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Two State Solution, Background, Recognition of Palestine

Background of Two State Solution

  • British Foreign Secretary David Cameron hinted at a potential shift in the UK’s stance towards recognizing Palestine, sparking debate and criticism from Conservative Party circles.
  • Despite reaffirmations that the government’s position remains unchanged, the conversation has reignited discussion around the Palestine question, emphasising its significance in achieving peace in West Asia.

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Recognition of Palestine

  • The recognition of a Palestinian state has gained momentum following the recent Israeli-Hamas war and the subsequent invasion of Gaza.
  • The conflict underscores the urgency of resolving the Palestinian question for peace in the region.
  • A two-state solution is considered one of the viable and internationally recognized pathways to peace
Two-state solution
It refers to a proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing two states for two peoples: Israel as the state for the Jewish people and Palestine as the state for the Palestinian people.

Britain’s Role and the Two-State Solution

  • Balfour Declaration: In 1917, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration, expressing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, then under British mandate, which laid the groundwork for the future state of Israel.
  • Mandate Period: As the mandatory power over Palestine after World War I, Britain was responsible for administering the territory, which included dealing with the rising tensions between Jewish and Arab populations.
  • Partition Plan: Britain’s difficulties in managing conflicting Jewish and Arab national movements led to the referral of the Palestine question to the United Nations, which proposed a partition plan in 1947, envisioning separate Jewish and Arab states.
  • End of Mandate and Israel’s Creation: Britain withdrew from Palestine in 1948, leading to the declaration of the state of Israel and the subsequent Arab-Israeli war.
  • Since the early 1990s, efforts, including the Oslo process, have been made towards a two-state solution, but these attempts have been largely unsuccessful.
Oslo Accords: Key Points
  • Agreement: Peace agreements between Israel and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
  • Signed: September 1993 (Oslo I), expanded in 1995 (Oslo II)
  • Key Figures: Yitzhak Rabin (Israel), Yasser Arafat (PLO), Bill Clinton (US)
  • Main Provisions:
    • Established Palestinian Authority (PA) for self-governance in specific territories
    • Laid out framework for future negotiations on Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security, borders
    • Expanded Israeli withdrawals from West Bank (Oslo II)
  • Mutual Recognition:
    • Israel recognized PLO as Palestinian representative
    • PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist peacefully
    • PLO renounced terrorism and violence

Challenges and Current Scenario

  • Approximately 7,00,000 Jewish settlers currently reside in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with ongoing destruction in Gaza by Israel.
  • Israeli leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, have consistently rejected the two-state solution.
  • Meanwhile, far-right settlers advocate for the complete control of Palestinian territories.
  • This unsustainable scenario perpetuates cycles of violence and instability in the region.

Previous Year Question (2018)

Q. The term “Two – State Solution” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of:

A. China

B. Israel

C. Iraq

D. Yemen

Answer: Option B

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