THERE is growing support for a two-state solution worldwide.
As many as 33 percent of Palestinians are for a two-state solution, 34 percent among Israeli Jews, and 60 percent among Israeli Arabs. But fanatical Israeli leaders have rejected it and declared that Israel has a historical right to own all of Palestine as its sovereign territory.
“Between the sea and Jordan, there will only be Israeli sovereignty,” Netanyahu and his right-wing allies declared on Jan. 18, 2024. A more politically progressive Israel will have to emerge if a two-state solution is realized. The country’s next general elections are scheduled for Oct. 27, 2026. The instability of the government could prompt a snap election for Netanyahu to remain in power.
The integrity of the West Bank — where 3.4 million Palestinians live — is central to the two-state solution. Another 7.8 million Palestinians are living abroad. The vast majority of these displaced live in other Arab countries.
However, Israel is trying to make the two-state solution impossible by advancing its E-1 plan to expand more Israeli settlements in the West Bank. It is a “divide and conquer” plan to make permanent their illegal occupation of the territory under international law.
There are already 160 settlements with 200,000 Israeli Jews living there. The Palestinians are resisting the occasionally violent land-grabbing and the destruction of their olive groves by Israeli settlers, supported by their army. The settlers attack Palestinians on their own land to drive them away. A draft Israeli law proposes annexing the West Bank, but the US opposes this.
Breaking up the West Bank undermines the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state, and that possibility is jeopardized by the expansion of the said settlements. This “invasion” is supported by many Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks placed all over the Palestinian territories. These are apparently designed to divide and separate and restrict travel, harass people, and are part of the occupation plan to damage the economy and impoverish and disempower the Palestinians.
Israel recently announced that it would formally occupy a 12-square-kilometer (4.6-square-mile) section of land east of Jerusalem for the new settlement expansion. It will construct 3,400 new homes for Israeli settlers. This will cut off much of the occupied West Bank from occupied East Jerusalem while also linking up thousands of illegal Israeli settlements in the area.
This is a prelude to annexation. The US has condemned any annexation move, as President Donald Trump has promised Arab states that this would not happen. East Jerusalem would be the future capital of a Palestinian state.
The UN, the European Union and 21 countries have condemned the plan, saying it makes a two-state solution impossible. “We condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal in the strongest terms,” they said, describing Israel’s construction plans as a “violation of international law.”
Palestinians have growing international recognition and support, but would it translate into action that would curb the oppression of the Palestinians and help set them free?/PN
