Amid the bloody war in Gaza, the 35-year-old consensus on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine is being challenged. Many believed that two states living peacefully side by side were the only feasible answer to the region's troubles. 🕊️
However, others argue that the horrors witnessed since October 7 could breathe new life into the very goal that seemed shattered. This growing support suggests a possible revival of efforts towards establishing two separate nations. 🔄
In recent statements, American, Palestinian, and Arab officials have emphasized that a two-state solution must emerge phoenix-like from the ashes of this devastating war. Reasonable people worldwide can only hope that this framework will finally bring a definitive and mutually agreed end to a century-old struggle. 🌍✨
November marks a poignant time as Palestinians commemorate the 1988 Declaration of Independence by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Adopted from exile in Algeria during the height of the first intifada, this declaration saw all Palestinian factions, including the most radical, accept the partition of Palestine and acknowledge Israel's de facto existence within its pre-1967 borders.
In making that breakthrough declaration, the PLO set one major condition for peace: the 22 percent of Palestine comprising the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip must be liberated from all Israeli settlers. Without this, the territory could never support a sovereign, independent state with its own natural resources and recognizable borders.
Following the Algiers declaration, Palestinian economists began analyzing the economic viability of a two-state configuration. A 1990 PLO-led study concluded that a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital, could be economically viable. 📈 But this feasibility was contingent on Israel's military withdrawal, evacuation, and dismantling of settlements. Without such actions, economic development would remain uncertain, as investor confidence in Palestinian sovereignty would be lacking.
The 1993 Oslo Accords fell short of meeting this critical condition. Instead of full sovereignty, the accords provided civil autonomy to the Palestinian Authority (PA) amidst continued Israeli settlement expansion. This forced economic planning into the uncharted territory of \"sub-sovereign state-building.\"
Interim negotiations aimed to reach a \"permanent status\" agreement on all contentious issues and were almost successful at Camp David in 2000. However, these negotiations ultimately failed, leading to the 2000-05 second Palestinian intifada. The ensuing violence and overwhelming Israeli military response made the two-state solution seem even more distant. Additionally, the division between Fatah and Hamas since 2006 has created political disunity and greater economic distortions, increasing dependence on the booming Israeli economy.
As the region navigates these turbulent times, the hope remains that the two-state solution can rise again, offering a path to peace and stability for both Israelis and Palestinians. 🌟
