The two-state solution — the idea of creating an independent Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel — has been proposed multiple times over the past century.
Here's a timeline of the key moments when it was formally proposed:
1. 1937 – The Peel Commission Plan (British Mandate)
Proposal: Partition Palestine into a small Jewish state and a larger Arab state, with Jerusalem under British control.
Reactions:
- Zionist leaders tentatively accepted it as a basis for negotiation.
- Arab leaders rejected it entirely.
2. 1947 – United Nations Partition Plan (UN Resolution 181)
Proposal: Divide Mandatory Palestine into:
- A Jewish state (~55% of the land),
- An Arab state (~45% of the land),
Jerusalem under international administration.
Reactions:
- Jewish Agency (pre-state Israel) accepted the plan.
- Arab states and Palestinian Arabs rejected it.
Outcome: Civil war broke out; then the 1948 Arab-Israeli War followed the declaration of the state of Israel.
3. 1993 – Oslo Accords
Proposal: Not a direct two-state declaration, but set up a process for creating a Palestinian interim self-government (Palestinian Authority), seen as a step toward a two-state solution.
Reactions:
- Both Israel and the PLO signed and agreed to mutual recognition.
- Further negotiations were expected, but progress stalled.
4. 2000 – Camp David Summit
Proposal: U.S. President Bill Clinton hosted Israeli PM Ehud Barak and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.
Plan included most of the West Bank and Gaza for a Palestinian state, but disputes over Jerusalem and refugees led to collapse.
Arabs rejected the solution
Outcome: Talks failed; Second Intifada began shortly after.
5. 2003 – The Roadmap for Peace
Proposed by the U.S., EU, Russia, and UN ("Quartet").
Called for the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005 through phases.
Both sides accepted the plan in principle but implementation failed.
6. 2007 – Annapolis Conference
Renewed negotiations under U.S. President George W. Bush.
Aim: Create a Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel.
No final agreement was reached.
Summary:
The first formal proposal for a two-state solution was in 1937, with a more widely recognized and international proposal in 1947 (UN Partition Plan). Since then, many attempts have been made, but no lasting agreement has been achieved.