Almost two decades ago, the world celebrated the beginning of a process that was supposed to lead to a just and peaceful resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict within five years.
The Oslo Accords was designed to be the means to an end: an end already defined by international law, which would fulfill the Palestinians’ natural and legal right to self-determination, see the return of the Palestinian Territory occupied in 1967 (OPT) to its rightful owners, and a just and agreed on solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees.
Unfortunately, this process did not conclude. Instead of sowing hope, it fomented frustration and loss of faith. Over the years, Israel systematically undermined the process and implanted realities on the ground, which have methodically degraded the stated goal of the political process.
Today, the facts before us are clear: the Israeli occupation, far from being over, has instead intensified dramatically. There are now over half a million settlers, almost double the number at the onset of the Accords. The Israeli settlement and Wall regime, which is illegal in international law, dissects and fragments the OPT.
When we look at the map, we are compelled to conclude that Israel is successfully and systematically fragmenting the Palestinian Territory, while investing in the illegal settlement enterprise.
Israeli policies are carving out occupied East Jerusalem, our capital, from its natural and historic Palestinian surroundings while expanding settlement construction at an unprecedented rate. Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced by these measures, including home demolition and residency revocation. Meanwhile, the Jordan Valley, which represents almost thirty percent of the West Bank, has now been almost entirely devoured by a lucrative business-driven settlement enterprise.
Israeli control of this area, together with the illegal Wall, de facto expropriates more than half of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to the Palestinians’ most valuable natural resources.
These Israeli measures have undermined the viability of our economy, our basic right to development, and the very applicability of our inalienable right to self-determination. In effect, we have hit the ceiling that Israel has imposed on us through its occupation. That’s why there are credible fears that the Israeli occupation and colonization of the Palestinian Territory has become so entrenched that it could now be irreversible.
Mr. Netanyahu has reduced the OPT to dozens of Palestinian “islands”, with their “contiguity” becoming a discussion on whether Israel should build tunnels or bridges between them. His so-called vision of peace is of a Palestine that would not have control over its air space, border crossings or natural resources while our capital would be separated from the rest of the country. This is a dangerous and unsustainable position that reflects a deep disdain regarding the two-state solution.
Furthermore, Israeli policies and actions have systematically undermined the Palestinian Authority. The PA has no real sovereignty or power over our own land. We do not control our border crossings or population registry, we are denied our own airport, our economy is stunted by Israeli policies, and the receipt of our tax revenues is subject to the whim of the Israeli government.
For twenty years, we have asked our people to believe in the prospect of peace and independence through negotiations. Yet, during these years, we, the Palestinians, have been living in a one state reality, a reality of apartheid; a state of perpetual occupation that has entrenched over the years. This is clearly untenable.
The current Israeli government coalition, whose powerbase lies in the champions of the settlement enterprise, has made it its business to invest in entrenching the occupation and undermining the possibility of a viable two-state solution. This agenda has taken the future of the entire region hostage while enjoying a culture of impunity brought on by immunity from international accountability. Furthermore, suggestions about having a Palestinian state with so-called "provisional" borders are unacceptable and confirm Palestinian suspicions that there is no Israeli partner committed to ending this occupation and achieving peace.
The way to resolve this conflict is not a mystery. It has been defined by an unprecedented international consensus. Israel’s leaders must show that they are genuinely willing to reach a negotiated and just settlement to the conflict by ending all activities contravening prior agreements and international law. These are not preconditions for negotiations; they are the internationally accepted foundations on which all prior negotiations have been based. Changing the terms of reference is as absurd as it is counterproductive.
The need for a quick and effective change of course has never been more pressing. Israelis must fight for their right to a future free from the moral corruption of occupation. The international community also has a moral and legal responsibility to act now. Speeches and statements will not undo what bulldozers and cranes are creating on the ground. Actions will.
There is still time to prevent a permanent apartheid reality. But the window of opportunity is not indefinite. The point of no return is fast approaching. The time to save our collective investment in the two-state solution is now. It is the responsible course of action. It is what we, as leaders, owe our peoples.
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