The Palestinian Issue: The One-State Solution, Freedom, Equality and the Challenge of Settler Colonialism

Abstract

The Palestine-Israel conflict has traditionally been approached through the framework of the two-state solution; however, the continued expansion of Israeli settlements, demographic transformation, and territorial fragmentation have increasingly challenged its practical viability. This study examines whether the democratic one-state solution offers a more sustainable alternative when analyzed through the lens of settler colonial theory. Employing a qualitative and analytical research design based on documentary analysis of academic literature, historical records, international legal instruments, and reports of human rights organizations, this study evaluates the historical evolution of the conflict from the Ottoman land code to contemporary Israeli settlement policies. This analysis argues that settler colonial structures have progressively undermined the territorial, political and demographic foundations necessary for a viable Palestinian state. At the same time, the paper critically examines the opportunities and challenges associated with a one-state solution, including demographic realities, competing national identities, refugee return, Jewish settlements, and positions of major Palestinian actors. The study concludes that while a democratic one-state framework offers a normative vision grounded in equality, citizenship, and universal rights, its implementation faces significant political, institutional, and demographic obstacles. Sustainable peace therefore requires addressing these structural constraints rather than relying solely on increasingly unworkable territorial partition.