INNN17F International Negotiations

Diana Jo A. Valentino Prof. Jumel G. Estraero

AB FS401

TWO-STATE SOLUTION: ISRAEL v. PALESTINE

I. Introduction/ Abstract

1st of April 2015. The Palestinian Authority (PA), in behalf of the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO) - the representation of the Palestinians in the
international community joined the International Criminal Court (ICC). This move
enables the Palestine to file war crimes against the Israeli leaders in the West Bank and
Gaza (S. Karmi-Ayyoub,2015)1. Aside from the human rights and war crimes allegations
against Israel, from 1967, Israeli government has transferred over 600,00o Israeli
citizens, in the Palestinian Private Territories. In February 2017, the PA announced it
would file cases against Israels illegal settlement and establishments in the Palestinian
territories. But in November 2017, the United States issued a non renewal to the PLO
office in Washington, due to Palestines membership in ICC, however, the PA officials
has warned a blockade of communications with US, if the US State Department will
pursue for the non renewal.
It has been years since the Palestine Israel conflict is being mediated by the
western countries, especially the US but it seems that the PLO does not see any
improvement, and the US has been known to be a pro-Israeli, and the Trump
administration has not addressed the side of the Palestine in the conflict. Last year, US
State Secretary John Kerry proposed, yet again the two-state solution, however it
seems that both sides does not want to agree on the proposed solution. It was the
Palestinians who rejected the proposal back in 1947 by the UN. And now, it was Israel
who rejected the proposal by the UN SC permanent member.

______
1Salma Karmi-Ayyoub, Palestinian Membership of the International Criminal Court, 2015
http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/reports/2015/07/20157972711804703.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/palestinians-suspend-ties-plo-office-closed-
171118170345048.html
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171114-saudi-palestinian-abbas-must-endorse-us-plan-or-
leave-resign/
 II. A. Statement of the Problem

1. How, when and why did the conflict between the two nation started,
and what is the claims of both sides over the territory?
2. Why is the Two-State solution is seen as the only choice to solve the
conflict?
3. Why Israel and Palestine does not want to agree on the Two-State
solution?

B. Methodology

Analytical Research

Analytical research describes and interprets the past or recent past from selected
sources. The sources may be documents preserved in collections, and/or participants'
oral testimonies

Literature Search

In this research, historical documents will be used in order to understand the

decades long conflict, such documentaries, and articles will be used to analyze the
history between Israel and Palestines conflict.

Geopolitical Analization

The geographical and political stance of Israel and Palestine shall be analyzed to
further understand the reasons for the long conflict, that might be affecting the repeated
rejection of the two-state solution proposed by the mediators.

_______

http://cyberhouse.arted.psu.edu/502/resources/qual/analytic_historical.html
 III. Review of Related Literature

