Israeli - Palestinian Two State Debate

I found this current predicament particularly interesting in light of our recent discussion of the Paris Peace Conference’s influence on the state make-up of the Middle East. It seems the concerns and issues with the somewhat arbitrarily crafted boarders are still quite lively today.

To fully understand the current debate, it is important to look at the partitioning of land since World War I. In 1921, Transjordan was officially separated from what is now the state of Israel and the West Bank and was awarded to Emir Abdullah in an attempt to appease Arab forces (1). After Israel declared independence in 1948, and claimed the West Bank to be included in its territories, the Arab League members of Egypt, Syria, Transjordan and Lebanon went on the offensive and Lebanon took control of the West Bank (2). Twenty years later, after repeated aggression from Syrian, Jordanian, and Egyptian militant forces, Israel went on the offensive, capturing West Bank, Golan Heights of Syria, and Sinai of Egypt in the Six Day War of 1967. In an expressed attempt to promote peace with its neighbors, Israel relinquished control of all captured lands except for West Bank, wherein it established a military administration (3). Though this move was presented as an attempt for peace, Israel wanted authority over the West Bank without having to give its largely Arab population a voice in the government. Thus, the West Bank and its population came under Israeli control without being incorporated into its state.

Since 1967, the debate on what to do with the West Bank has taken many different forms, but has been centrally focused on the statehood or non-statehood of the Palestinian community in West Bank. The relevant territories and the population distributions are shown on the map below.

Two State Solution

The current proposed two state solution, wherein a West Bank would become an autonomous Palestinian territory, has had the support of the majority of Israeli prime ministers since 1974, though legitimate action has never materialized. Part of the issue is that numerous Palestinian nationalists claim the entire territory of from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean should be under Islamic rule, and are unwilling to engage in negotiations with the Israeli government. Another significant portion of the issue is that the debate has remained entirely political and no leaders have put any conclusive stance into action (3).

One State Solution

The current proposed one state solution, originally powered by religious and ethnic claims to the West Bank territory, now hinges on the reality that it would be a nightmare to evacuate the 400,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank if a two state solution was instigated. Individuals that side with the one state solution also argue that a single state is possible and would bring unity to the entirety of West Bank and Israeli citizens. However, some argue that the rising Arab population would soon lead to a majority Arab population, meaning the Israeli Jews would lose autonomy in their own nation state if the West Bank was fully incorporated (3).

The entire debate has become more and more complicated recently with drastic changes in the United State’s political climate and the political climate in Israel. The firm two state solution, which has for many years been a cornerstone of US policy in the area, has been vaguely softened by President Donald Trump, who recently stated, “If Israel and the Palestinians are happy, I’m happy with whichever one they like best (4).” Furthermore, the Israeli prime minister Netanyahu, who previously stated support for the two state solution, has recently been hardening his stance against Palestinian statehood after the staunch urging of Israeli’s minister of education, Naftali Bennett (5). This hardening has recently climaxed in the passing of the Regulation Law, allowing Jewish settlements to be built in West Bank territory on private Palestinian land. This is the first time since 1967 that Israel has extended Israel legislation into the West Bank, signifying a shift toward the sentiment that Israel has full authority over West Bank territory. Another legislation is currently in the making to annex the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, a large suburb to the east of Jerusalem in the West Bank, into Israel’s possession (6).

Israel’s recent moves signify a growing shift away from the establishment of a Palestinian state and a growing sentiment that the West Bank is territory that can be handled as Israel sees fit. It also highlights the lack of voice that Palestinians who are occupying the West Bank have in the matter, and though President Trump wishes for a solution where both sides are “happy,” there seems to be no one listening to the Palestinian definition of “happy.”

- Squires Dearinger

Sources

http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/his_transjordan.html

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/trump-netanyahu-two-state-solution-israel-palestinians/index.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39002001

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/trump-netanyahu-two-state-solution-israel-palestinians/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/opinions/netanyahu-should-tell-right-to-quit-opinion-johnson/index.html

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21716563-high-court-may-yet-strike-it-down-israels-parliament-passes-controversial