The One-state Solution

Book excerpt: The one-state solution demonstrates that Israeli settlements have already encroached on the occupied territory of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the extent that any Palestinian state in those areas is unviable. It reveals the irreversible impact of Israel's settlement grid by summarising its physical, demographic, financial and political dimensions. Virginia Q.Tilley explains why we should assume that this grid will not be withdrawn - or its expansion reversed - by reviewing the role of the key political actors: the Israeli government, the United States, the Arab states, and the European Union. Finally the book addresses the daunting obstacles to a one-state solution - including major revision of the Zionist dream but also Palestinian and other regional resistance - and offers some ideas about how these obstacles might be addressed.