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Explainer | What is the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict?
- As war in Gaza rages, international pressure is mounting for a two-state solution
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced opposition to Palestinian sovereignty
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The Gaza war has put renewed focus on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, still seen by many countries as the path to peace even though the negotiating process has been moribund for years.
More than three months into the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian war yet, Washington has said there is no way to solve Israel’s security issues and the challenge of rebuilding Gaza without a Palestinian state.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced opposition to Palestinian sovereignty, saying he will not compromise on full Israeli security control west of Jordan and that this stands contrary to a Palestinian state.
Obstacles have long impeded the two-state solution, which envisages Israeli and Palestinian states alongside each other.
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These include Jewish settlement in occupied land the Palestinians seek for a state, uncompromising positions on core issues including Jerusalem, violence, and deep mistrust.
What are the two-state solutions origins?
It took shape as conflict brewed in British-ruled Palestine between Jews who had migrated to the area and Arabs. The Jews were seeking a national home as they fled persecution in Europe and cited biblical ties to the land.
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