A REAL TWO-STATE SOLUTION FOR THE MIDEAST

By John Judge

Stage One – Define all areas where Israelis and Palestinians currently live and consider as their homeland, excluding other surrounding nation state boundaries and ceding those uncontested areas for a resolution, dropping all claims for the land by outside states.

Stage Two – Within the defined area, identify by satellite, ground reconnaissance, scientific exploration and common usage all useable and sustainable resources in the area, including water, arable land, amenable or untenable habitat, access to roads and various areas. Draw a clear map of those resources and the area.

Stage Three – Divide as practicably and fairly as possible all those various resources by drawing a line and building a very high wall separating the two states, create one secured gate along the wall, with no other openings, and install a metal detector which is linked to timed movement of impenetrable barriers at either side of the opening.

Stage Four – Isolate and disarm or destroy all weapons of mass destruction, long range weapons, large scale explosives and aircraft or large vehicles usable for warfare currently within the whole area, leaving small arms and munitions intact. Assign this task and future security in this regard to members of the Israeli peace and military resistance communities and Palestinians who also have worked for peace, with transparency and oversight.

Stage Five – Create two states on either side of the walled divide. One state will be made up of Palestinians and Israelis who are sick of fighting, and one state will be made up of Palestinians and Israelis who wish to continue fighting. Allow free choice at any time for anyone to choose or change states, using the single gate, but not allowing passage of weapons. That is the purpose of the metal detector.

Stage Six – Surround the entire area of both states with an international ground, water and air based peace keeping force which cannot enter, provide weapons or use weapons within either state, and whose purpose is to secure those borders from passage of any weapons or combatants into either state or persons who are not already part of the citizenry or legal immigrants based on ethnic heritage. Create a form of identification for both Palestinians and Israelis that will allow them to travel outside the two states freely, but not to return with weapons.

Stage Seven – Reach an agreement with the surrounding states and international community that no military aid of any kind can be sent to either state, and that all humanitarian aid be distributed and delivered at secured points into both states fairly and in response to real needs. Prevent any use of international banking or funding to create or support training, recruitment or support for any combatant.

Stage Eight – Support and assist the creation of a fully democratic society within the larger peaceable state area. If serious conflicts arise, offer both sides the option to cross the wall and settle their differences.

Stage Nine – When the final individual or small group comes to the single gate to declare a complete victory from inside the combative state, it will be verified independently from satellite and unarmed air reconnaissance, as well as any other practicable method. At that point, provide medals for the “winning” side, let them return to the peaceable state without weapons and upon agreement that they will not renew in or engage in combat or hostilities. Let them name the new country, then remove the wall and restore the infrastructure to allow settlement of all originally designated lands by both Israelis and Palestinians in a democratic society. Get back to business.

Stage Ten – Bring international pressure to bear for full recognition and peace treaties with all surrounding states, membership in the United Nations, any cooperative regional bodies and international support for the new state. Send the peacekeeping forces home. Restore trade and open borders and broader immigration into the new combined state with the provision that combative elements will immediately be deported.

Let peace live, for without it the planet will die and all of us with it.

Proposed by John Judge
The Real Democracy Project
PO Box 722
Washington, DC 20044