One-State Solution, Two-State Solution or No Solution? The Realpolitik Paradigm of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Abstract

The conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians reflects a long-standing struggle in the region which traces back to the late 19th century when Zionists sought to establish a homeland for the Jewish people in Ottoman-controlled Palestine, leading to the creation of Israel in 1948. The Arab-Israeli wars that raged throughout the region were followed by negotiations that did bring a certain solution at a bilateral level between Israel and different Arab countries, but never between Israel and Palestine. This conflict is unresolved until today, even with Israel further normalizing relations with other Arab states through the Abraham Accords. The Palestinian question is still not addressed. In the meantime, the tension between the direct actors of the conflict is growing without a clear and possible solution. Third actors such as the United Staes, the UN or the EU have long been discussing possible solutions. The two visions of the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict assume the creation of two states (Two-state solution) or one state (One-state solution).

In this paper I will compare and analyze these two concepts and also provide historical context for better understanding. The paper confronts two and one-state solutions ongoing in the region, the immediate interest of the directly involved actors and confront this analysis with a realpolitik approach–that is, the goals of the actors, the place of the conflict on the geological map and, finally, the feasibility of both discussed solutions.

Yet it must be underlined at this point that the analysis is purely theoretical, since Israel, with strong US support, is pursuing a facts-on-the-ground strategy. As of today, Israeli decision makers do not have incentives to negotiate peace with the Palestinians in order to find a solution to the conflict. Unquestioned American endorsement of Israel, along with other factors discussed in the text, promotes asymmetry of the conflicted sides witch hinder finding a solution to the conflict.