Two-state solution

The two-state solution is a proposed approach to resolving the <a href="/facts/Israeli%25E2%2580%2593Palestinian_conflict/JU7ynqCl">Israeli–Palestinian conflict</a>, by creating two states on the territory of the former <a href="/facts/Mandatory_Palestine/mv0NGUBy">Mandatory Palestine</a>. It is often contrasted with the <a href="/facts/One-state_solution/W55aN9vK">one-state solution</a>, which is the establishment a single state in former Mandatory Palestine with equal rights for all its inhabitants. The two-state solution is supported by many countries and the <a href="/facts/Palestinian_Authority/AhB1P7E7">Palestinian Authority</a>. Israel currently does not support the idea, though it has in the past.
The first proposal for separate Jewish and Arab states in the territory was made by the British <a href="/facts/Peel_Commission/GpklbSH9">Peel Commission</a> report in 1937. In 1947, the <a href="/facts/United_Nations_General_Assembly/pNDmCu8X">United Nations General Assembly</a> adopted a <a href="/facts/United_Nations_Partition_Plan_for_Palestine/uUhEPqgl">partition plan for Palestine</a>, leading to the <a href="/facts/1948_Palestine_war/lGFHlU7R">1948 Palestine war</a>. As a result, <a href="/facts/Israel/dEe3IcaY">Israel</a> was established on the area the UN had proposed for the Jewish state, as well as almost 60% of the area proposed for the Arab state. Israel took control of <a href="/facts/West_Jerusalem/RuQny0yf">West Jerusalem</a>, which was meant to be part of an international zone. Jordan took control of <a href="/facts/East_Jerusalem/8kEofcS2">East Jerusalem</a> and what became known as the <a href="/facts/West_Bank/xzTTVNJl">West Bank</a>, <a href="/facts/Jordanian_annexation_of_the_West_Bank/6xHJq8Rz">annexing it the following year</a>. The territory which became the <a href="/facts/Gaza_Strip/GodcCxlV">Gaza Strip</a> was <a href="/facts/Occupation_of_the_Gaza_Strip_by_Egypt/SrneCuhB">occupied by Egypt</a> but never annexed. Since the 1967 <a href="/facts/Six-Day_War/xM8d0Wy1">Six-Day War</a>, both the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza Strip have been militarily occupied by Israel, becoming known as the <a href="/facts/Palestinian_territories/pTUwGmIE">Palestinian territories</a>.
The <a href="/facts/Palestine_Liberation_Organization/9Kk16qMp">Palestine Liberation Organization</a> has accepted the concept of a two-state solution since the 1982 Arab Summit. In 2017, <a href="/facts/Hamas/VjIkApsc">Hamas</a> announced their <a href="/facts/2017_Hamas_charter/qgH99MFu">revised charter</a>, which claims to accept the idea of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, but without recognising the statehood of Israel. <a href="/facts/Israeli%25E2%2580%2593Palestinian_peace_process/bu9PhcfW">Diplomatic efforts</a> have centred around realizing a two-state solution, starting from the failed <a href="/facts/2000_Camp_David_Summit/DoL3sK07">2000 Camp David Summit</a> and <a href="/facts/The_Clinton_Parameters/yd1yGEfs">the Clinton Parameters</a>, followed by the <a href="/facts/Taba_Summit/AmzKu8ru">Taba Summit</a> in 2001. The failure of the Camp David summit to reach an agreed two-state solution formed the backdrop to the commencement of the <a href="/facts/Second_Intifada/PCqXCSXk">Second Intifada</a>, the violent consequences of which marked a turning point among both peoples’ attitudes. A two-state solution also formed the basis of the <a href="/facts/Arab_Peace_Initiative/Je2Ej5kq">Arab Peace Initiative</a>, the <a href="/facts/Realignment_plan/C1jyxlyr">2006–2008 peace offer</a>, and the <a href="/facts/2013%25E2%2580%259314_Israeli%25E2%2580%2593Palestinian_peace_talks/7EsNkY83">2013–14 peace talks</a>.
Currently there is no two-state solution proposal being negotiated between Israel and Palestinians. The <a href="/facts/Palestinian_Authority/AhB1P7E7">Palestinian Authority</a> supports the idea of a two-state solution; Israel at times has also supported the idea, but currently rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Long-serving Israeli prime minister <a href="/facts/Benjamin_Netanyahu/581DW7MB">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> stated his objection to a Palestinian state on two separate occasions, in 2015 and 2023. Former Israeli prime ministers <a href="/facts/Ehud_Barak/pWDtBRQ6">Ehud Barak</a> and <a href="/facts/Ehud_Olmert/skIkQc7h">Ehud Olmert</a> in late 2023 expressed support for a two-state solution. Public support among Israelis and Palestinians (measured separately) for "the concept of the two-state solution" have varied between above and below 50%, partially depending on how the question was phrased.
The major points of contention include the specific boundaries of the two states (though most proposals are based on the <a href="/facts/Green_Line_(Israel)/CDJMg4Go">1967 lines</a>), the <a href="/facts/Status_of_Jerusalem/d1NNVCrT">status of Jerusalem</a>, the <a href="/facts/Israeli_settlements/vSrw9ylS">Israeli settlements</a> and the <a href="/facts/Palestinian_right_of_return/T3EbjNXV">right of return of Palestinian refugees</a>. Observers have described the current situation in the whole territory, with the <a href="/facts/Israeli_occupation_of_the_West_Bank/oW4n3psF">Israeli occupation of the West Bank</a> and <a href="/facts/Blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip/AxDFH2Cd">blockade of the Gaza Strip</a>, as one of <a href="/facts/De_facto/3Du6WQKh">de facto</a> Israeli sovereignty. The two-state solution is an alternative to the one-state solution and what observers consider a de facto one-state reality.
Following the <a href="/facts/7_October_Hamas-led_attack_on_Israel/vRHlfVYB">7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel</a> and the subsequent <a href="/facts/Gaza_war/dmUoIpBw">Gaza war</a>, multiple governments restarted discussions on a two-state solution. This received pushback from Israel's government, especially from prime minister Netanyahu. On 26 September 2024, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince <a href="/facts/Faisal_bin_Farhan_Al_Saud/py55eALU">Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud</a> and Norway's Foreign Minister <a href="/facts/Espen_Barth_Eide/klbSQQRl">Espen Barth Eide</a> co-chaired a meeting of representatives of about 90 countries, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, to launch a global alliance for a two-state solution.

Two-state solution open-in-new

Two-state solution