Echoing our discussion in class yesterday, an article that same day in the New York Times (Michael Slackman and Mona El-Naggar, “Arab Leaders Say the Two-State Proposal is in Peril,” Feb. 22, 2008) reported that Arab leaders are losing faith in the possibility of a Palestinian state living alongside of and coexisting with Israel. In place of the two-state paradigm, the one-state solution seems to be gaining traction to the advantage of more radical local elements like HAMAS, who want an Islamist state throughout all geographical Palestine governed under Sharia law, and regional players like Iran (along with their local proxy in Lebanon, Hizbullah). This model, many fear, would spell the eventual end of Israel due chiefly to the overwhelming demographic advantage of the Arabs.
Arab leaders will try again to push ahead with a peace deal under the two-state paradigm at next month’s meeting of the Arab League in Syria. However, if Israel fails to engage with Arabs in a meaningful way, observers say, Arabs are likely to abandon the two-state model entirely.
{ 1 } Trackback
[...] See also [...]
Post a Comment