Prospects for a Two-State Solution: Understanding Challenges and Creating Opportunities

March 20, 2009, 9:00am – 10:30am

About This Event

In order to make progress toward a two-state solution “Israel [and the United States] must take steps to help improve the level of the Palestinian economy and the daily lives of Palestinians,” said Brigadier General (Ret.) Ilan Paz, former head of the Isreali Civil Administration in the West Bank, at a CAP event, “Prospects for a Two-State Solution: Understanding Challenges and Creating Opportunities,” on Friday.

Brian Katulis, an advisor to Middle East Progress and CAP Senior Fellow, moderated the discussion, which also featured American Task Force on Palestine advocacy director Ghaith al-Omari. Formerly, al-Omari was an advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and currently he is also an advisor to Middle East Progress.

Omari and Paz discussed the prospects for a two -state solution under the current situation. Both panelists emphasized the important roles that the United States, economic development, and negotiations must play in the process, and the challenges that Israel and Palestine will face. With regard to Hamas in Palestine, General Paz said, “there is no good option; we have to choose the best of several bad options.” Hamas’ stronghold is secure and Paz believes that the only effective course of action is to “give Mahmoud Abbas an opportunity to deal with them in order to reach an agreement of a united government.”

In the near term, the Palestinian Authority is stable in the West Bank while Hamas has strong control over Gaza so there is no immediate political logic towards unifying. “I would argue that an artificial agreement would be harmful,” said al-Omari, which is why “change must come from all players, but it must begin with Israel.” Current Israeli policy supports a two-state solution and a reversal of this could cause further destabilization in the region. However, it is likely that Benjamin Netanyahu will put together a government that will not have majority support for a two-state solution.

Strong proactive action from the U.S. is necessary for Israel to effectively push for a two-state solution. The language coming from the Obama administration thus far has been “shockingly great” said al-Omari, “they have said all the right things.” Both Paz and al-Omari strongly praised the new administration’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, however they acknowledged that only a crisis will truly test the administration’s dynamics.

Israel must decrease their roadblocks and checkpoints in order to increase accessibility and movement of goods in the West Bank, which will stimulate the Palestinian economy. “The security situation is not the same as it was at the beginning of the First Intifada,” said Paz, who personally helped to set up the blockades that were necessary at the time, “now we are in a different security situation.” Today, removing the checkpoints and blockades will serve to heighten security by stabilizing the Palestinian economy.

Despite the importance of foreign, especially U.S., aid and assistance, it is crucial that the money does not contribute to corruption. Al-Omari emphasized that to avoid this it is necessary to “create a system of transparency, governance and unity. When the U.S. is putting money into Palestine,” he continued, “they have every right to use it in a transparent, clear way.”

A peaceful resolution between Israel and Palestine is vital to stabilizing security in the Middle East and the rest of the world. The Obama administration must take a leading role in the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations, and all parties involved must work towards achieving a two-state solution. The realization of this solution, however, will not be possible unless crucial steps are taken towards improving conditions for the Palestinian people and creating a system of political transparency.

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Featured panelists:

Brigadier General (Ret.) Ilan Paz, former head of the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank (2002-2005)
Ghaith al-Omari, advocacy director, American Task Force on Palestine; advisor, Middle East Progress; former advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

Discussion moderated by:

Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, advisor, Middle East Progress

Location

Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Middle East Progress highlights practical approaches to make Americans safer by improving U.S., Israeli and regional security and strengthening America's global standing. Middle East Progress publishes the Middle East Bulletin, promotes public-private partnerships and encourages new ideas and strategies by bringing together, from around the world and across the country, those who can most effectively shape the policy dynamic on security and economic issues, by hosting meetings, panels and conferences, to discuss ideas, create new approaches and strategize on how best to implement them within and across borders.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) was established in 1981 to mobilize support for the Israeli peace movement, Shalom Achshav (Peace Now). Over the years APN has developed into the leading voice of American Jews who support Israel and support a comprehensive political settlement to the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, recognizing that only peace will ensure Israel's security, prosperity and continued viability as a Jewish, democratic state. Positions advocated for more than two decades by APN and Shalom Achshav - like calling for the evacuation of settlements and the creation of a viable Palestinian state – are now embraced by most American Jews and Israelis as basic requirements both for peace and for a secure future for Israel. Working in tandem with our colleagues in Israel, APN provides this pro-Israel, pro-peace, American Jewish perspective to lawmakers and policymakers in Washington, engages in grassroots political activism and outreach to the American Jewish and Arab American communities, and serves as a respected source of balanced information, analysis, and commentary to the media.

The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, DC. ATFP is dedicated to advocating that it is in the American national interest to promote an end to the conflict in the Middle East through a negotiated agreement that provides for two states - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security. ATFP works to build strong working relationships with government departments and agencies, think tanks and NGOs and the media. ATFP has also engaged in humanitarian fundraising to support health and education causes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Task Force advocates the development of a Palestinian state that is democratic, pluralistic, non-militarized and neutral in armed conflicts.