The One-State Solution

By: Sean Mullan

Posted: 9/26/03

"Rather than create the outlines of a two-state solution, this wall will kill that idea for Palestinians, and drive them, over time, to demand instead a one-state solution - where they and the Jews would have equal rights in one state. And since by 2010 there will be more Palestinian Arabs than Jews living in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza combined, this transformation of the Palestinian cause will be very problematic for Israel."

- Thomas Friedman 1

The oldest active conflict in the Middle East, the struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians, is no closer to a fair resolution then it was when it began with the Zionist struggle to established a Jewish homeland. Israel today is based upon the racial superiority of its Jewish citizens, with the Arabs within its borders facing systematic discrimination. In the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Palestinian Arabs are forced to wander through a maze of checkpoints and are being fenced into squalid cities. The polarization of both sides, following the dissolution of the Olso Accords, the beginning of the Second Intifada, and the election of the right-wing Likud government under Ariel Sharon, has made the negotiation of a two-state solution nearly impossible. Although the Labor party has called for a unilateral withdrawal, the possibility of this is becoming increasingly unlikely as the walls in the West Bank are nearing completion at the cost of billions of dollars. This leaves one solution, which is the most humane and probably the most difficult for Zionists to accept, the creation of a secular state under "the principle of one man, one vote."1

Israel, which officially came into being in 1948, was established as a state "exclusively for Jews."2 The idea of a state being designed along ethnic lines, despite the existence of natives upon the land, such as Israel was, would be unacceptable today. In order to establish their state, the Zionists were required to force over 700,000 Palestinians from their homes and into refugee camps in places ranging from the Gaza Strip to Syria. In modern terminology, this would be classified as ethnic cleansing. Many of these Palestinians wish to return to their homes, but are refused entry to Israel. The question of the 'right of return' deserves more consideration when the freedom of any Jew to move to the state of Israel is put next to the prohibition upon Arab repatriation. The hypocrisy of this cannot rightly be ignored. However, if the Israeli Jews wish to keep Israel Jewish, it must continue to shun these Arabs. Even more startling to Israeli Jews, though, is the rapid increase of the Arab population that had remained in Israel. Realistically, keeping Israel Jewish is not possible and will ultimately call for either another round of ethnic cleansing, the establishment of an Apartheid-like state, or the acceptance of the one state solution.

The current Israeli administration hopes to establish a Palestinian state made up of a number of separated, fenced-in areas similar to the Bantustans of Apartheid South Africa. While this has been continually denied, the construction of fences around cities in the West Bank such as Qalqilia proves otherwise. Qalqilia is surrounded by one of the main defense walls separating parts of Palestinian territory from Jewish settlements and Israel proper. Other cities are not directly surrounded by this wall, but instead have been by the IDF and civilians are allowed access to the city via only a small number of checkpoints. These barriers are being constructed without any consideration as to the land being taken from the Palestinians. In many cases, farmers are being separated from their land and villages disconnected from one another. When the network is completed, a viable Palestinian state will be impossible and a number of illegal settlements will become directly connected to Israel proper. This leads even Thomas Friedman, a strong supporter of Israel as a Jewish state, to declare "the fences and checkpoints all over the place, which are choking commerce and creating cages that will become factories of despair..." will ultimately lead Palestinians to "throw in the towel" in their quest for an independent state "and ask for the right to vote in Israel."2

Israel has over the last year, though, expelled some of the few Arabs serving in the Knesset. This is in line with an investigation by a high level court into the killings of thirteen Palestinians by Israeli police during demonstrations in late 2001. It was ruled that the killings were caused by the "systematic discrimination by Israel against its Arab population" prevalent today.3 This bias against Palestinians, however, should have been obvious without an in-depth investigation. Any state that is based upon race, and provides a specific one with privilege, is going to systematically discriminate against its minorities. Through its racist laws and policies, the Israeli government has increasingly alienated the Israeli and Palestinian Arab populations. This animosity has been reciprocated by Israeli Jews as well, due to the atrocious suicide bombings against civilian targets perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists. Israelis, however, should not be surprised that the Palestinians are lashing out in anger, just as they do when attacking Palestinians in retaliation. The conflict between the two is at the point where every attack has become retaliation; their respective responses are losing meaning as time progresses.

It must be hoped, though, that the two sides are capable of reconciliation. Many thought that the peaceful dissolution of Apartheid would not be possible, however it occurred. Most Palestinians are now acknowledging that suicide bombings only hurt their own cause. Israelis in the Labor party are acknowledging that their Occupation is only weakening their own security. The two, though, should realize that their future lies together, not apart. Israel has placed too many conditions upon the Palestinians and is demanding that they be incapable of defending themselves. This form a two-state solution would result in a Palestinian state reliant upon Israel for survival. Instead, the unity of the two into one, secular state based upon equality for all is the best solution. While this destroys the basis of Zionism, the creation of a Jewish homeland, it allows the Jews to remain where they want. In addition, it would show the Palestinians that the Israelis were serious about reconciliation. When their population surpasses that of the Jews, they will not feel threatened by the Jews presence. The safety of both, though, should be internationally protected by treaty and call for international intervention if either are threatened.

Supporters of Israel and adament Zionists will find this solution nearly impossible to accept. They will be occupying the position that Palestinians had been placed in for a very long time. It is, however, very difficult to argue against the creation of a secular state, enshrined with liberal values of equality, when that is the basis for American foreign policy today. Thomas Friedman, who opposes this solution, acknowledges that "if America Jews think it's hard to defend Israel today on college campuses, imagine what it will be like when their kids have to argue against the principle of one man, one vote."1 Anyone who opposes such a policy can only be racist, in that they believe Jews are superior to Palestinians, simply because of the Palestinians are Arabs and not Jewish. On the Palestinian side, this form of a solution already has "25 to 30 percent of Palestinians... supporting" it, which Friedman calls "a stunning figure, considering it's never been proposed by any Palestinian or Israeli party."1 Many Palestinians already have worked in Israel, during the Oslo Accords, hence would be unlikely object to true co-existence in one state. If this plan is publicized and debated by the Palestinian population, they would ultimately support it over either the existence of a weak, independent Palestinian state or the continued Occupational system of the Israelis.

Both sides have suffered greatly over the last 80 years of struggle and should find a commonality in this. If there is ever to be an equitable solution, the one state solution is it. The two-state solution is inherently racist and would not result in long-term stability. The unification of Israelis and Palestinians, though, would end the animosity on both sides.

1 The New York Times, Sept. 14, 2003

2 Edward Said, The End of the Peace Process, New York: Pantheon Books, 2001

3 The Boston Globe, Sept. 2, 2003