(Human Rights Watch, 2017) For fifty years, Israel has occupied the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, which were territories of Palestine, with
Palestinians inhabiting the area. The occupation was a violation to the Fourth Geneva
Convention. Since the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territory, For half a decade,
the Israelis expressed their control throughout the area through repression,
institutionalized discrimination, and systematic abuses on the Palestinian population.
The Human Rights Watch cited at least five (5) human rights law and humanitarian law
violations committed by the Israeli in the occupied area; unlawful killings; forced
displacement; abusive detention; the closure of the Gaza Strip and other unjustified
restrictions on movement; and the development of settlements, as well as
accompanying discriminatory policies that disadvantage Palestinians. However, the
Israelis has claimed that the abusive practices were for security purposes and that
Palestinian armed groups have carried out scores of lethal attacks on civilians and
launched thousands of rocket attacks on Israeli civilian areas, also in violation of
international humanitarian law.
(CBS News, 2014) Since September of 2014, rockets were fired from Gaza towards
Israel. These attacks led to the 50 day war between Israel and Hamas- the Palestinian
militant group that controls Gaza. Rockets and mortars by Hamas were sent to Israel,
as well as ground invasions were conducted. At the end of the 50 day war, thousands of
Palestinians died, and only almost a hundred Israelis dead. Even though the Hamas
only wants to have the Gaza strip liberalized from Israels oppression, it only worsens
the condition.
(Jewish Voice For Peace, n.d.) Through a brief video presentation, it was explained
how the conflict started, and how the conflict could be ended. It was shown that the
Zionist movement or the rapid migration of the Jews from Europe to the occupied Arab
territory, resulted to another migration of another nationality the Palestinians. And
when Palestinians tried to go back to their rightful territory, they can no longer go back
to their land and resulted for them to camp out in Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and to
the borders of Jordan and the Lebanese Border. It was also mentioned that the
continuous US supply of military armaments to Israel has also strengthen the military of
the Israeli government, thus using it against the Palestinians. It was also mentioned that
there are indeed, human rights violations, especially the deprivation of the Palestinian
from natural resources. Refugee camps in the Gaza strip and West Bank are
experiencing scarcity in water resources, food, as well as to education.
_______
Human Rights Watch. (2017) Israel: 50 Years of Occupation Abuses
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/06/04/israel-50-years-occupation-abuses
CBS Neews. (2014) Rockets Fired from Gaza hits Southern Israel, Military Says
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rocket-fired-from-gaza-hits-southern-israel-military-says/
Jewish Voice for Peace. (n.d.) https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/israeli-palestinian-conflict-101/
 (Al Jazeera World, 2017) During the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in
1917, the Al Jazeera Qatar based media news network- made a documentary entitled,
Balfour Declaration at 100: Seeds of Discord where it explains the root of Israel-
Palestinian conflict that has changed the Arab world. In the documentary, it discussed
how did the territory, then occupied by the Palestinians slowly became a land occupied
by the Jews. In November 2, 1917, Arthur James Balfour, proposed for the resettlement
of Jews from Europe to Palestine, since the territory was the religious homeland of the
Jews. This however became in justice for the side of the Palestinians to other Arab
nation which led to the war campaign of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan against
Israel in the 1960s to1980s- because their was no permission that came from the
Palestinians that they agree to the soon to be declaration. After the declaration, it even
encouraged more and more Jews to migrate to the Palestinian territory, and even more
during the holocaust, this resulted to the over population of the Jews over the
Palestinians, which led for the Palestinians to be outcast. After the British occupation in
the said territory, the state of Israel was established. Overthrowing the Palestinians.
(Middle East Monitor, 2017) The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed Bin Salman Al
Saud, had a talk with US President Donald Trump in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The
talks was about pressuring the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to agree with the
two state solution with Israel or else, he should resign. The two-state solution was also
the same thing that the former US Secretary John Kerry has proposed a year ago, and
is also the most practical and the best solution to end the conflict. However, the
downside of this, is that the Israeli counter part has rejected the proposal made before
by the US. This only makes the uncertainty for the Palestinian counterpart if they will
agree without the assurance that Israel will also do the same.

__________
Al Jazeera World. (2017) Balfour Declaration at 100: Seeds of Discord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhgRS6zLBiE&t=41s
Middle East Monitor. (2017) Saudi: Palestinian Abbas Must Endorse US Plan or Leave
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171114-saudi-palestinian-abbas-must-endorse-us-plan-or-leave-
resign/
 (A.Buncombe, 2016) In December 28 of 2016, US Secretary of State John
Kerry, made a speech in Washington, making a move a final move before the end of the
Obama Administration towards the Israel-Palestinian conflict, in which the US is a
mediator alongside the United Nations. In his speech, John Kerry reiterated the two-
state solution to the Israeli counterpart, as the best and only way to solve and end the
conflict, or a Democratic state and not a Jewish state. If the Israel wanted to retain the
Jewish state, then she must agree to the two-state solution. If not, and wanted to retain
one state only, then she must be Democratic. However, his Benjamin Netanyahu, the
Israeli Prime Minister was outranged. Saying that the US has no right to dictate or tell
Israel what to do. This feed back by Netanyahu might only mean that they do not agree
with the proposal of the two-state solution.
(Council on Foreign Relations, n.d.) The article tackle the conflicts that happened
between the Israeli and the Palestinians, as well as other Arab nations against the
Israel. It tackled the clashes and violence between Israel and Palestine since the late
19th century. The Yom Kippur War, the war campaign of Egypt and Syria against Israel
in 1973. Until the breaching of the Oslo Accords in 2015 by the Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas. And the following uprising of the Palestinians in both from Gaza and
in the West Bank. The idea of the uprising of the Palestinians and the breaching of the
accords by the Palestinian President himself, cannot be avoided. From the fact that only
a small number of Arab and Kurdish states only supports Palestine, while Israel is being
backed up by almost a majority of the Western countries. The United Nations cannot
even put themselves to investigate the human rights abuses in Gaza and the West
Bank, the military of Israel is being powered by the US. And the solution for the conflict
and the territorial claims seems to be not moving at all.

