In defense of the two-state solution
VoxMay 26, 2021
WaPo: US, Middle East Allies Working on Israel-Palestine Peace Plan
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The Facts
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the US and its Arab allies are working on an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan that possibly includes rebuilding Gaza, withdrawing settler communities from the West Bank, uniting the two territories under one administration, and a timeline for establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Israeli officials reacted with apprehension toward the reported plan, which is expected to be officially announced in the coming weeks, possibly after a pause in fighting in Gaza. A spokesperson for the Israeli government said that this is a bad time to discuss "gifts to the Palestinian people" and the “day after” Hamas.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israelis and Palestinians must make peace via a two-state solution. Though it may seem that it has never been as difficult to make peace, moderates must rise above the populist extremism of Hamas and the Israeli political right so the land can be shared. Both Israeli and Palestinian national aspirations are valid projects that deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. The two-state solution may not be the most equitable or desirable for either side, but it's the most achievable outcome.
Pro-Israel narrative
Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel was the final nail in the coffin for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the enclave has essentially existed as a terrorist-run proto-state run by Hamas. Given the Palestinian Authority's inefficacy, Israel has no partners for peace, and the last 20 years in Gaza prove this. A violent, terrorist-run Palestinian state would be an existential threat to Israel's security.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel killed the two-state solution. There can't be a Palestinian state after nearly 75 years of Israeli policies effectively atomizing and dividing the Palestinian political scene and physical landscape via a system of apartheid and occupation. The only solution is to accept reality — Israel is an apartheid state that practices sovereignty over the entire region, and this apartheid must be dismantled so that all people residing in the land can live free as equals.