A Deep Dive Into the Idea of a Two-State Solution

“Two-State Solution” is a phrase that’s buzzing in your book club, church circle, workplace, and in nearly every news headline right now.

If you consider it at the surface level, it sounds like a fair option that will help end the war in Israel and save lives, right?

Unfortunately, the reality is far different.

What Would the Borders of Israel and a Palestinian State Be?

According to a documented discussion between President Biden and Mahmoud Abbas (Chairman of the Palestinian Authority) in July of 2022, the understood dimensions of a Palestinian state would be the entire region of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. This would essentially carve out the entire center of Israel’s landscape.

What is the Two-State Solution?

Britannica phrases it like this:

The Two-state Solution is a proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing two states for two peoples: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people. In 1993 the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) agreed on a plan to implement a two-state solution as part of the Oslo Accords, leading to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The agreed parameters of the Two-State solution were this: “On September 13th, 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Negotiator Mahmoud Abbas signed a Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, commonly referred to as the “Oslo Accords,” at the White House. Israel accepted the PLO as the representative of the Palestinians, and the PLO renounced terrorism and recognized Israel’s right to exist in peace. Both sides agreed that a Palestinian Authority (PA) would be established and assume governing responsibilities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over a five-year period.”

Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) have been divided into three different parts: Area A, Area B, and Area C. 

Area A is strictly for Arabs: the only citizens living in this region are Arabs and the governing/policing powers come from the Palestinian Authority. In fact, there are large red signs outside of every Area A in Judea and Samaria warning every Jew that it is illegal for them to enter these areas, and if they do, their lives are at risk.

Area B is for both Jews and Arabs, but not in the way you’re probably thinking. Only Arabs can live in Area B and it’s governed by the PA, but it’s policed by the Israeli military. Jews can drive through these areas, but every time they do, they are risking their lives. Countless innocent lives have been lost in Area B towns such as Huwarrah, a current terrorist hotspot in Samaria. 

Area C is for Jews – at least it’s supposed to be. Land is being stolen from the Jews by the Arabs in Judea and Samaria every single day, despite the fact that, according to Regavim, there is ample space for Arab construction projects in Areas A and B.

Here’s the issue with the Oslo Accords: the governing body in Areas A and B is the Palestinian Authority, currently controlled by Fatah, who is best described in this excerpt by JVL: 

“In 1993, Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin exchanged letters in which the PLO and Israel reciprocally recognized each other. Arafat also renounced violence, but the PLO never abandoned terror, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Oslo negotiations that followed mutual recognition and has impeded peace talks ever since.”

Fatah actually translates to “conquer” and when you look at their flag you will see a pair of crossed guns over the state of Israel, making it clear what their intentions really are.

To recap, the governing body over Areas A and B has the intention of conquering Israel, which they are very clearly attempting to achieve, from stealing land in Area C to stealing innocent lives across the entire expanse of Judea and Samaria. This shows that the Oslo Accords are only being upheld by one of the two parties, therefore making them non-effective. 

A Two-State Solution doesn’t just involve Judea and Samaria, however, it also includes the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is a fantastic example of an Arab-governed area within the 1967 borders of Israel that are currently showing less than promising results. As evidenced by the current war at hand, the elected governing body in Gaza, Hamas, doesn’t exactly have an overall goal of peace when it comes to its neighbor, Israel. 

A Two-State Solution Would Not Help the Arabs Either

We see through this current prototype of a Two-State Solution that it wouldn’t necessarily be an ideal option for the Arabs who would reside within these newly established borders either. The culture of the citizens of Areas A and B in Judea and Samaria and in the Gaza Strip are far from prosperous. The women and children face immense oppression and abuse, people who convert from Islam to any other religion are brutally tortured and murdered, and countless other heinous murders and persecutions take place against civilians for various other reasons.

Not only that, but many of the leaders in these areas control the majority of the monetary and humanitarian aid that come into these areas. This fact isn’t hidden, but rather well known. The LinkedIn account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel posted the net worth of Hamas’s current and prior leaders, and the numbers are horrifyingly high when considering the poverty experienced by the people who should be taken care of by these men in power. The leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh’s net worth is $4 billion dollars, Moussa Abu Marzook’s net worth is $3 billion, and Khaled Meshaal’s net worth is a staggering $5 billion dollars. You read that right, five billion dollars. According to the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, Mahmoud Abbas’s net worth was already over $100 million dollars in 2017. So what are they doing with these literal millions and billions of dollars? Some go toward their operations and plans, some to living high and luxurious lifestyles, and some to paying their terrorist “chess pieces” for viciously murdering innocent Jewish people. 

Wait, Terrorists Are Getting Paid for Hurting and Murdering People?

Terrorists and/or their families receive a large sum of money monthly for each and every life they steal. Per the Taylor Force Act, the United States is not allowed to donate money to organizations that are known to pay terrorists, but under the Biden administration, this unlawful and immoral act has continued. The money that the United States sends to the PA (Palestinian Authority) with the intention of helping those in severe poverty actually goes to line the pockets of terrorists. This grievous deed isn’t done haphazardly either. There is a monetary system dependent on if the terrorist has a family, how long they are incarcerated, where they live, and other factors. For a 0-3 year sentence in 2018, the payment was 1,400 shekels a month and for a 30+ year sentence the total payment per month is 12,000 shekels per month, for the extent of their life. Not only does this place a monetary value over innocent Jewish lives, but it also creates extreme incentives for many of the Arabs in these cities to murder Jews. Receiving a salary for murdering Jews is one of the highest paychecks they can receive in many of these areas. You can find the full chart on the Pay to Slay policy here. Today, the Palestinian Authority pays out a staggering $360 million dollars annually under their pay-to-slay program. 

These Aren’t the Only Issues of a Two-State Solution…

There’s another major issue woven into the complicated fabric of a Two-State Solution that’s not typically mentioned when this plan is discussed; the defense of Israel. We’ve already mentioned that both Fatah and Hamas are hostile entities to Israel’s statehood and the lives which dwell within it, but if these entities were to gain control over the entirety of the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and East Jerusalem, the repercussions would be catastrophic. If these new borders were to actually be established, Israel would have a width of the country, from the Mediterranean Sea to the current Judea and Samaria border, that is only nine miles. I’m from Texas, and there are ranchers in the Lone Star State with driveways longer than nine miles! With a territory that small, it would be nearly impossible to defend a country from entities that are so adamant on the destruction of said country.

To Bring It All Together

A Two-State Solution sounds like an ideal option on the surface, but the issues within run quite deep. We see in the current prototype that there are extreme acts of violence against Jewish people in Arab governed areas, extreme oppression against many of the Arabs within these areas, obedience to the law is only kept by one party involved (not by the Arabs), and the new borders would have serious implications on the overall security of Israel.

What Is the Solution to the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict?

Opinions may vary, but taking the land Israel rightfully gained during the 1967 war is not a solution for any logical thinker. As of right now, Israel has set its course to eradicate the entirety of the terrorist body, Hamas, but what does a non-Hamas run Gaza look like? Hamas has been the ruling power in Gaza since the 2007 elections and the citizens in that region have been filled with malicious Hamas ideology beginning as early as elementary curriculum. What and who would fill the inevitable power void that will be left once Israel has destroyed Hamas? Rumors have flown that Israel may decide to take back the territory of Gaza, but it seems to be a relatively slim possibility. 

As the war continues to unfold, we will begin to see what the outcome will be and must remain steadfast in our prayers of protection for the innocent lives that are still being taken and for the hostages still being held in Gaza. Right now is the day and the hour to advocate for the Jewish people and against a Two-State Solution.