This archive report was first published on 29 September 2019.
As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to simmer, a growing number of Israelis are recognizing the need for a new approach. The traditional path of trying to 'solve' the conflict or 'manage' it has led to a stalemate, with both sides dug in and unwilling to compromise. But there is another way forward, one that could potentially break the deadlock and lead to a more sustainable solution.
According to Micah Goodman, author of 'Catch-67: The Left, the Right and the Legacy of the Six-Day War,' the key to progress lies in 'shrinking' the conflict. This means taking steps to enhance Palestinian freedom of movement and economic independence, without necessarily leading to a full Israeli withdrawal from the territories.
One potential step in this direction is the transfer of roads connecting Palestinian autonomous areas to each other, and placing them under Palestinian Authority control. This would eliminate the need for Israeli checkpoints and allow Palestinians to move freely across the West Bank. Additionally, Israel could provide more land for development around major towns and support the construction of new Palestinian towns, similar to the successful Rawabi initiative.
By taking these steps, Israel could 'contain' the conflict, lessening its impact and creating new horizons for diplomatic progress. This approach would also mitigate the risk of a deterioration into a one-state reality, where Palestinians would be subject to Israeli military rule.
So why hasn't this approach been taken yet? The right-wing objects to any concessions, seeing the land as sacred and unwilling to give up even an inch. But surprisingly, the left also objects, insisting that any concessions must be made in the context of a permanent peace accord that solves the conflict as a whole. This paradoxical alliance between the right and the left has perpetuated the status quo, with both sides supporting a form of the status quo.
However, if the Likud and Blue and White parties form a national unity government, they have a golden opportunity to govern from the new political center. By rejecting the right-wing vision of annexation and the left-wing vision of peace, they could adopt a centrist approach that focuses on 'shrinking' the conflict. This would be a vision that refuses to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and could potentially liberate Israel and the Palestinians from the rigid ideologies that have perpetuated the unsustainable status quo.
