ONE-STATE SOLUTION & RESOLUTIONS

TO THE ISREALI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

After much research and various accumulation of knowledge through discussion and
lectures, stories of personal accounts, documents, textbooks and readings about the Israeli
Palestinian conflict, I feel like I have amounted a sufficient amount of knowledge to recognize
and examine the multiple issues contributing to the conflict and impeding resolution. I feel many
of the core issues can be re-identified in ways that not only serve to unite a nation under a one
state solution but to bring resolution and peace to both Israelis and Palestinians. As historically
noted under Palestine there was a general cooperation as a nation encompassing multiple
ethnicities who coexisted in relative harmony, its my belief that as a people who share this
unique history and tie to the land that historical coexistence creates opportunity for that to be
rekindled presently/in the future. I advocate for a one state solution as opposed to a two-state
solution because I think through a truth & reconciliation process it would bring about more peace
to a place rather than to further divide people and nations whod remain with lingering
resentments and hostilities towards one another. I also believe that a two-state solution has been
tentatively approached and truly accepted by both Palestinians and Israelis for different reasons
but under the common umbrella of having un-relinquishing sentiments and difficulties of
delegations of fair compromise regarding ownership, control, and borders. Furthermore I
believe this conflict is currently largely rooted in a humanitarian issue, which can only really be
faced by both parties acknowledging one anothers rights of each other and to exist in the land.
After reading One Country by Ali Abunimah I found that there were many similarities between
my thoughts and approaches towards envisioning resolution and his proposals to end the conflict,
which further emphasized the advocating for a one state solution. Finally, I believe historical
examination of nations who had gone through similar ethnographic conflict-resolutions serve as
hope and models that Israelis and Palestinians can use to mediate and create a nation of equality.
I believe there are four main aspects and steps needed in order to create a process to move the
conflict towards resolution these include; Re-Identification, Addressing the Main Issues,
Building new policies: Enforcing equality and Regulation, and Moving Forward; Beginning the
healing, peace, and integration process.

The first step and perhaps most key to creating a one-state resolution process is re-
identification. I think this is crucially necessary because I believe the main way to solve a
conflict is through reaching understanding of oneself and one another and rather than holding
ideologies of what separates people or how they differ from you and your beliefs or goals I think
its important to identify aspects that are shared and use that as a starting common ground for
creating a new ideology of unity. Once again, it is clear that both Palestinians and Israelis have a
shared history and ties to the land. I think that in it's self is powerful to realize the uniqueness of
two cultures having such a rich longstanding history within a place that both consider important
in terms of identifying themselves. I think re-identifying the aspect of not-theirs or mine and
into ours is a claim that both can adopt and perhaps even propose that they have a shared
ethnicity as well as their own self-identifications of a Jewish or Arab ethnicity. This diminishes
the notion of who has more of a right or who doesnt have a right to Israel/Palestine by
acknowledging that they both do and with that they have a shared responsibility to coincide
within that land and to one another to build together and cultivate its prosperity. Inversely, it can
perhaps be re-identified through a contrasting slogan of A land without a people, a people
without a land this is somewhat of a misnomer because the land was never a people without a
land but re-contextualizing the use of that slogan and re-identifying it could open a door of
discussion about Jews feeling that they were once the people without a land and applying that to
current Palestinians who now feel they are a peoples without a land inviting recognition of
shared strife and empathy and perhaps even relinquishing claims all together to make way for
a land as the home for all people. An interesting study by social anthropologist Fredrik Barth
called Ethnic Groups and Boundaries discusses the idea of Groups Defining Themselves by
What They Are Not which is an interesting look at how often times rather than primarily
rooting oneself in identifying through aspects believed to be intrinsic to ones own group the
differences of others in relation to you becomes the primary focus and association of identifying
your own Identity. In a sort of Im this because Im not them. Applicable in terms of ethnic
cleansing where the thought is we are a Jewish state because were not majority Palestinian. I
think once your Identity is reliant on diminishing someone elses it brings about a cause for
examination to recognize segregation and even propone that in this shared ethnographic conflict
theres a codependency underlying in making claims to ones identity and to bring that forth in
turning that negative identifying codependency into a positive one to work together. Again as
perhaps re-identifying Israel as not a Jewish state by exclusion of non-Jews but rather being
able to maintain a state for the Jews as well as for the Palestinians without solely being a
Jewish-state. This would serve to help let go of the ideology of an ethnicity being associated
with or being the vision for an entire state especially a future democratic one which must equally
encompass all ethnicities. Finally with all of this I totally agree and think it would be beneficial
as Ali Abunimah suggests to create new unifying symbols applicable to and representative of
both Jews/Arabs-Israeli/Palestinians. This would help rebuild a conflicting segregated nation into
a new identifiable unified one. I like the aspect and advocate for changing the name of the state
into either Palisrael, Israpal, or something completely new and awesome all together. I think that
would not only help unify a nation but create a new start as a symbol of insurance that this new
state of a shared land and goals acknowledges all the rights and people that live there.

