Foreign Policy towards the matter.

Since the UN partition of Israel and Palestine in 1947, Israel has been placed in many instances of conflict between the Jewish migrants to the region and the Palestinian natives. Several conflicts resulted in open, declared war, such as the First Arab-Israeli War of 1948-1949, and the Yom Kippur War of 1973. In addition, Israel has been involved in the occupation of the West Bank and the blockade of the Gaza Strip. After the last open war, Israel’s occupation of the West Bank has been marked by the military governorate, taking political and institutional control of the region that is ethnically and religiously different than the population that resides in the Jewish state of Israel.

"Stick a label on it; Israel and Palestine." The Economist 14 Nov. 2015: 49(US). Religion

The two-state solution has been constantly talking about through the Arab-Israeli conflict, yet no side can completely agree on whether or not a two-state solution is a valuable option. If both sides agreed that they wanted a two-state solution, the Palestinians and the Israelis would both be guaranteed their own state located in Israel. In agreeing to this solution, Israelis would get the right to security and the right to keep the country Jewish majority with a democratic government style. The Palestinians would have the right to control their own area with the way they see fit. There has not been any official agreement on boundary

This talk of two-state solution though seemingly attractive, is highly fraught, not only because of too little land and too much history. This should not be taken as an easy case like the situation between India and Pakistan, where demarcation was on the basis of the ethnic majority occupying a given area. The talk of a two-state solution, appealing as it may seem, can never be taken seriously and cannot lead to a permanent solution if it attempts to mask expulsion, population transfer, or annexation on one side or the destruction of an existing nation on the other side. The Palestinian people exist, and Israel exists, and neither of these two entities is provisional. It must be noted that within these borders, two distinct groups divided by culture, history, and language cannot live wholly together or wholly apart.

Vishakha Sonawane, a writer from International Business Times, explains, “The two-state solution calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside a Jewish nation based on borders that existed before the war in 1967” (Sonawane). This solution will improve relations between the two groups because it will allow the states to have their own land and borders to keep them separate. Bernard Chazelle describes how the two-state solution will help improve the conflict, “It would satisfy a majority of Palestinians and confer upon Israel the statehood legitimacy that it craves” (Chazelle). With this solution, Palestinians would get their own state, which will allow them to live freely. Since Israelis will also get their own state, they will feel as though the land is finally theirs. Ian Lustick, a writer for the New York Times, explains “The last three decades are littered with the carcasses of failed negotiating projects billed as the last chance for peace in Israel. All sides have been wedded to the notion that there must be two states, one Palestinian and one Israeli” ( Lustick). It is crucial for Palestine and Israel to have their own states. Having two states will allow both groups to see they are both victims in this situation. They both have had a high amount of casualties and loss. Both sides are just being stubborn and using violence when it is not needed. They should be using peace and communication to stop the conflict before it gets any worse than it already is. The two-state solution would allow both the Israelis and Palestinians to live how they want in their own

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is just one of the many facets that have shaped modern day politics in the Middle East. It is a conflict rooted in generations of violence, discrimination and prejudice that is complicated by a history older than any of the modern day superpowers. Ever since the creation of the state of Israel by the 1947 UN partition of Palestine

After listening to the Israel-Palestine panel, it became clear to me that a two-state solution is the only viable option. The panelists from Friends of Israel, J Street U, and Jewish voices for peace all clearly stated their support for and belief in the two-state solution. From discussion during the panel, I gathered that a two-state solution would include Israel as a Jewish, democratic state that will coexist peacefully alongside and independent Palestinian state. Borders in this solution would be based on pre-1967 lines with agreed land-swaps to allow each state to incorporate large population centers on the other side, and of course, there would be compromises over Jerusalem, as well as mutual access to all holy sites.

Throughout the period of World War II, many Jewish people had fled to Israel seeking a place for sanctuary due to Hitler’s reign of terror, but who knew that one of the most largest movements in the history of Europe would cause one of the biggest renowned issues that still remains today. We can easily conclude that both Palestinian and Israeli people both believe that Israel is a land of sacred, where both religions had made history in this land. Although one of the biggest issues that still remains today is who really deserves the land the most. The Palestinian people currently live in the land of Israel before the Jews had made their movement, but after letting in countless Jewish refugees into their land, the Jewish people had realized

After more than 50 years of war, terrorism, peace negotiation and human suffering, Israel and Palestine remain as far from a peaceful settlement as ever. The entire Middle Eastern region remains a cauldron waiting to reach the boiling point, a potent mixture of religious extremism, (Jewish, Christian and Islamic), mixed with oil and munitions.

Since the early 20th Century, Israelis and Palestinians have been fighting over the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. With the assumption that Palestine is a state to facilitate discussion, this report sketches out the most significant elements of the conflict on the three levels defined by Kenneth Waltz, and applies the Realist theory of international relations (IR) to the “Two-State” solution.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a matter of controversy for decades, and seems to have no end in sight. In order to evaluate the conflict, one but have a basic understanding of its foundation. The conflict began as a result of British colonization in the late 19th century, when during World War I they promised the land to 3 separate bodies of people. The first being the Jews in a document known as the Balfour Declaration, promising the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. The second group was the Arabs with Sharif Hussein who they also promised an Arab state in the same area. Lastly, was themselves, but they would later leave the area, leaving it to the Jews and the Arabs. Once the war was over and the British left a few decades later, everything seemed to collapse. There would later be two wars between the Jews and the Arabs with the Jewish people winning both, eventually taking almost entire control of Palestinian land. The most commonly fought over, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are common sites of disputes between the two nations. And to this day the conflict continues over the rights to the land, which is often backed with religious beliefs and nationalism.

Since the early 20th century, there has been an ongoing struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians over ownership of land in the Middle East. Both sides believe Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank to be a Holy Land, gifted to them through their personal religions. The conflict intensified after World War II when more Jews fled to the Middle East, hoping to escape Anti-Semitism. In 1947, the United Nations attempted to settle disputes over territory and brokered a two-state solution. This created an independent Palestinian state and an independent Jewish state. The Jewish state would later become the State of Israel in 1948. The United Nations hoped to create two separate sovereign states, based on the nationalities of Arabs and Jews. Despite this, the conflict between the two separate entities is ongoing and there is rarely a time of peace. The Israel-Palestinian conflict can be most effectively be analyzed using the realism and liberalism international relations theories.