Palestinians Want a One-State Solution; Their Leaders Don’t

For close observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the latest opinion polling concerning support for the two-state solution among Palestinians shouldn’t be surprising.

According to data released last month by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center, backing for establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel is steadily decreasing. At the same time, support for a one-state solution and ending the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is surging among Palestinians.

The trend lines of Palestinian public opinion have been crystalizing around these sentiments for years. The question now is how long the leadership on both sides of the conflict will maintain the status quo before Palestinians return to the streets in force. The crown jewel of the status quo is the Palestinian Authority.

It’s not challenging to see why support for the two-state solution is tanking. Palestinians have watched Israel entrench its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem to an unprecedented degree over the past two decades with little to no pushback from the international community.

What’s left of the peace process is barely given lip service from all sides after Donald Trump acquiesced to several Israeli demands, such as moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem.