TEHRAN- The recent Al-Aqsa Storm Operation has once again brought attention to the ongoing crisis in Palestine. The Israeli regime's continued occupation and apartheid across Palestinian lands, including the territories occupied in 1948 as well as the pre-1967 borders in the West Bank and Gaza, has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis that cannot be denied.

The Tel Aviv cabinet's crossing over the borders was authorized by the United Nations General Assembly's Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947. Along with the legal approach, from a moral standpoint, it can be seen as an occupation.

According to UN Security Council Resolution 242, Israel must return to the borders before the 1967 war. 

The Knesset adopted the Jewish State law on July 19, 2018, declaring Israel a Jewish state, which has resulted in an apartheid system.

The emergence of resistance groups against the occupation has proved that ignoring the condition of the Palestinian nation and denying the violation of the Palestinians’ obvious rights will not secure Israel. 

The ignorance of the Palestinians’ rights has also proved that the interests of the West will not be met in the region as well.

Given that the Palestinian issue will not be tackled militarily, the lack of a political solution by Israel's allies has left no option except armed resistance from the Palestinians.

Which solution?

Forming an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders is the oldest solution, verbally supported by the US, EU, and some Arab states.

The proposed solution did not take serious action to force Israel to withdraw from the occupied lands, yet the supportive sides of the solution remained silent against the continuous occupation of the West Bank and the continuous killing of the Gazans. 

As a result, evaluating the possibilities of the two-state solution and other solutions can pave the way for finding ways for the Palestine crisis.

The two-state solution 

This solution dates back to the plan approved by the United Nations in 1947, which allocated 55% of Palestine to the Jews and 45% to the Palestinians.        

The plan was accepted by the Jewish Agency, but the Arab League opposed it because Palestinians made up more than two-thirds of the Palestinian population compared to Jewish immigrants. Accordingly, the division of Palestine was declared contrary to the principles of the UN Charter.

With the continuation of the occupation of Palestine by Israel and the lack of a clear understanding of the borders between Palestine and Israel, the Palestine issue has turned out to be the biggest challenge for the implementation of a two-state solution. 

The Palestinian Authority's government is attempting to find a resolution based on the Oslo agreement. Hamas has also expressed its willingness to accept the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders, with Bait al-Muqaddas as its capital. 

The extremist faction in Israel asserts that the West Bank, known as Judea and Samaria, rightfully belongs to Israel. Additionally, Netanyahu's cabinet has shown intentions of incorporating this region into the occupied territories.

The inflexibility of Tel Aviv has been the reason for the collapse of multiple negotiations between the two parties, starting from the Camp David talks in 2000 up to the Annapolis Conference in 2007. Eventually, Netanyahu declared that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state would not be pursued.

Referendum

The Islamic Republic of Iran has offered a referendum as a solution for the Palestine crisis. According to this proposal, Palestinians, including Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Palestinian refugees, will all determine the fate of Palestine in a referendum, which is in line with the right to self-determination within the United Nations Charter.  

The UN General Assembly confirmed the right of return for Palestinian refugees and self-determination through Resolution 3089 on December 7, 1973.

Even though referendum is a democratic and peaceful option, it faces challenges on the way to its realization. The first is the condition of Israel and the Jewish residents of the occupied territories after the referendum. 

The biggest challenges to the realization of the referendum are the existence of Israel, the United States veto right in the UN Security Council, and the contradiction with the resolutions of the UN General Assembly, which acknowledge the existence of Israel.

One ambiguity of this solution is the status of Jews born in Palestine. They are not considered immigrants and can naturally have Palestinian citizenship. As a result, it is unclear whether they have the right to participate in the referendum.

There is ambiguity about the options that will be voted on in this referendum. For instance, will some options guarantee the existence of Israel as two states, or not?

One-state solution

While Israel considers the formation of a Palestinian state as a threat, holding a referendum will face some challenges.

Another solution is to abolish the Jewish State law and establish a state with equal rights in the entire Palestinian territory. 

The proposed solution involves the safe return of displaced refugees, the development of infrastructure in both Gaza and the West Bank, the settlement of Palestinians across Palestine, including within Jewish settlements and occupied territories, and the removal of any barriers hindering Palestinian participation in political and military structures, such as the parliament, cabinet, army, and police force.

Although this solution is far from the goal of the Palestinian land from the river to the sea, it will put an end to Israel's racism and provide more opportunities for the realization of Palestinian rights. In addition, due to the growing Palestinian population compared to the Jews, in the long run, Palestine will return to its original owners. 

In this solution, there is no need to destroy Israel or dissolve it. However, the nature of the ruling government in Palestine will change.

Although the Palestinian nation and resistance groups may accept this solution, the right-wingers in Israel may not agree to anything less than maintaining the current status quo. However, if the resistance in Gaza and the West Bank continues and aims to compel Israel to accept this proposed solution, it may garner support from regional governments, European countries, and even the American Democratic Party.

In addition to having less conflict with the resolutions of the UN Security Council, the time required to develop economic infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza, distinguishing the population growth of Palestinians and Jews, as well as the requirements of the transition period from armed resistance to accepting the citizenship of a single state will be among the serious challenges of realizing such a solution.
 
In case Palestinians enter the political system and participate in decision-making processes, what will be the name of this unified state? Palestine or Israel?  

Federal government solution 

One option to resolve the challenges of forming a single state with equal rights between Jews and Palestinians is to establish a federal government with separate Palestinian and Jewish states. 

This solution is something between the two-state and one-state solutions. Both Jews and Palestinians are still considered citizens of a single state and all of Palestine will belong to all of them. 

 In this situation, several conditions must be met. These include the return of refugees, Israel's withdrawal from all occupied areas (including the Golan Heights, Shebaa fields, and the West Bank), the implementation of rules to prevent future military conflicts, and measures to prevent blind revenge. Additionally, the Israeli government must be compelled to establish the necessary regulations to allow for Palestinian participation in military, political, and administrative institutions.

It is possible to restrict the entry of citizens of one state into another state, except for the issuance of permits by the respective state governments. Under this option, each state would have its own police and security forces, and Palestinians would be able to enter and exit, engage in foreign trade, and conduct international relations through the borders of Jordan, Egypt, and Gaza. 

Over time, a unified government will be formed through national elections in both states. The Palestinians will gradually settle in areas outside the West Bank and Gaza, while necessary socialization for the integration of Palestinians and Jews will be carried out under the supervision of external actors such as UN agencies, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Conclusion

Although military intervention is not a viable option for resolving the Palestinian crisis, each of the four proposed political solutions faces significant challenges. The overlap and divergence of the interests of state and non-state actors, the attitudes of public opinion within the Palestinian and Jewish communities towards one another, concerns about the potential consequences of any solution, and the ideological rigidity of Zionist factions in their insistence on Israel's status as a Jewish state, have all impeded progress towards a political resolution.

On the other hand, Israel's crimes in Palestine have planted the seeds of deep hatred in the heart of the Palestinian society, which gradually strengthens the seeds of armed struggle. 

It appears that the combination of ongoing armed resistance and peaceful dialogue among pro-Palestinian groups could lead to a consensus on a realistic and peaceful solution. This solution could then be presented to the UN Security Council, potentially weakening the resolve of Israel and its allies in America and Europe. Additionally, this approach could attract more support from international institutions, regional organizations, media, and global public opinion.

Ehsan Kiani is PhD in Middle East Studies