The Palestinian leadership’s wish for two states cannot be ignored

By Haggai Matar March 10, 2017 | Edit

With Hamas’ new charter about to confirm the organization’s commitment to a two-state solution, the unifying demand from the Palestinian leadership for a resolution to the conflict can no longer be denied.

Palestinian flags wave in front of Tel Aviv City Hall at a demonstration against the government’s housing discrimination and policy of home demolitions, Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, April 28, 2015. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

The debate over one state, two states, three states or something in between for Israel-Palestine has once again risen to the fore. At times, the one-state solution has been presented as the best, most likely and most realistic option, by figures as diverse as President Trump, Jewish Home head Naftali Bennett and eminent Israeli author A.B. Yehoshua, along with the radical Left (Palestinian and Jewish alike).

But as I recently wrote, the overriding principle in the struggle against the occupation and for peace is recognizing that everyone who lives in this land must be part of the solution. No decision can be taken without Palestinian involvement. And on Thursday, it became clear that the Palestinian leadership has coalesced around a single option: the two-state solution.

Hamas’ new political platform, revealed in Haaretz, will ratify the organization’s official recognition of the two-state solution (a change which, by the way, Hamas embarked on 11 years ago). This is also the position of Fatah, of course, and that of the Palestine Liberation Organization, as well as of the vast majority of the political parties that represent Palestinian citizens of Israel in the Knesset.

Representatives of the majority of the Palestinians who live under occupation have stated time and again their commitment to the two-state solution (alongside the same commitment from every Arab and Muslim country as part of the Arab Peace Initiative, and the support of almost every other country in the world for that plan).

We can, of course, talk about versatile solutions to particularly sensitive issues, whether it’s simple land swaps or complex confederated arrangements, as proposed by the “Two States, One Homeland” movement. But any discussion on a resolution — especially in Hebrew — that fails to address the sweeping Palestinian demand that two states form the basis of a solution, simply continues to trample on the rights of the occupied, and dictate their destiny to them.

This post was originally published in Hebrew on Local Call. Read it here.

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TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence. We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies. This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza. We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives. Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

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