Once the process of Re-identification takes place and commences an ideology for a state
to become responsible for all its citizens then the beginnings of reform may take place. The next
step would be to address the current issues that stand as impediments to equality in a one-state
solution. Firstly, addressing segregating and discriminatory laws and practices will need to be
rectified so that they are not privy or exclusive to one or another including the Law of Return
which would need to become applicable to exiles and refugees. The topic of Refugees needs to
be handled with a process of integration back into Israel for those who seek to return. I agree
with Ali Abunimah that this will likely be a tumultuous process as many refugees had been
displaced from their homes which may be newly occupied as well as other issues pertaining to
health and psychological difficulties as a product of living in poor and oppressive conditions that
may make integrating and resettling challenging. I think under the new Israpal-Palisrael there
would need to be reparations set forth or services from the government to help refugees integrate
back into the nation. Walls and Settlements will also need to be addressed. I think wall and
certainly the checkpoints will need to be taken down and abolished immediately. Unoccupied
settlements will need to be available to all citizens who may choose to live there, and occupied
settlements will need to provide compensation or restitution for demolished and taken homes as
well as providing equal opportunities to home ownership to create and rebuild integrated
communities. Similarly Jerusalem will need to become available to all as a site for holy
connection and a peace process of reintegrating Palestinians whos homes were taken or
destroyed back into that city, their should be a specialized effort to use Jerusalem as a symbol
and place for unity perhaps turning it into a central area for peace talks and conferences to occur.
Finally addressing hegemony and eradicating it through equalized politics and government. I
think a larger integration of Palestinian leaders and representatives of the Palestinian voice
would need to be implemented into government. Parties representative of peoples various wants
and goals for the country will need to be diversified to include those who currently have no
representation. I think a good way to do this is to begin with implementing regulations of equal
representation of both Palestinians and Israelis to form a collective government. Once these main
issues are addressed and a commencement of reform to equalize and raise the standards of rights
and treatments of all citizens, then a multifunctioning state will rise out of the conflict.

I think addressing and reforming these issues will be a great step towards resolving and
creating peace within the nation, but I also think they would need to be reinforced or made sure
that they would be adhered to. I think disregard to laws and practices without any sort of
consequence just serves to create a mask to a problem to seemingly pacify without really
rectifying it. I think this brings about the call of responsibility of the outside worlds involvement
to put a bit of pressure on the new government to make sure that laws are fair and not
exclusionary or used to benefit one group or another as well as the bending or disregard of laws
to not go unnoticed and to have just consequence for those who dont adhere to them to protect
the unity and greater good of all under the nation. I also think that internal support and pressure
from people who begin to really understand and value the rights of others and the integration of
the society will be key components in ensuring that the new state serves as an equal advocate for
all which hopefully through the re-identification process and addressing some of the issues will
generate more of an internal and external response ensuring to enforce reform. I think
specifically international laws under the UN that are currently being disregarded need to be
addressed and action taken to protect humanitarian rights also needs to be enforced for
everybody. I think these forms of enforcement will serve to build and increase the trust between
both sides so that neither feels they are being taken advantage of or receiving more advantages or
disadvantages, which will regulate shared goals of common interest for the whole nation.

Finally a vitally necessary long-standing or ongoing process of moving forward and
beginning the healing and peace processes is integral in creating a new integrated nation. I think
it is undeniable that both sides have experienced and endured tragedies as a result of the conflict
and there is a general mistrust and collective hurt amongst both Palestinians and Israelis due to
the oppressions of the conflict. The challenge to previously held ideals that were not applicable
to all will need to be an ongoing discussion process to mediate both sides rights and positions
within the society. I think models taken from nations whove endured similar conflict such as
South Africa, Rwanda, Belgium, etc. are definitely a good way to begin this healing process such
as through a sort of truth and reconciliation model that would create a platform for both Israelis
and Palestinians to equally discuss their sentiments regarding humanitarian rights and pushing
through the lingering build of resentments. I think the only way to really do this is to hear each
others stories to create a space in which all are respected and taken into account to instill and
create and shared sense of empathy and camaraderie in one another. With this there would need
to be the discussion and implementation of reparations and restitutions to families that endured
great atrocities as a byproduct of the conflict I think this is the only way to really promote and
acknowledge the rights and existence of all and to help move the country forward not in a way of
whitewashing a painful history and just starting anew but rather really coming together to
examine the history of each others narratives within the conflict to use that to promote an
equalized nation so that those rights are not violated in the future. I think it was said that one of
the biggest barriers to peace and understanding is the misconceptions of a shared historical
narrative. I think perhaps rather than justifying whos story is right or wrong creating a space
where all stories are heard and respected and acknowledged especially not as a whole historical
narrative of a land but rather personal narratives of ones experiences are more powerful in
providing an exchange of understanding. I agree with Ali Abunimah that perhaps one of the best
ways this can be done is through education and creating systems such as programs of exchange
or unified bilingual and multicultural schools and communities that support the integration of
both Israelis and Palestinians. The kids are the future so instilling a sense of tolerance,
community, understanding, and building between them will help create a future nation that
values a shared society and culture of various ethnicities, I think also examining and being taught
all aspects of Palestinian/Arab & Israeli/Jewish history and regarding both as true will also serve
to gain awareness into a shared experience of a nation and tying people back to their ancestral
roots.

In conclusion I believe the best way to move towards resolution of the conflict is to
advocate for a One-State solution and to engage in the necessary steps needed to promote that. I
believe that it is the rights of all people to be taken into account and protected under a
government and its a shared responsibility of all citizens to ensure that. I think the uniqueness of
sharing such a connection to a land needs to be celebrated and unified rather than segregated and
divided because creating a space of borders within a home just further perpetuates differences
and distance between people and doesnt serve to amend or create a space that really discusses
the conflict. I think that addressing issues and really bringing a nation together to share with one
another is the only way to move past a difficult history and is the best way to promote peace.
Recognizing similarities of other nations whove endured ethnographic conflict and created ways
to resolve it not only serves to generate great methods applicable to the Israeli Palestinian
situation but really insinuates hope that through concerted effort amongst all it is in fact possible
to provide equality and unite this nation. My hope is that all of these processes may further be
examined to bring about peace and resolution under this shared land for the benefit of the nation
and its future.