What are some possible solutions to the Arab-Israeli Conflict?

Answer 1

The "should" is dangerous. There is no perfect solution that will make everyone happy and as a result, different people argue for different solutions that put them in a better position than other solutions. It's a complicated situation that probably requires many resolutions over a long time.

As there are several possible solutions, there may be multiple answers.

Answer 1

The Bottom Line is that both sides have a number of important and difficult concessions to make in pursuit of peace and the majority on each side are not willing to concede as much as they should. One of the best proposed solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is the Geneva Initiative which provides for a comprehensive resolution of each side's major issues. However, this Initiative requires a number of major concessions from each side, some of which are very painful. See the link below for more information.

Answer 2

Yes, there are innumerable solutions. Thinktanks, political groups, and numerous other organizations have proffered solutions. The difficulty is getting everyone on board behind one proposal. On both sides, people are far too entrenched in hoping to get everything they want and believing that they are the only justifiable party instead of being willing to negotiate and accept less than optimal terms for a long-term peace and stability.

Some of the required negotiated positions are listed below.

1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.

2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.

3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.

4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements:Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.

5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return:Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.

6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized: Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.

7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.

Answer 3

There are plenty of abstract ideas for resolutions, but so far nothing has come too close to actually resolving the conflict for an extended period of time. It's a complicated situation that probably requires many resolutions over a long time.

As there are several solutions, there may be multiple answers.

Answer 1

Adopt the 'United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (II) Future Government of Palestine' which suggests a division of the British Mandate of Palestine into two provisional states, one Jewish and one Arab,

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure that a hippie movement wouldn't work and I think the fighting may lead to the final coming of Jesus.

Answer 3

Until Palestine succumbs to the Israeli usurpation (from the perspective of Palestinians) or Israel returns the land. There is also the choice of peace. Currently, none seem realistic.

Answer 4

It's an idea that will never come to place in the near future, unfortunately, as fundamentalist ideologies are imposed on the Palestinian population by a small fraction of the Palestinians that Israel, isfake (Play on words). Israel however is more legitimate than they are in fact, being that the majority of Palestinians are basically Jordanians--in fact there is a law (That isn't as widely practiced as it used to be) of return for Palestinians to Jordan. Bet you didn't know that.

Nevertheless, Palestinians would get their own state (which I believe would be good so long as they take only Judea and Samaria, not Jerusalem, and give Gaza to Egypt) if they played the game peacefully, which is what most of the Jewish and Israeli community actually wants by the way.

עם ישראל חיי!

First of all, there are three credible classes of solution:

1. A one-state solution, based on democratic ideals
2. A two-state solution based on secure borders
3. Total annihilation of the Palestinian territories

One-state solution

A one-state solution would involve Jews and Palestinians living side by side in a single country, on an equal basis and with equal political and social rights. If it could be achieved, this would resolve for all time any disputes about territorial rights and access to holy sites.

The major disadvantage of a one-state solution, from an Israeli point of view, is that any right of return for the former Palestinian occupants of what is now Israel would place those citizens within the scope of Israeli law. As long as Israeli law claims to uphold principles of justice and equity, this could involve massive reparations and compensation for land and property appropriated at the time of partition. This need not prevent reunification, but would require agreement by both sides to a solution by which former residents of Israel would give up some or all of their property rights.

Israelis could have a well-founded fear that reunification would enable Palestinian terrorists to spread out within Jewish areas and wreak havoc. This could be dealt with by having a long interim period of restricted access, if this were felt necessary. The South African experience shows that the removal of Bantustans and the introduction of democracy did not lead to the expected civil war.

Two-state solution

A genuine two-state solution would involve both parties withdrawing behind agreed borders, respecting the other's right to exist in peace and security.

One problem with a two-state solution is that at least some Palestinians and some Israelis are unwilling to accept the right of the other state to exist. Without this, a genuine two-state solution will never be possible.

Another problem is that, as the Israelis continue to nibble away at the best land available to the Palestinians, the prospects of a viable Palestinian state recede. The prospect of the Israelis agreeing to withdraw from all settlements on the West Bank seem remote. Even more remote seem to be the prospect of the Israelis demonstrating goodwill by handing those settlements over, intact, to the Palestinians.

Total annihilation of the Palestinian territories

Morally the most repugnant of the possible solutions, this still remains a possible long-term objective for some Israelis.

The problem with this is that, while it may theoretically be possible to eliminate the Palestinian territories, it is not possible to eliminate the Palestinians, who have already demonstrated that even decades in refugee camps in neighbouring Arab states have not resulted in them giving up their ethnic identity or their hopes for a return to their homeland. Creating even more disaffected refugees is not a solution.

Answer 4

There are plenty of abstract ideas for resolutions, but so far nothing has come too close to actually resolving the conflict for an extended period of time. It's a complicated situation that probably requires many resolutions over a long time.

As there are several solutions, there may be multiple answers.

Answer 1

The Bottom Line is that both sides have a number of important and difficult concessions to make in pursuit of peace and the majority on each side are not willing to concede as much as they should. One of the best proposed solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is the Geneva Initiative which provides for a comprehensive resolution of each side's major issues. However, this Initiative requires a number of major concessions from each side, some of which are very painful. See the link below for more information.

Answer 5

I believe that there are innumerable solutions. Thinktanks, political groups, and numerous other organizations have proffered an incredible variety of solutions. The difficulty is getting everyone on board behind one proposal. On both sides, people are far too entrenched in hoping to get everything they want and believing that they are the only justifiable party instead of being willing to negotiate and accept less than optimal terms for a long-term peace and stability. They could take a page from the Cambodian reconciliation.

Some of the required negotiated positions are listed below.

1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.

2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.

3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.

4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements: Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.

5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return: Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.

6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized:Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.

7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.

Answer 6

The Bottom Line is that both sides have a number of important and difficult concessions to make in pursuit of peace and the majority on each side are not willing to concede as much as they should. One of the best proposed solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is the Geneva Initiative which provides for a comprehensive resolution of each side's major issues. However, this Initiative requires a number of major concessions from each side, some of which are very painful.

For more information, please see the Related Question: What are the main obstacles to peace with Israeli-Palestinian conflict?