One state with equal rights

Al-Jazeera may be Arab world's fox news. But, this article in the aftermath of the recent Israeli invasion of Gaza strip speaks about a rather interesting solution to the Israel-Palestinian issue.

Also for those who wonder where is Hamas's place among the people of Palestine, this might give a clue.

Hamas's lack of creativity should not have decisively shaped the broader context of Palestinian politics, as polls rarely showed its popularity exceeding 20 per cent.

However, by 2002, with negotiations nowhere in sight, whole regions of cities such as Nablus and Jenin destroyed, and Israel sewing chaos across the West Bank and in so doing destroying the basic foundations of PA rule, Hamas's power was rising quickly.

Looking back at 60 years of failed policies, broken promises and violence from both sides, Mark LeVine's road to peace is an interesting proposition.

The futility of violence as a strategy to achieve either society's core objectives has never been so clearly on display, as has the bankruptcy of a two-state solution that was likely miscarried at the very inception of the peace process a decade and a half ago.

It is not likely that Israel will emerge from this tragedy ready to offer Palestinians a territorially viable Palestinian state. 

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However, it seems more likely that the two-state solution will remain as illusive in the near future as it has in the past.

In such a situation Palestinians face a choice: continue to play by Israel's rules and see their dreams of independence disappear for at least another generation, or change the rules by demanding the same rights enjoyed by Israelis over the entirety of historic Palestine. 

By taking heed of Olmert's warning, Palestinians can begin the journey towards a future in which Jews and Palestinians can share the land of historical Palestine/Eretz Yisrael for the benefit of both peoples, rather than at the expense of the other.

On the outset, this is a solution that makes most sense from a rational standpoint and have parallels to the South Africa anti-apartheid movement. But I don't think either party, Israel or Hamas would like to see this happen. For Israel, this changes the demographics significantly - add 2-3 million to the existing <1million>

My best bet is still a two state solution which guarantees a sovereign state for Palestinians, not the kind with locked down borders and airspace, but a real country with control over its borders and natural resources.