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Thursday, October 15, 2009
10:41 Mecca time, 07:41 GMT
 
Programmes RIZ KHAN
The one or two state debate

Watch part two

After almost two decades of various peacemaking initiatives, there is no end in sight to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

About half a million Israelis have moved to the West Bank since 1967 and Palestinians fear the growing settlements, along with accompanying roads, infrastructure and military installations, will make a viable Palestinian state impossible.

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's foreign minister, has said he believes that a comprehensive peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is already impossible.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, is a prisoner to the power struggle with rival group Hamas, who took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, leaving him only in control of the West Bank.

Some Palestinians and Israelis are now arguing that the only practical solution to the conflict is the so-called one-state solution, where both sides agree to citizenship and equal rights in a state that covers all of historic Palestine, without regard to ethnicity or religion.

On Wednesday, we speak to two Palestinians with opposing takes on the issue.

Ghassan Khatib is a former Palestinian minister who currently heads the Palestinian Government Media Centre. He was a member of the Madrid Peace Delegation from 1991 to 1993.

Ali Abunimeh is the co-founder of the website "Electronic Intifada", and author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.


This episode of Riz Khan aired from Wednesday, October 14, 2009.

 Source: Al Jazeera
 
 
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