Palestinians: one state is better than none

Frustrated by years of on-and-off peace talks with Israel, Palestinians are losing hope for an independent homeland, and some are proposing a radically different cause: a shared state with equal rights for Palestinians and Jews.

Majorities on both sides dismiss the current U.S.-backed peace talks as futile. And a small but growing number of moderate Palestinians contend that Israel's terms for independence offer less than they could gain in a single democratic state combining Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

As a result, the 60th anniversary this month of Israel's birth is a time of insecurity and flux. Conventional wisdom about the long-standing formula for peace is being turned on its head.

No Israeli leader accepts the idea of sharing power with Palestinians; nor has such a plan been offered to the Israeli government. But a collapse of the two-state effort would leave Israel in de facto control of a region where by the next generation, Jews probably will be a minority.

That scenario inspires Hazem Kawasmi, who recently gave up on the two-state ideal and runs brainstorming workshops in the West Bank on single-state proposals.

Sooner or later, the former Palestinian Authority official predicts, the growing burden of occupation and threat of Islamic extremism will make Israelis receptive to the idea of a bi-national system that protects the rights of Jews.

"Israel cannot be a dominating power forever," Kawasmi, 43, said between puffs on a water pipe in a cafe in Ramallah, the West Bank's administrative center. "Time is on our side."

"The number of people who believe in two states for two peoples is decreasing, and that worries me," said Yasser Abed-Rabbo, a Palestinian official involved in the talks. "And I'm talking about a circle of rational intellectuals, people with an open mind. On the street, the two-state idea has become a joke."

Fatah's leadership has begun a quiet, informal debate of its options if talks for an independent state fail.

The emergence of one-state proposals, said Kadura Fares, a member of Fatah's revolutionary council, are "a sign that the current strategy has been exhausted and it's time to rethink all our goals."

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-fg-onestate8-2008may08,0,5661634.story
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Maybe this is a solution that will work?

 

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Palestinians are terrorists: there cannot be any association with them until their terrorism stops.

 

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Every native is a terrorist to an occupier.

Shahid Bhagat Singh was hanged by the British as a terrorist.

edit: Interesting, you joined the forum within fifteen minutes of my posting this thread.

 

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It's time that either Israel agrees to a two-state solution with the Palestinians, or a one-state solution in which democracy is forced on them. The Palestinians have suffered enough.

 

I no longer believe a two state solution is possible. The expanding settlements and the wall (built on Palestinian land, not on the green line) have taken care of that.

e.g the wall in Qalqilya separates the Palestinians from their agricultural land not from Israelis.

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An obvious attempt at land grab. If they truly wanted to separate themselves from Palestinians the wall would be at the green line.

 

Can we really expect anything better from a member whose username is "David Goldstein"?

 

Yes, if any future settlement is reached, the Apartheid wall must be dismantled and the Palestinian refugees must be allowed to return.

To think that these grave injustices are being perpetrated with the blessing of the superpower which wishes to bring 'democracy' to the Middle East. Here is an idea, start with Israel first.

 

dude just dude

 

Israel has nothing to gain by a one-state scenario. They would lose the separation between Israelis and extremist elements, who would not stop operating. The Palestinians would not find any previously inhabited land free to reinhabit. They would be compelled to force Israelis off, which would lead to another war.

 

Its all about resources, ultimately

But if they want the land and the water, they have to accept that the Palestinians come as part of the package.

 

True, however, they built the settlements and have commandeered the Palestinian land and resources, so they literally have created the one state themselves.

The Palestinians were living there, it was the Israelis who took their land and gave it away to foreign immigrants they invited. So they can hardly complain, can they?

 

There is no peace process, so I wouldn't expect their actions to be oriented towards peace and reconcilliation.

 

There cannot be a peace process when settlements are actively going up and occupation is enforced with military strength on a people without a military. Thats an illusion.

 

SAM dont you think that the violence would just reverse if insted of the subjected the palistinians found themselves in control of the one state parliment and the israilies became the political disinfranchiesed?

The irony would be astonding but im not sure thats worth the loss of life that would occure as the former israiles tried to reasert power

 

Well I'm glad we got that all sorted out.

 

Fear of retribution is never an excuse for continuing oppression of any kind.

 

yes but who would be fearing it?

I wouldnt like to see more abuse of the palistinians because the former iraili pollies became the new "pro israil liberation front" (or whatever they want to call themselves)

 

I think you'll find that when forced to live together, most people will. Live together that is. Its up to them to de-fang the extremists. The best way of course, is to provide an option.

 

Let's make two things clear:

A one state solution for both sides to live within will never work.

A two state solution will never work, either.

This stuff is elementary if you have the slightest clue about the ongoing conflict.

 

I believe a one state solution will work. You know why?