This semester, I’m finishing my bachelor program in Peace and Development studies at Uppsala University, and I’m doing that by solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Seriously, I solved it. It’s done.
Now, what’s left is simply Israeli and Palestinian leaders obeying my policy recommendations, which could be a little trickier. But when it comes to the actual conflict resolution proposal, I’m quite confident that this would indeed solve the Middle East conflict once and for all.
Here you can download my paper as a PDF: Israel and Palestine – Solving this Mess Once and for All
The paper includes a lot of background, conflict resolution theory and a discussion about pros and cons with both a two-state and a one-state solution. The juicy part is of course my actual solution, which reads like this:
I propose the establishment of a Federation of the Holy Land, consisting of the State of Israel and the state of Palestine based on the 1967 Green Line, as well as the federal district of Jerusalem (including Abu Dis). Both the Knesset and a Palestinian parliament may be located in Jerusalem, together with a new federal parliament and possibly a senate.
The Israeli Defense Forces will be transformed into the Defense Forces of the Holy Land that is subject to the Federal government and that has, together with the police force of respective state, monopoly of violence. All citizens of the Federation will be equal when it comes to voting, freedom of speech, religion, press and assembly, and access to welfare. Citizens have a right to move freely within the federation. While the two federated states may nourish particular cultural and religious identities, the federation as such is secular and multicultural.
The federal government, Supreme Court, military leadership and federal agencies should have representatives from both states. The most important ones should initially be shared 50/50, and after a period of 30 years or so proportionally according to the population size of each state. Both states should of course be democratic by the same standards, and organizations calling for the destruction of another people group should be forbidden.
The proposal means that the initiated establishment of the state of Palestine with its parliament, government and administration has not been in vain, nor will the Jewish state of Israel cease to exist. The proposal aims to minimize the risk of these two states waging war against each other, while increasing equality between Israelis and Palestinians and structurally challenging the paradigm of two enemies bargaining to two partners cooperating.
So, what do you think about this idea? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and pray with me for peace in the Middle East.
Charismactivism 
Bad idea. First of all there is a strong antisemitism among the arabs in the area, since even before the birth oh the Jewish State and in my belief its increasing. Religious leaders encourage the annihilation of jews.
Secondly I don’t understand the idea on a partition according to the 1967 borders. The arabs have always said no to peace and agreements with the jews. There is no wish among the arabs to live peacefully with the jews, apart from those living in Israel at peace with the jews. The sollution proposed with two states would result in a bloodbath. Israel is at present surrounded by those who wish their destruction. Without the Israeli army and police the jews would be killed today.
The sollution to the problem is that the arabs lay down their hatred and weapons, in exchange for peace and using their money/resources for social advancements, not rockets, tunnels and guns.
Israel wants peace, not the arabs. True fact.
Hello Jonathan!
I recommend you reading the whole paper for understanding why I reached this conclusion. I talk both about Israeli security as well as the problem of occupation and unequal economies. Of course, it is very simplistic – and possibly even racist – to say that “the arabs” just want violence and genocide.
Blessings!
There is a small minority of Jewish Israelis that consider Palestinians as equal and a little larger minority of Palestinians that are able to forgive the Jewish state of Israel for what they have done to them and willing to live with them as neighbours. I think the situation in Israel is comparable with what happened in S. Africa where the so called ‘better and smarter’ whites ruled and lorded it over the ‘poor uneducated Black’…eventually under pressure history had its course and the whites had to humble themselves and admit they had been wrong. It may take longer for the Jews but as world pressure mounts they might have to adjust eventually. Even Jews cannot stop the course of history and the plan of God to deliver the Palestinians from their oppression.
Having said that I think your solution will not work and that the best we can hope for is to have a small but viable Palestinian State next to an oppressive Jewish regime and pray that this will be at least a start.
I need to read your paper as the whole Palestina mess created by creating an artificial Jewish ruled Nation on 1948 (leave it to the British to help creating that mess!)
Btw I have no idea where you got my email address from but appreciate all the input as an old time Jesus freak who dropped out in 1976 to follow God…which I still am doing.