___________
Andrew Buncombe. (2016) John Kerry: Two State Solution between Israel and Palestinians only
way to Achieve Peace http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/john-kerry-middle-east-
speech-israel-palestine-twp-state-a7499136.html
Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.) Israeli and Palestinian Conflict, Global Conflict Tracker
https://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict
 (Z. Tahhan, 2017) Half a century ago, the UN Security Council passed the resolution
242, which serves as the framework for the two-state solution to the Palestine and Israel
conflict. But since its adoption in 1967, Israel has violated the said resolution by
entrenching its occupation of the Palestinian territories through illegal settlements. And
the majority of the settlements have been built on private Palestinian property. From
afar, the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem, Israeli settlements may appear as just
another set of houses on a hill.The middle-class suburban style townhouses, built fast
and locked in a grid of uniform units, stand like fortified compounds, in direct contrast to
the sprawling limestone Palestinian homes below.Settlement homes, mostly
constructed of cement with a cosmetic limestone cladding, tend to fashion a similar
look: American-style villas topped by red-tiled roofs and surrounded by lush, neatly
trimmed green lawns.The largest settlement, Modi'in Illit, houses more than 64,000
Israeli Jews in the occupied West Bank. The mega-settlement has its own mayor, as
well as schools, shopping malls and medical centres. Some settlements even have their
own universities. Today, between 600,000 and 750,000 Israelis live in these sizeable
settlements, equivalent to roughly 11 percent of the total Jewish Israeli population.They
live beyond the internationally recognised borders of their state, on Palestinian land that
Israel occupied in 1967, comprising East Jerusalem and the West Bank.Since then, the
Israeli government has openly funded and built settlements for Israeli Jews to live there,
offering incentives and subsidised housing.

(ECFR.EU, 2015) The collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks represented a

