A Land for All (organization)
A Land for All (Arabic: بلاد للجميع, Hebrew: ארץ לכולם; previously known as Two States, One Homeland) [1] is an Israeli-Palestinian movement comprising Israeli Jews, Palestinian citizens of Israel, and Palestinians, which proposes a two-state confederation as the solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. This solution promotes the existence of two sovereign states in the Israeli and Palestinian territories, based on shared principles of equality, freedom and dignity.[2]
The movement was founded under joint Israeli-Palestinian leadership 2012. Its co-CEOs are Israeli Jew May Pundak, daughter of Ron Pundak,[3] and Palestinian citizen of Israel, Dr. Rula Hardal.[4] The movement was born out of a series of meetings between Meron Rappaport, an Israeli journalist, and Awni Al-Mahshni, a Palestinian activist. Palestinian and Israeli journalists, scholars and activists gradually joined these meetings to formulate a statement of shared principles for coexistence.[2][5]
The movement is a member of Alliance for Middle East Peace, and won the Outstanding Peace Support Award Luxembourg Peace Prize in 2021.[6][7]
Two-state confederation proposal
[edit]Under A Land for All's proposal, Israel-Palestine would be a singular territorial unit, with two states (under the pre-1967 Green Line borders) forming a confederation.[7][8][9] The movement's proposal is part of a larger shift towards promoting a partnership between Israelis and Palestinians, rather than a strict separation.[8]
The movement's key principles address many of the existing sources of tension in the Israel-Palestine conflict and provide guidelines for resolving them:
- Open borders
The movement posits and acknowledges that both Israelis and Palestinians have a strong religious connection to the land as a whole, and should have access to the land.[7][10] They propose each state would be sovereign and independent, but would be linked by an open border.[7][9]
- Shared institutions
The governmental systems in both states will be democratic. Palestinians living in Israel would have the right to vote in Palestinians elections and Israeli citizens of the future Palestinian state would vote in Israel.[11] A number of institutions would be shared by both states for matters that equally affect both communities (such as water management, epidemic management, tourism, and finances).[7] The two states will decide what power is granted to each government individually, and which matters will be handled jointly.[2]
- Palestinian refugees right of return to homeland
Recognizing the harm caused by the expulsion of Palestinians from their historical homeland, the future Palestinian state will have the sovereign right to grant Palestinian refugees the right of return[2] while Jews in the diaspora would maintain the right to return to Israel.[12] Under the group's proposal, Palestinian refugees could return to Israel, but remain citizens of Palestine, and Israeli settlers living in Palestine would remain citizens of Israel.[13] Arab-Israelis would be dual citizens of both states.[9]
- Israeli settlements
Illegal Israeli settlers currently living in occupied territories will become Israeli residents of Palestine, provided they accept and abide by Palestinian sovereign law. Israeli citizens in Palestine will have residency status with associated rights, including the right to vote for local authorities, mirroring the rights of Palestinian citizens residing in Israel. However, the freedom of Israelis to reside in Palestine will be implemented gradually to avoid overwhelming the Palestinian state with Israeli citizens. The plan emphasizes the cessation of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, recognizing the harm caused to the Palestinian public through land expropriation. There will be no Israeli military presence in the Palestinian state. Instead, both states will develop shared, effective, and competent security services.[2]
- Jerusalem
Jerusalem will be the capital of both states, and would be shared.[9] It would be managed by international authorities and religious representatives.[14]
- Security
There will be full security responsibility within each country's sovereign territory, with a robust security partnership between the two states. This scheme will include independent security forces operating solely within their respective territories. Despite independent operations, both countries will engage in close cooperation on security, intelligence, and policing matters.While promoting free movement between Israel and Palestine, both countries reserve the right to deny entry to hostile individuals and conduct necessary border checks to ensure security without compromising the openness of borders. Both Israel and Palestine will commit to demilitarization agreements, expressing their mutual commitment to security and safety for all citizens, regardless of ethnicity.[2]
Conflicts between the two states would be resolved either through a joint Israeli-Palestinian assembly or a joint human rights court.[7][15] There would be some sort of shared security institution, but each state would maintain its own security forces.[7]
- Citizenship and equality
Citizens of both states will have equal rights in accordance with The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This principle is based on the need to address historical injustices, and acknowledge the Palestinian minority as an integral part of the Palestinian people. This includes addressing issues related to power dynamics, resource allocation, and access to land, planning, and development. There will be amendments to discriminatory laws and practices hindering equal participation by Palestinian citizens of Israel. This involves ensuring equal representation, revoking discriminatory laws, and promoting equitable resource allocation, land access, and legal resolutions for construction, including recognizing Bedouin communities in the Negev.
References
[edit]- ^ Rudner, Ofra (3 October 2023). "'Separating Jews and Palestinians Cannot Work': Planning a Binational Confederation". Haaretz. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "ארץ לכולם - A Land For All - دولتان، وطن واحد". 18 April 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Landler, Mark (16 November 2023). "Five Miles and a World Apart, Younger Activists Dream of a New Peace Process". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Rula Hardal: Life as a Palestinian Citizen of Israel". Babel: Translating the Middle East (Podcast). Center for Strategic & International Studies. 28 November 2023.
- ^ Ron, Ariel (17 November 2023). "A Land for All". The American Prospect. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "A Land for All - Two States, One Homeland - 2021 Outstanding Peace Support". Luxembourg Peace Prize. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Haegi, Moritz. "A land for all? A glimpse into a shared future". blogs.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ a b Shemer-Kunz, Yoav (2023). "Annexation, normalization and the two-state solution in Israel-Palestine". Frontiers in Political Science. 5. doi:10.3389/fpos.2023.981237. ISSN 2673-3145.
- ^ a b c d Rudoren, Jodi (3 June 2022). "It's time to talk seriously about a Confederation of Israel and Palestine". The Forward. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "A Land For All | ארץ לכולם". 19 April 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Landler, Mark (16 November 2023). "Five Miles and a World Apart, Younger Activists Dream of a New Peace Process". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Shared and Agreed Founding Principles". A Land for All. Summer 2014.
- ^ Beinart, Peter (7 July 2020). "Yavne: A Jewish Case for Equality in Israel-Palestine". Jewish Currents. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Landler, Mark (16 November 2023). "Five Miles and a World Apart, Younger Activists Dream of a New Peace Process". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Konrad, Edo (3 May 2021). "Is Israeli-Palestinian confederation all it's hyped up to be?". +972 Magazine. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
