Tovah Lazaroff, Jerusalem Post, September 21st, 2022
Recap:
After years of dwindling support for a two-state solution, and a month before elections in Israel, Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed his support for reaching a political agreement with the Palestinians.
The Context:
· An independent Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza alongside Israel has been the hallmark of international peacemaking since the Oslo Accords were signed in the 1990’s. Israel captured the West Bank & East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967 and the territories remain in political limbo 50 years later since Israelis and Palestinians both lay claim to the land. Peace talks have been moribund since 2014 [1].
· Most world leaders view a two-state solution as the only feasible resolution to the conflict since Palestinians are unlikely to accept anything short of a sovereign state and a bi-national state would jeopardize Israel’s Jewish character. The majority of Israelis and Palestinians theoretically support a two-state solution however, most have no confidence that it will ever come to fruition.
· Lapid expressed interest in a two-state solution that “[separates Israel] from the Palestinians” although Israel “will not do anything that would endanger the security of [its] citizens.” Israel’s opposition slammed Lapid for “handing over homeland to our enemies [2].”
· In 2012, the UN General Assembly granted Palestinians observer status at the UN, allowing them to join over 100 international treaties and conventions. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas previously sought full member status but was stonewalled by the Obama administration. In 2021, Abbas urged United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to reconsider full-member status [3] based “on borders of the occupied State of Palestine in 1967 [4].” Although Guterres did not oblige, he did condemn Israel during his opening remarks at this week’s summit [5].
· US President Joe Biden voiced his support for “a lasting peace between the Jewish, democratic State of Israel and the Palestinian people” in the form of a two-state solution. [6] Ireland is considering unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state if it feels progress toward a two-state solution has stalled [7].
Conversation Points:
· Does Lapid feel that resolving the Palestinian conflict holds the key to a successful election in November?
· What are potential resolutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
· Will others follow in Ireland’s footsteps if they recognize a Palestinian state?
Notes:
1. Lapid to back two-state solution in UN address; is slammed by rivals and some allies. LAZAR BERMAN, Times of Israel, September 21st, 2022
2. Ibid
3. Seeking full membership, Abbas says it’s UN’s ‘last chance’ to salvage peace role, JACOB MAGID, Times of Israel, September 20th, 2022
4. With region ‘at a crossroads’, Palestinian President calls on UN’s Guterres to convene international peace conference, UN.org, September 2021
5. Seeking full membership, Abbas says it’s UN’s ‘last chance’ to salvage peace role, JACOB MAGID, Times of Israel, September 20th, 2022
6. Israel’s Lapid to call for two-state solution at UN, i24NEWS, September 21st, 2022
7. Is Ireland going to recognize a Palestinian state?, LAHAV HARKOV, Jerusalem Post, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022