Introduction

    Over the past decades, the two-state solution has been the most widely discussed framework in international efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This solution is based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace and security alongside Israel. The facts on the ground, however, particularly the acceleration of settlement activity and the changing geographic and demographic landscape, raise fundamental questions about the feasibility of implementing this solution on the ground.

One: The International Legal Framework for the Two-State Solution

The two-state solution is based on a set of international resolutions and references that constitute the legal and political basis for the Palestinian claim:

1. General Assembly Resolution 181 (November 29, 1947) – Partition Plan for Palestine.

This resolution provided for the termination of the British Mandate and the partition of Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish, with Jerusalem placed under a special international regime. Despite the Arab side’s rejection at the time, the resolution represented the first international recognition of the idea of a Palestinian state, upon which many contemporary legal arguments are based.

2. General Assembly Resolution 194 (December 11, 1948) – The Right of 
Return of Refugees
This resolution stated: “Refugees wishing to return to their homes and live 
at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest 
practicable date,” and emphasized compensation for those who did not wish 
to return. This resolution remains a fundamental reference on the refugee 
issue within any final settlement.

 3. Security Council Resolution 242 (1967)
This resolution called for “the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories 
occupied in the recent conflict,” and “the termination of any claim or state of belligerency and respect for 
the sovereignty of every State in the area.” This resolution represents the cornerstone of all subsequent political 
initiatives.

 4. Security Council Resolution 338 (1973) This resolution demanded “the immediate implementation of resolution  242,” and the commencement of negotiations to establish a just and lasting  peace.

5. General Assembly Resolution 67/19 (November 29, 2012) – Admitting  Palestine as a Non-Member Observer State
This resolution recognized the “State of Palestine on the basis of the pre 1967 borders,” and granted it observer status, which subsequently enabled  it to join international treaties and organizations, including the International  Criminal Court.

6. Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) This resolution reaffirmed that “the establishment by Israel of settlements  in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, has no  legal validity,” and called for a complete cessation of settlement activity.

7. General Assembly Resolution (September 2024) 
This resolution committed Israel to “end the occupation and settlement  activity within one year,” and set September 2025, as the deadline. This 
resolution is of particular importance given the impending deadline. 8. Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (July 9, 2004) –  The Illegality of the Separation Wall

This advisory opinion ruled that “the construction of the wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and its environs, is illegal,” and called on Israel to dismantle it and compensate those affected.

Two: The Impact of Settlements on the Possibility of a Two-State Solution

    Continued settlement expansion is the greatest obstacle to the establishment of a viable and contiguous Palestinian state.

    According to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), by mid-2025 the number of settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was estimated at approximately 750,000, distributed across more than 280 settlements and outposts.

• The practical impact of this situation is fragmentation of the Palestinian geography through a network of bypass roads, checkpoints, and the separation wall. 

• Weakening of demographic contiguity between Palestinian cities and villages. 

• Confiscation of agricultural land and water resources, harming the local economy.

    From an international legal perspective, settlements constitute a violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of the population of an occupying state into the territory it occupies. The 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice also affirms that activities related to the wall and settlements undermine the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Three: Supportive International and Regional Frameworks

    Despite the difficulties, there remains broad international support for the two-state solution, embodied in:

• The international coalition launched in 2024, with the support of Saudi Arabia and France, to revive negotiations in accordance with international terms of reference. 

• The European Union’s positions rejecting settlements and conditioning economic cooperation on respect for international law. 

• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union’s support for Palestinian demands. 

• The wave of recognition of the State of Palestine, which exceeded 147 countries by 2025.

The lack of effective pressure mechanisms on Israel, however, remains the most significant obstacle to translating this support into tangible results.

Four: The Independent Palestinian State – Essentials of Viability and the Role of Stability

Basic Essentials: 

• Full sovereignty over borders, crossings, airspace, and territorial waters. 

• Geographical contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza via a safe passage. 

• East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, with international arrangements to ensure freedom of access to holy sites. 

Economic Dimensions: 

• International investments in infrastructure. 

• A productive economy based on agriculture, light industry, and technology. 

• A strategic location as a trade hub between Asia, Africa, and Europe. 

Political and Security Dimensions: 

• Good-neighborly relations with all countries, including Israel, based on mutual respect. 

• Joining regional collective security mechanisms. 

• The rule of law and building modern state institutions.

The success of this state will mean a direct contribution to regional stability and the mitigation of tensions.

Five: Challenges and Future Prospects

Challenges: 

• Continued settlement activity at an accelerated pace. 

• Internal Palestinian political division. 

• The international community’s preoccupation with other global crises.

Future Prospects: 

1. Success – a settlement freeze, serious negotiations, and gradual implementation of the two-state solution with international support and guarantees. 

2. Failure – the continuation of the status quo while managing the conflict without resolving it. 

3. Collapse – the de facto annexation of large areas of the West Bank and the loss of the possibility of implementing the two-state solution.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The two-state solution remains legally and politically feasible, but its viability is diminishing with time and continued settlement expansion. Saving it requires:

• International political will supported by effective pressure mechanisms, including sanctions on settlement activity. 

• Uniting the Palestinian ranks behind the project of an independent state.

• Translating political support, especially from influential powers such as Saudi Arabia and France as well as other countries supporting the two state solution, into practical, measurable commitments.

Bibliography:

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (1947)

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 (1948)

United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 (1967)

United Nations Security Council Resolution 338 (1973)

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 67/19 (2012)

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016)

United Nations General Assembly Resolution, September 2024

International Court of Justice, Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences of the 

Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (2004)

Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949)

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Reports, 2025

European Union External Action Service, Statements on the Middle East Peace 
Process, 2024–2025