Consideration for a Two-State Solution - Part I

From the formulation of contemporary Zionism, the concept of the “Two-State solution” has been a cornerstone obligation. From both legal and historical perspectives, that obligation has not changed. However, today’s realities beg the question: Does Israel’s survivability and longevity depend on implementation of the Two-State Solution? And, if so, how can a parallel Palestinian Arab state be formulated? With the goal of providing an historical perspective and assessment, Heritage will present a 6-part exposition on this timely, but controversial, subject. At certain stages of the expose, the author draws upon related conclusions.

For 78 years, Israel has been living under relentless military combat pressures. Israel has experienced seven full scale wars, 1948, ’56, ’67, ’73, ’82 (first Lebanon war), 2006 (2nd Lebanon war), Lebanese incursions in 1978 and 1982; 4- wars with Hamas 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021; two formal Intifadas of 1987-93 and 2000-2005, the current, and broadest (7-front) war commencing 10/7/2023++; and infinitely continuing terrorist activities. Since 1948, Israel has lost almost 11,500 soldiers with another 45,000 wounded. (U.S. equivalency: 400,000/1,500,000). Civilian/terrorist acts of violence have taken another 7,000 lives.

In 20 years, Israel’s population has grown from 6MM to 10MM and projected to grow to 20MM by 2050. Israel’s military/defense percent of GDP was 4.5 in 2022, ($23.5B) but is projected to increase to over 5 percent in 2025 ($27B). Defense spending per capita is the highest in the world at $2997 (US $2694). The continuing impact could hinder Israel’s long-term growth and development not to mention the human toll on such a small country.

Assessing today’s Middle East structure provides hopeful signs for reduction to Israel’s external threats. Existing treaties with both Jordan and Egypt have prevailed for decades. The Abraham Accords recognize Israel dominance as both a military and economic powerhouse that can benefit the Arab world. Recent military activity has, or will, substantially control the radical Islamist threats from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran. However, none of this ameliorates the fact that 2+ Million Arabs live as citizens within Israel’s established borders, another 3 million in Judea and Samaria, and 2 million in Gaza. The implications of Israel’s management of 5+million additional non-citizen Arabs must be considered.

Ancient Historical Entitlements

Jews achieved indigenous rights to the land of Israel over 3000 years ago, upon the exodus from Egypt. Approximately 1000 BCE, the reigns of Kings Saul, David, and Solomon governed over a unified Jewish kingdom. In 722 BCE, the Assyrians conquered and exiled the “Northern Kingdom, Sumaira,” and in 586 BCE, the Babylonians conquered and exiled the “Southern Kingdom, Jerusalem”. In the second century BCE, the Jews returned from exile, to be banished again by the Romans in 70 CE. Regardless of the historical turmoil, if not dominance, there was always continuing Jewish occupation of the Land.

Arab genealogy was dated back to approximately the same period as the Jews, emanating out of the Levant. Whereas the Jews identified as tribal and religiously based, Arab identity was tribally diverse and based predominantly on the commonality of Arabic dialects. It was not until the establish of Islam, officially in 610 CE, that a consistent Arab identity evolved.

First Conclusion: While Jews claim the historical entitlement to the land, Arab residency cannot be denied. Jews were identifiable as a religiously based tribal grouping whereas the Arab tribes demonstrated little unity, much less a monotheistic identity, until almost 1,800 years after the Jews, upon the founding of Islam.

Second Conclusion: From the beginning, Jews have maintained a loyalty to their monotheistic identity. Based within their ancient land, in Jerusalem they establishment the First Temple (Temple of Solomon) in the 10th Century BCE. The first recorded Mosque built by the prophet Muhammad was constructed in 622 CE in Medina, Saudi Arabia. The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem was built approximately 700 CE.

Modern Historical Entitlement

For the 65 years prior to the1948 founding of the State, five major periods of Ashkenazi Alyia (Jewish Immigration) are noted.

1882-1903: 25,000 from Russia; 2,500 from Yemen

1904-1914: 35,000 from Russia and Poland

1919-1923: 35,000 from Russia and Poland

1924-1928: 67,000 from Russia, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania.

1929-1939: 250,000 from all parts of Europe, both Western and Central

Throughout most of the 19th century, Sephardic Jews made up approximately 60 percent of Jewish population of Israel. By the early 1940’s, after the Ashkenazi immigrations, that dropped to around 20 percent. After WWII, Sephardi immigration rose sharply and by the late 1970s, had increased to 60 percent of total Jewish population.

In 1882 Jews comprised 8 percent (24,000) of the population of 300,000. By 1947, under the British Mandate, Jewish population increased to 32 percent (630,000) of the 1,970,000 total population. Within the 5 years post WWII, Sephardic immigration accounted for an additional 1,000,000 new immigrants.

Third Conclusion: During the 65 years from 1880 to the founding of the State, Jewish population increased over 26X. In the same period, non-Jewish population increased 4.8X. The commitment to reinhabiting the land was overwhelmingly the goal of the Ashkenazi population vs. indigenous Arab inhabitants. In the 5 years after the founding of the State, Sephardic Aliya more than doubled the Jewish population.

Zionist Founding Philosophy

Not widely recognized is that Zionism evolved from the teachings and proselytizing by two Sephardic Rabbi’s, Yehuda Bibas from Corfu, and Yehuda Alkalai from Serbia. Traveling Europe in 1839-40, they lectured on the Jewish resettlement of its traditional homeland, ultimately influencing Theodore Herzel’s grandfather, who later indoctrinated his grandson.

Ashkenazi-based Zionism was substantially of European Socialist influence, although certain elements were traditionally religious. Sephardi-based Zionism anticipated a cultural blending, combining tradition with modernism, but without racial animus. Basically, both groups anticipated a successful integration of peaceful coexistence with Palestine’s local Arab population.

Fourth Conclusion: While both Zionist philosophies anticipated peaceful integration with resident Arabs, the unpublished 1937 British Pell Commission report accurately described the evolution of mutual animosity, further affirming the need to establish a government for the State that established and preserved Israel’s Jewish identity.

Next week’s article will discuss the first prime minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion.