Hot button: ‘Two-state solution’ in Israel called into question

Recently re-elected Israeli head of state Benjamin Netanyahu made a 2009 turnaround in his view of the so-called “two-state solution” to long-term conflict between Israeli Jews and Arabs in the semi-autonomous Palestinian territories. He surprised longtime supporters and watchers by offering a qualified measure of support for the notion of an independent Palestinian state.

When Netanyahu in March commented to the contrary in an appeal to his base of support among the Israeli political right wing, a majority of Overdrive readers expressed views of a piece. Six in ten showed no favor for an independent Palestine. One such majority voter in the poll above worried that an independent Palestine would be “yet one more location [for Iran] to base its soon-to-come nuclear arsenal,” among other fears over security of the Israeli state and the American homeland.

Among the minority was a commenter that called into question such views: “The American tradition, purportedly, is self-determination and secular self-governance. I have no problem with an Israeli state, but their displaced neighbors deserve the same even if they don’t like us.”