Al-Shabaka Commentary February 2018

TO ACHIEVE ONE STATE, PALESTINIANS MUST ALSO WORK FOR TWO

By Nadia Hijab

In the wake of US President Donald Trump’s of achieving Palestinian rights, what would a one- recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, state political outcome achieve that two states would reinforced by Vice President Mike Pence’s promise not? It is worth briefly examining each outcome.

[email protected] to move the US embassy before the end of 2019, The vision of a one-state solution, as set out by the there has been a flurry of pieces heralding the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1968, imminent shift in a Palestinian strategy toward a has always been more compelling for Palestinians one-state solution with equal rights. Both Palestinian than that of two states. A single state is closely tied to negotiators closely involved in the moribund Oslo the right of the refugees to return to their homes and peace process and Palestinians who have long since lands. despaired of Oslo declared that it is time to transform the struggle. Meanwhile, Israel continued to expand Through a single state Palestinians would exercise settlements, crack down on protests, and plan their right to self-determination by returning to annexation of some or all of the West Bank. and living in the entirety of the land that had been Palestine, alongside the Jews living there, with equal Is the two-state solution really doomed, and is it rights for all. While the 1968 PLO charter spoke of time to move to a struggle for a single state? This the Jews who had resided in Palestine before the commentary will argue that either state outcome Zionist conquest resulted in the creation of Israel, can be made to achieve Palestinian aspirations and present Palestinian advocates of a one-state solution rights, and that, moreover, fulfilling Palestinian rights recognize that it must encompass all its inhabitants. requires some of the sources of power associated with the state system. It will also urge that time and As for the two-state solution, it is important to energy be spent on clarifying Palestinian goals and distinguish between the vision expressed in 1988, www.Al-Shabaka.org understanding why they have not yet been achieved, when the Palestinian National Council (PNC) adopted and then zeroing in on the sources of power needed it, and the truncated, economically and politically to achieve them. The final section will discuss crippled travesty of justice set out in the Oslo one of those sources of power in detail, that of the Accords that began to be signed in 1993. When it was Palestinian narrative, and will call for a reframing of adopted in 1988, the two-state solution was seen as a that narrative, including the narrative around BDS pragmatic, doable recognition of reality. Palestinians (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions).1 would exercise the right to self-determination through a sovereign state that would secure the rights of its Palestinian Goals in One-State and Two- citizens. Such a state would enable Palestine to join State Outcomes the community of nations. Further, the 1988 PNC resolution upheld the UN resolutions regarding the The goal of the Palestinian struggle continues to be rights of the Palestinian refugees. And the struggle for expressed in terms of state structures. Yet in terms two states does not mean forsaking the vital struggle for equality of the Palestinian citizens of Israel.

1. Some of the material in this paper was presented in a talk at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign annual meeting on January 27, 2018. The talk was published by Mondoweiss on January 31, 2018. 1 February 2018

the Europeans will step in now that he has, perhaps temporarily, washed his hands of the US. However, “Had the two-state solution asking European states to serve as mediators will stayed close to its original not move the Palestinian cause forward. There is nothing to mediate: The Israelis have made their framing, it could have goals clear; the best the Palestinians can hope for is disconnected Bantustans. One worst-case scenario fulfilled Palestinian rights.” would be for a “deal” that would appear to fulfill some Palestinian rights after which the world would go home, leaving the Palestinians at Israel’s mercy. No Oslo doomed a rights-based state project from one will do anything for the Palestinian people – not the start. On the Palestinian side, the acceptance the Europeans, or the US, or Israel – unless they are of the Accords included an implicit assumption pressured to do so. that Palestinian refugee rights would be severely circumscribed, thus sacrificing a core Palestinian right. In short, Palestinians will need to build considerable On the Israeli side, there was never any intention power to exercise the pressure needed to achieve a of allowing a sovereign Palestinian state to emerge solution that would guarantee their rights. And to alongside Israel. Yitzhak Rabin, heralded as the great do so they will need some of the sources of power peacemaker, made it clear soon after the first Oslo that they have acquired through membership in the agreement that he intended to ensure that Palestinians state system, whether legal, diplomatic, or through would have no more than an entity that was “less than participation in international organizations. However, a state,” with Israel’s security border located in the those sources of power must be used far more Jordan Valley. Those positions carried through the effectively and strategically than in the superficial years of negotiations. Israeli positions have greatly way that the PLO has used them. Even the hard- hardened since: Most recently, the Likud Central fought membership of UNESCO, which cost that Committee unanimously voted to call on the party’s organization dearly, could have been used to establish leaders to annex the West Bank. Palestinian sovereignty on land and sea.

Had the two-state solution stayed close to its original framing, it could have fulfilled Palestinian rights to self-determination and return, just as the one-state “No one will do anything for would have, if the Palestinians had been able to build enough power to ensure that Israel would respect the the Palestinian people unless right of return and equal rights in one state, and the they are pressured to do so.” right of return and sovereignty in two states.

The reality today is that the Palestinian people have no power to achieve either outcome in the Moreover, imagine the different situation today if the foreseeable future and to impose the recognition PLO had “activated” the 2004 International Court and implementation of their rights on Israel or on of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal wall that snakes the international community. In fact, the Palestinian through the OPT. Although it was an advisory opinion, leadership, believing that Oslo was leading to a its clear call on all states not to “recognize the illegal Palestinian state, let the sources of power that it situation resulting from the construction of the wall” had accumulated in the 1970s and 1980s dissipate, and, more importantly, not to provide any aid or including a vibrant solidarity movement and strong assistance that could maintain that situation, could relationships with the countries of the South, the have been used to push rules-conscious European Soviet Union, and China. countries into much more decisively ensuring that their relations with Israel did not support the illegal PLO President Mahmoud Abbas has not declared the Israeli settlements. end of the two-state solution and clearly hopes that 2 here). February 2018 February regret, and reparations.” and regret, to be Israeli recognition, recognition, beto Israeli better future, there needs there future, better “If there is to be a different, be to a different, is there “If An apology from Britain might have sufficed but it An apology from Britain might have powers do was never in the cards: Former colonial as horrible not want to tarnish their own narratives, open to demands as they were, or to lay themselves the case in differs for reparations. But the situation better future of Israel. If there is to be a different, historic Palestine between Israel and the people of of the injustice there needs to be not only recognition the Palestinians, that the Zionist project visited on and reparations. but also an expression of regret, wound of the These are necessary to heal the national person. Palestinian people and of every Palestinian this demand at a It may seem quixotic to speak of time when Israel appears so powerful and Palestinians regret, And yet recognition, so crushed and helpless. and reparations are also needed to exorcise the ghost There is a deep-seated fear that that haunts Israelis. the narrative underpinning the creation of the Israeli state – that of brave pioneers establishing wonders in a hostile and empty desert – will be exposed for the sham it was, as will all the deliberate cruelty that undermine This would accompanied it and still does. the Zionist project at its core. In fact, moving beyond this narrative is far from impossible: It has been achieved by the many Jews who are moving or have moved from the ideology of Zionism to upholding universal human rights. reality of what happened to Palestine and to the and to to Palestine happened of what reality This that it was. for the injustice be seen Palestinians 100th spent during the much time was is why so year on Declaration last of the Balfour anniversary colonial Britain, whose an apology from demanding creation of Palestine and the the loss of aims enabled be spent this will And this is why so much time Israel. anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe), the 70th year, of loss. on that narrative

ferent piece with input from numerous analysts (I have touched on it briefly In the discussion focused instead 2 below I will focus on one major source of power, the source of power, below I will focus on one major Palestinian narrative, and ways in which it can be rights. used to advance Palestinian more effectively 2. Palestinian sources of power and options are the subject for a dif The narrative of the past is, for Palestinians, an that the They are determined existential matter: Part of the Palestinian narrative has to do with the past, and part has to do with the goals of the Palestinian struggle and is more forward-looking. The forward-looking part remains muted and while that of the past is fully insufficiently effective, fleshed out. Getting the Narrative Right on Palestine (and on BDS) The road ahead is long. No one is in any rush to The road ahead is fulfill their rights. So there is no help Palestinians the ultimate political outcome: rush to decide on so long as it fulfills Palestinian Either could work smart, strategic approach of the This was the rights. disarray of founders. Given the BDS movement’s and the lack of consensus the national movement around political goals, the founders It is because the PLO did not capitalize on what on what capitalize did not the PLO because It is privately delegation the Palestinian of a member that “great win” at the time as this described launched a year later, exactly civil society, Palestinian upholding the clear aim of movement, with the BDS of power a major source law and putting international behind it. Every source of power available should be analyzed Every source of power available its strengths offer, and understood for what it has to society should and its pitfalls, and Palestinian civil of it) whenever ally with the PLO (or what is left interests and possible to advance Palestinian national when to oppose Palestinian political representatives they place those interests in danger. on rights as goals, calling for the realization of self- on rights as goals, calling for the occupation, determination through freedom from of Israel, and equality for the Palestinian citizens in fulfilling their justice for the Palestinian refugees to reach This enabled the movement right of return. society as well the broadest spectrum of Palestinian – and to build a as of international solidarity activists considerable source of power.

