Event Reports
The ‘two state principle’ is widely accepted as ‘the solution’ to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, yet no specific plan based on this principle has ever been accepted by the majority of Palestinians and Israelis. Recent speeches by PM Netanyahu and President Abbas indicate that even the leaders are far from agreeing on a concrete plan. The developments of the Arab Spring revealed that a viable peace plan needs popular support on both sides to effectively and legitimately contain hard-liners opposing it. Formal approval of a plan by governments alone may be legally sufficient but won’t secure long-term peace. Thus, the question concerning which approaches attract support among the broader public and, therefore, seek the chance of stability and sustainability within the region is as relevant and vital as ever.
The twenty-two different plans presented at this event covered the range of one state solution, federations, unions and two state solutions. About two-hundred Israelis and Palestinians representing the full variety of political opinions attended the conference, suggested solutions, shared their opinions on which proposals they liked best and participated in lively discussions thereafter. The conference was also the launch event of the BEST PLANS project. Summaries of the plans presented can be found on http://www.thebestplans.org/plans.