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Last update - 11:22 05/06/2009
Israel considered two-state solution just after Six-Day War
By Tom Segev
Tags: Two-State Solution 

On December 5, 1967, then-chief of staff Lt. Gen. Yitzhak Rabin suggested to prime minister Levi Eshkol that a Palestinian state be established in the West Bank. The minutes of that conversation are kept today in the state archives. Rabin had in mind a state "that would be connected to Israel."

Six months after the Six-Day War, this was not a subversive or particularly "leftist" idea. Rabin, who had commanded the troops during the war and was about to head to Washington as Israel's ambassador, did not want to return the West Bank to Jordan. He looked for a way to overcome the demographic problem: "We are not going to relocate half a million Arabs," he said. Eshkol was dubious. "Will the new state have an army?" he asked. Rabin said it would have a police force, not an army. "Who determines that?" asked Eshkol. Rabin answered: "We do." Eshkol was not convinced and Rabin acknowledged: "It is a matter of a lesser of evils."

The idea somehow faded, emerged several years later and again disappeared. Forty-three years have passed, during which not a single serious new idea was raised that wasn't raised since the first months after the 1967 war; 43 years of going in circles.
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Public discourse occasionally did yield some suggestions, such as for a "binational" state arrangement, a "transfer" or expulsion of Palestinians, and even for turning Jordan into a Palestinian state, with or without the West Bank. The ensuing years have not brought peace any closer. In fact, they made peace more remote. In this context, one of the numerous conversations held in the interim between Israelis and Palestinians (usually abroad), is of particular interest.

In January 1990, Maj. Gen. (res.) Shlomo Gazit met in Washington with Khaled al-Hassan, one of Fatah's five founders. Gazit, a former chief of Military Intelligence and the first coordinator of government activities in the so-called administered territories, was by then a private citizen. As was Hassan. Gazit recently found the notes from that conversation; they convey a strong sense of a missed opportunity.

In the meeting, Gazit explained that the conditions which then existed precluded a solution to the dispute; he thought the sides should reach an interim agreement without defining the final settlement. He also said the idea of creating a Palestinian state was "unbearable" for Israel.

Hassan wondered what the problem was: Was it the political leadership? The Knesset? Public opinion? Gazit answered that it was all of them together. He complained that the Palestinians were not doing nearly enough to persuade the Israelis that they sought peace.

Hassan was disappointed. He said the Palestinians had recognized the two-state solution since the 1970s. The two did not discuss borders, or the subject of Gaza. Hassan probably assumed the Palestinians would get the West Bank. Most of the settlements that currently encumber the efforts to reach peace did not exist at that time. Jerusalem would be a capital for the two states, and most of the refugees would be compensated and would not want to return to their old homes, said Hassan. He explained that his people, too, had a problem with their opposition: "We cannot ignore the rise of Hamas. At this point it seems the majority is with us. But what about the future?" He also suggested that Israelis consider the possibility that the United States would not support them forever.
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  1.   Bad Idea than and bad idea now 12:46  |  Baruch Gold 05/06/09
  2.   Rabin was a leftest, the 1967 gov`t was leftest 12:51  |  Jewish brother 05/06/09
  3.   Regeneration of an old idea is not productive. 14:24  |  Vital 05/06/09
  4.   Great idea then, even greater idea now 14:33  |  richelle 05/06/09
  5.   Its not too late 14:33  |  Unchel 05/06/09
  6.   USA support 14:49  |  Marcelo 05/06/09
  7.   not possible 14:51  |  gary 05/06/09
  8.   "But what about the future" 15:01  |  george 05/06/09
  9.   #1 - Anything other than a 2-state solution is a non-starter 15:11  |  Ari 05/06/09
  10.   #1 Baruch Gold - Any better ideas? No? Thought not... 15:19  |  Ari 05/06/09
  11.   One state solution is best and most realistic 15:34  |  Miggy 05/06/09
  12.   A Tragic Mistake Was Made 15:36  |  Jane 05/06/09
  13.   International Law: two state solution... 18:38  |  Fivish 05/06/09
  14.   This explains Rabin`s treacery in Oslo 18:41  |  Irgunista 05/06/09
  15.   One state solution is best and most realistic 19:12  |  cesare 05/06/09
  16.   Rabin .mediocre general propped by his wife`s money 20:20  |  Absolute Sweden 05/06/09
  17.   1-state solution is easy 20:30  |  binny 05/06/09
  18.   Israel: Secular State 22:43  |  Nivek 05/06/09
  19.   They were clearly talking about an apartheid solution 22:54  |  Tarik 05/06/09
  20.   Ari (#10) Here are two ideas #1 23:16  |  Gil 05/06/09
  21.   Tom Segev ignores the 2000 Barak 2-state proposal 01:00  |  Eve 06/06/09
  22.   #20 Ari All you said is true 01:17  |  Baruch Gold 06/06/09
  23.   One State is a recipe for civil war and genocide 04:33  |  The Prophet 06/06/09
  24.   Intentions are more important than agreements.A 2 state had no 16:52  |  ks 07/06/09
  25.   20 & 22 Absolutely right Jordan is 100% Palestinian and was legal 18:15  |  ks 07/06/09
  26.   to Gil #20 05:26  |  zeev 10/06/09
  27.   to Baruch Gold #22 - 2nd try 23:48  |  zeev 11/06/09
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