significant setback for US and EU foreign policy. However, Europe and the US were
relatively united on the conduct of the talks and Europeans generally welcomed the US
initiative as well as Secretary of State John Kerrys singular determination in pushing
negotiations forward. The failure of the talks had little to do with US policy and primarily
resulted from decisions taken by Israel and the Palestinian Authority. After the collapse,
Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas turned to international institutions, including
seeking a UN Security Council resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from the West
Bank by 2017 and for recognition of Palestine as a state. France backed the resolution
while Britain abstained. With an 82 vote in favour, it failed to reach the nine votes
required for passage (at which point it would have triggered a US veto). The US
ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, criticised the resolution as well as
Palestines efforts to join the International Criminal Court.Meanwhile, European states
moved to recognise the state of Palestine. Sweden was the first to do so officially, while
the parliaments of the UK, Ireland, Spain, France, and Luxembourg along with the
European Parliament all passed non-binding motions urging recognition. The EUs
policy of non-recognition of the Israeli settlements continued.There is a difference in
emphasis at least publicly across the Atlantic on diagnosing the breakdown in the
talks. While the Obama administration has also criticised the Israeli settlement policy,
more blame is attributed to the Palestinian Authority. For example, the US official view
was that the establishment of a national Palestinian Authority government with the
support of Hamas triggered the collapse of the talks. Americans tend to see Europes
recognition of Palestine and pressuring of Israel as one-sided and believe it is unlikely to
lead to a breakthrough unless Palestinian leaders can also be persuaded to make
compromises that they have hitherto not made.
 (Shamrak, n.d.) The Middle East war is not now and never was a conflict between
Israelis/Jews on the one hand and Palestinians on the other. In fact, the Arab-
"Palestinians", while currently the perpetrators of most of the anti-Jewish atrocities,
were never a very important part of the conflict. In fact, before about 1970, virtually no
one in the world considered the Middle East conflict to be one between Israelis and
Palestinians. The Arab assaults and aggressions against Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967,
1968, and 1973 had nothing to do with Palestinians. The Palestinian terror campaign
would itself be easy to suppress today and eradicate if the Middle East conflict were
really a Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Israel would simply obliterate the terrorists and expel
their supporters to Syria and Lebanon. The Middle East war continues because it is
really an Arab-Israeli war, not an Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is also in large part a war
between barbarism and civilization. In many ways an Islamic religious jihad against the
Jews.

___________

Zena Tahhan. (2017) Israels settlements: 50 years of land theft explained

https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2017/50-years-illegal-settlements/index.html
European Council on Foreign Relations. (2015) 19 Relations with the US on Israel and
Palestine http://www.ecfr.eu/scorecard/2015/usa/19
Shamrak. (n.d.) History in Maps. Israel and Palestine http://www.shamrak.com/Masada2000-
HistoryofPalestine.htm
 IV. Presentation, Interpretation & Analysis/ PAID (Presentation, Analysis &
Interpretation of the Data)

Historical Claims

Both the Palestinians and the Israeli-Jews have historical claims over the
territory. The Jews inhabited most of the territory since the B.C.E., especially the
Jerusalem which is also the holy land for the Jews- which is also the claims of the
Balfour Declaration, to bring back the Jews to their rightful place, ,which is in Jerusalem.

However, after the crusades, and during the Ottoman empire, Arab-Muslims
have inhabited the territory until after the Balfour Declaration which resulted for the
Palestinians to become refugees from the land that they have inhabited for centuries.

The Two-State Solution

The Two-State solution was seen as the best way to solve the conflict between
the two nations, Israel and Palestine. Just like in the case of India and Pakistan 1947,
when the Bengal province and Punjab province were separated, a separation between
the Hindu and the Islam majority.

On December 2016, US State Secretary John Kerry, reiterated again, the two-
state solution to end the conflict the two nations. Indeed, the two-state solution is the
most effective way to solve the problem since making Israel a democratic state for both
Jewish and Muslim population, could still be difficult to achieve peace, justice, and
equality between the two majority.

However, the two-state solution has been rejected by both sides many times
before, and even today. Seems like both sides wanted to gain control over the entire
territory.

__________
The Telegraph. (2017) Indian Independence Day :everything you need to know about Partition
between India and Pakistan 70 years on http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/15/indian-
independence-day-everything-need-know-partition-india/
Andrew Buncombe. (2016) John Kerry: Two State Solution between Israel and Palestinians only
way to Achieve Peace http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/john-kerry-middle-east-
speech-israel-palestine-twp-state-a7499136.html
ProCon.Org (2015) Historical Timeline : 1900- Present History of the Israeli and Palestinian
Conflct https://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000031
 Possible Outcomes

The following illustrations are the possible partition for the two-state solution, on
how the territory will be divided between the Israeli and the Palestinians. However, there
are some factors to consider: the national interest or political interest, the economic
interest, and the control over Jerusalem.

Legend:
Yellow Line Parting line
Red Dot Jerusalem

P1:

Figure 1. Partition 1, First possible partition of territories

As shown in Figure 1 the partition is possible. The strengths of this is that, there
is an equal parting of territories. However, there is an unequal access to natural
resources, especially in water resources. Where in, the left territory is the one with a
greater access to water resources, while the right territory has a few water resources,
but Jerusalem is located in the right territory.
 In this partition, either nations should pick only one:

a. Better access to water resources for the sake of economic security and interest,
but has to give up the control over Jerusalem.
b. Has control over Jerusalem, but has little access to water resources, which could
affect to the economic security and interest.

P2

Figure 2. Partition 2

The second partition however, only either of the nations can have access to both the
water resources, and the control over Jerusalem. As could be seen, the lower territory
has little access to water resources and no control over the Jerusalem, unlike the upper
territory that has access to both. Either of the division, the Palestine will still have an
advantage. If Palestine will choose:

a. The Upper part, Palestine will have full access to water resources, control over
Jerusalem, and will be close to her allies, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon.
b. The Lower part, the only advantage for Palestine is that she is close to two of her
allies, Egypt and Jordan, who could support her.
 P3

Figure 3. Partition 3

As can be seen, the third possible partition is quite similar to the first partition
(Figure 1) however, the third partition lets both nations an easy access to water
resources, and only either of the nations can have control over Jerusalem. Practically
speaking, either the lower or upper territory will be ideal already for either nations if they
could set aside the control over Jerusalem, and will only focus on its easy access to the
water resources, which affects both national and economic interest of the two.
 P4

Figure 4. Partition 4

Like the first partition, the fourth and first partition are similar with consequences, the
only difference is the land mass. Therefore the choices for both nations are:

a. Few access to water resources, but has control over Jerusalem

b. Easy access to water resources, but no control over Jerusalem

Either of the choices could be an advantage for Palestine. If Palestine will choose (a)
Palestine will have control over Jerusalem, plus her allies, Egypt and Jordan who she
can ask for assistance in terms economic and natural resources. If (b) Full access to
natural resources, plus to her allies, Lebanon and Syria, who she can trade with.
 The Pros and Cons of the Two-State Solution

Shown above is the map of now, Israel. And on the Gaza strip and West Bank as
well as in the East Jerusalem are Palestinian settlement areas, more of a camp site
than a proper settlement area.
From looking at the map, and the geography of Israel, there is a huge gap between
the Gaza and the West Bank, making it quite difficult for a two-state solution, not unless
the Palestinians from either the Gaza or West Bank will be willing to move to another
the other side.
Democratic State as an alternative
A Democratization of the State of Israel for both the Jewish majority and the muslim
majority, is being considered as an alternative or a last resort in order to achieve peace
or to end the conflict, by the mediating states. However, Democratization will be a huge
risk for both the Israelis and the Palestinians. A contradicting belief, and considering the
fact that the two nations has been rivals for a long time, being able to cope up with one
another will be hard for both, thus may result to a failing state, or worse, a civil war.
An example of a failing democratic state that has a majority of Christians and
Muslims will be the Philippines. The Southern Philippines which is mostly occupied by
Filipino Muslims is asking for autonomy from the Philippine government whose central
government is at the central Philippines, which is inhabited by a majority of Christians.
Even in the political structure of the Philippines, most Muslims officials are
representatives from the Southern Philippines, which creates an imbalance on beliefs,
and focus. This actually resulted to various uprising of liberation groups, such as the
MNLF, and the MILF.
A state democratization, could still end in war.
 V. Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendation

Summary
For centuries, the conflict between the Palestine and Israel has been sprawling,
starting from 1880 to the early 1900s, when hundreds of thousands of Jews started to
move from Europe into the Middle Eastern Ottoman Empire which is inhabited by Arab
Muslims- This movement was called Zionism, where in Jews moved out from Europe in
order to escape the persecution, and to establish their own state in their ancestral
homeland, Jerusalem ( M. Fisher, 2014) Because of the increasing population of Jews
in the Arab Muslim Palestine occupied territory, the completion on who to claim the
territory began, creating the conflict, that until now, remains unsolved. Though, the
Great Britain and the United Nations has raised a conclusion before. The Balfour
Declaration of 1917 by the British Government stating the intention to create a Jewish
community or homeland in Palestine. (A.J. Balfour, 1917). After the Second World War,
and the creation of the United Nations, the United Nations General Assembly voted 33
to 13 with 10 abstentions, for a partition of the West Palestine into two states. However,
the Zionists, led by David Ben-Gurion, accepted the partition, though, the entire Zionist
community always wanted to take control over the entire territory. The Palestinians,
supported by the Arab states, on the other hand, rejected the partition, claiming that
they should also have the control all over the territory (Friedman, 1995). Aside from the
various attempts to permanently divide the territory between the two nations, continuous
peace talks and peace agreements were made between the two states, with the
participation of the mediating parties, the UN and the Western counties. Up until now,
the mediating states is still pushing for the two-states solution on the two nations,
however, both nations prioritizes their national, political, and economic interest, which
makes both nations wanted control all over the territory.

Conclusion

Still, the two-state solution is still the most preferred solution to solve the conflict
between the two nations, rather than the State of Israel to become a democratic state
for both Jews and Muslims. At least, for the two-state solution, none will be treated
unequal, since both majority has their own state, with their own religion to follow and no
contradicting beliefs.
But of course, the first reason why neither of the two nations wanted to agree on
both the two-state solution, and the Democratization, is the political and economic
interest of the two nations.
The only way in order to achieve peace or to end the conflict between the two
nations, is if either of them will chose their economic interest rather than its interest to
occupy Jerusalem.
 Recommendation

Agreeing with the two-state solution:

The Partition 3 is the most recommended, and equally divided territory for both
nations, however, one must sacrifice possession over Jerusalem.

Though other Partitions are also possible and recommended, however, those are
only for the sake of possession over Jerusalem, unlike the Partition, where both nations
would surely benefit, wont risk the loss of natural resources, especially, water
resources.

.
 VI. References

Salma Karmi-Ayyoub. (2015) Palestinian Membership of the International Criminal

Court, http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/reports/2015/07/20157972711804703.html

Al Jazeera News. (2017) Palestinians to suspend US ties if PLO office closed

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/palestinians-suspend-ties-plo-office-closed-
171118170345048.html

Middle East Monitor. (2017) Saudi: Palestinian Abbas Must Endorse US Plan or Leave
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171114-saudi-palestinian-abbas-must-endorse-
us-plan-or-leave-resign/

Human Rights Watch. (2017) Israel: 50 Years of Occupation Abuses

https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/06/04/israel-50-years-occupation-abuses

CBS Neews. (2014) Rockets Fired from Gaza hits Southern Israel, Military Says
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rocket-fired-from-gaza-hits-southern-israel-military-
says/

Jewish Voice for Peace. (n.d.) https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/israeli-palestinian-

conflict-101/

Al Jazeera World. (2017) Balfour Declaration at 100: Seeds of Discord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhgRS6zLBiE&t=41s

Andrew Buncombe. (2016) John Kerry: Two State Solution between Israel and
Palestinians only way to Achieve Peace
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/john-kerry-middle-east-speech-
israel-palestine-twp-state-a7499136.html

Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.) Israeli and Palestinian Conflict, Global Conflict
Tracker https://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/conflict/israeli-
palestinian-conflict

Zena Tahhan. (2017) Israels settlements: 50 years of land theft explained

https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2017/50-years-illegal-settlements/index.html

European Council on Foreign Relations. (2015) 19 Relations with the US on Israel

and Palestine http://www.ecfr.eu/scorecard/2015/usa/19

Shamrak. (n.d.) History in Maps. Israel and Palestine

http://www.shamrak.com/Masada2000-HistoryofPalestine.htm

http://cyberhouse.arted.psu.edu/502/resources/qual/analytic_historical.html
-------

Disclaimer: This is an undergraduate study. Please bare with me. However, feel free to
criticize, since I am planning to further improve the study. Thanks! -DV