Two States, Confederation, or Shared Sovereignty? Long-Term Political Possibilities

Understanding Jewish and Palestinian Equality in Israel examines how law, belonging, dignity, and justice shape life between the river and the sea. Written from my perspective as an African-American Christian who practices Judaism, the series seeks understanding rather than ideology. Earlier essays explored the foundations of equality, the psychology of fear and trauma, the moral resources within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the structural dynamics of displacement and governance, and the transitional pathways (Part XXVIII) needed to move from inequality toward partnership.

Part XXIX turns to the question that follows naturally after transition: What forms of political arrangement could sustain equality, security, and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians in the long term?

What governance models — two states, confederation, shared sovereignty, or integrated frameworks — offer realistic and morally grounded possibilities for equality between Israelis and Palestinians?

Political futures are often framed as binary: either one state or two. Yet a deeper examination of comparative history, political theory, and local realities reveals a wider range of governance models capable of sustaining equality, security, and shared flourishing. This essay examines three major frameworks: a two-state arrangement with modernized structures; an Israeli–Palestinian confederation; and shared or dual sovereignty arrangements. Drawing on lessons from divided societies, Jewish and Islamic ethical traditions, and regional political realities, the essay argues that no single model is inevitable. What matters is that any future must institutionalize equality, maintain security, honor identity, and distribute power fairly.

Globally, societies emerging from conflict have adopted diverse governance models. Belgium maintains linguistic communities within a federal framework; Canada adopts asymmetrical federalism to accommodate Quebec; the European Union manages sovereignty through nested institutions; Bosnia employs a tripartite presidency; Cyprus experiments with confederal principles; and South Africa transformed minority rule into a multiracial democracy.

Israel–Palestine has its own constraints and possibilities. The purpose of this........

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