Al-Shabaka Commentary 3 . . well aware February 2018 February top of its website By itself the BDS strategy cannot achieve freedom, By itself the BDS strategy cannot are as its founders justice, and equality, Yet because none of the other strategies are as because none of the other strategies Yet used and advanced as that of BDS, it effectively be taken to present dominates the scene. Care should the Palestinians BDS as one of many strategies that ones. must use, including legal and diplomatic role in the quest Culture and the arts also play a key thriving. for Palestinian rights, and they are that the goals be placed front and center: It is urgent vision that They are an uplifting and positive Palestinian can quickly occupy the high ground. and the solidarity movement politicians, civil society, Freedom, Justice and should unify around and call for And freedom, justice, and equality can be Equality. achieved in one state or two. the Palestinian people, whether those living under living under those whether people, the Palestinian or the citizens of Israel, the Palestinian occupation, to be avoided: There is a pitfall and exiles. refugees taken to care must be every for equality, In calling citizens of the Palestinian this relates to specify that living between Palestinians not to equality Israel and and the settlers living in Israel’s under occupation illegal settlements. take their for these goals to successfully However, of the Palestinian national place at the forefront around BDS must be movement, the discourse the focus is on the BDS strategy reframed. Currently, even identified in the BDS call, and not on the goals though they are featured at the

includes several Palestinians includes

power of their vision.” of power that communicates the communicates that

“Palestinians badly needa “Palestinians forward-looking narrative narrative forward-looking And it is the basis for an alternative future in which in future an alternative basis for it is the And That together as equals. and Jews live Palestinians in the some organizations already here in future is fast-growing Jewish such as the United States, for Peace, which Voice That unifying Palestinian narrative already exists: These are the goals Freedom, Justice, Equality. These are also identified by the BDS movement. goals that all Palestinians can aspire to and support, and they speak to the reality of each segment of Moreover, a forward-looking narrative can provide a forward-looking Moreover, movement a vision and direction for the Palestinian until the time comes when a decision is made as to whether the political outcome could be one state or unifying narrative is also important because A two. it is unlikely that Palestinian political unity will be achieved in the foreseeable future. Fatah and Hamas physical fragmentation are too far apart, and Israel’s of the Palestinian people has successfully created unifying narrative would A barriers between them. enable all parts of the Palestinian people to work toward the same goals – and to keep up the struggle until those goals are achieved, rather than stopping halfway along the road as happened with Oslo. But the Palestinians badly need a forward-looking But the Palestinians badly need a communicates the narrative that unifies them and that to dominate power of their vision. Israel continues of its where it has most West, the narrative in the by Palestinian power base, despite inroads made organizations writers and analysts and by numerous movement. and individuals in the Palestine solidarity and It is partly the lack of a unified forward-looking enables Israel to positive vision by Palestinians that do this. amongst its membership, as well as Students for as well as Students its membership, amongst groups across US campuses, Justice in Palestine Jews, and a mix of other which include Palestinians, ethnicities and religions.

Al-Shabaka Policy Brief 4 February 2018 February Al-Shabaka, The Palestinian Policy Network The Palestinian Al-Shabaka, and non-profit is an independent, non-partisan, is to educate and whose mission organization human rights foster public debate on Palestinian framework and self-determination within the Al-Shabaka policy briefs of international law. Al- to may be reproduced with due attribution Network. For The Palestinian Policy Shabaka, or more information visit www.al-shabaka.org contact us by email: [email protected]. with Al-Shabaka materials may be circulated The Palestinian Al-Shabaka: due attribution to The opinion of individual Policy Network. policy network do not Al-Shabaka’s members of necessarily reflect the views of the organization as a whole. is co-founder and Executive Nadia Hijab Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Director of public speaker and media Network, and a writer, Womanpower: Her first book, commentator. work was Arab debate on women at The Press and published by Cambridge University Portrait of A Apart: she co-authored Citizens Tauris). Palestinians in Israel (I. B.

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