Explained | What is a two-state solution?

A two-state is a framework developed by International Relations theorists and diplomats in which the independent States of Israel and Palestine exist in harmony. It is seen as an ideal, middle-ground solution to the conflict between the two actors.

The cartographic boundaries are yet to be decided upon and have been disputed since time immemorial. Arab and Palestinian powers demand the return of the “1967 borders”. These borders were determined by the de facto Palestinian state before the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel on the other hand objects to these borders but does not lay out the finer details of the borders it demands.

The United Nations Resolution 194 called for Israel and Palestine to co-exist side by side within secure and recognised borders together. However, borders are only one factor that make a state. Palestinians have been trying to gain international recognition of Palestine as a de jure state. Palestine is not a full member of the United Nations General Assembly and is now a non-member observer state.

Also Read | Follow live updates on Israel-Palestine conflict here

What makes the border issue more complicated is the well-documented settling of Israelis in the West Bank forming their own enclaves over several decades. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019 and 2020 is reported to have mentioned annexation of Judea and Samaria, in an interview with Channel 12, the name given to the region north and south of Jerusalem in what was a highly controversial move, but has not been implemented yet.

The US has a major role to play in the region as they are considered the biggest and most powerful partners of Israel. While many in the Republican Party do not believe in a two-state solution, most in the Democratic party do so and several other countries such as China, UK and India support a two-state solution and even in recent statements have made their stance clear that the two-state solution is the way forward, however, violence makes it harder to pursue a two-state solution.

What is also important is the human side of the conflict. Many Palestinians are refugees within Palestine, surrounding countries and abroad. Several feel that the lack of a universally recognised State of Palestine hurts their ability to travel, have a recognised passport, and even have a state of call their own.

“Being a refugee has affected me in a lot of ways. It means a lot (to have a state), means a lot to obtain citizenship will change my life radically. I have always sat down with my friends and everyone will talk about what they want in life. Every time I would say I just want a country. I have a lot of friends from countries with a lot of issues. They say, we have a country but we have a lot of issues. I say, you really don’t know what it feels like even if you have a country with a lot of issues. Just the sense of having a country, that’s very important to me,” a Palestinian-Syrian refugee now in the United Kingdom told DH.