Text-fruit of the debates between activists of the movement of “One Democratic State” written by Salameh Kaileh after several modifications (2017)
From the beginning, the only viable solution for the conflict between the Zionist movement and the Palestinian people in Palestine has been the creation of one secular and democratic state, a Palestinian political proposal that was made since the eve of the Nakba in 1948. This proposal was abandoned in 1974 by the PLO and replaced by the solution of the “independent Palestinian state” on 20% of the land of Palestine, which implicitly meant recognizing the Zionist state on the rest of Palestinian land as a “Jewish” state. Indeed, this option has excluded from the Palestinian equation the Palestinians from the occupied territories in 1948, in addition to the Palestinian refugees. Therefore, this was a major deviation from the original Palestinian proposal.
Now, the only solution is to consider Palestine as one country with only one, secular and democratic state for all its citizens. It has become clear that the two-state solution is an unfeasible illusion and that the Zionist state, since the beginning, has aimed to occupy and colonize the whole of Palestine and turn it into “The Land of Israel”. This was done through a systemic ethnic cleansing in the form of persecution, marginalization and expulsion of the Palestinians who still live in Palestine. This process has been pushed to establishing an apartheid system that contains the Palestinian population in separate ghettos and cantons subjecting them to flagrant economic exploitation. It is a system based on the elimination of the Palestinian population from the political framework of the State under the pretense of granting them an “extended autonomy”, while exploiting them economically by ”employing” them for the lowest wages.
Consequently, the real solution to the Palestinian question must be re- considered in the light of the Zionist State’s policy of colonizing Palestine and transforming it into a “Jewish state” and an advanced “military base”, as part of the Imperialist project of domination of the Arab countries: keeping them in a state of underdevelopment and disintegration, in order to loot them more effectively. Thus, the Palestinian cause is certainly an Arab cause, and its solution is closely linked to the situation of the Arab world as whole. Therefore, the Palestinian political struggle must be reconstructed on a clear basis, especially after incurring so much loss of energy and time in the unending mazes of pseudo-solutions, interminable negotiations and ceaseless
concessions. The revival and reconstruction of the Palestinian project is more than ever necessary at this crucial moment, since the Zionist state has swallowed almost land in “1948 occupied Palestine” and continues daily to annex large land in “1967 ocuupied West Bank”, while imposing a severe siege on the Gaza Strip, which is still under Israeli occupation despite exiting it.
Based on the Munich Declaration (1 June 29 July 2012) concerning the One Democratic State in historical Palestine, we propose our conception of the foundation of the “Movement for Palestine: One Secular Democratic State”. This movement is working to engage a wider participation of the Palestinian people, in Palestine and in the Diaspora, as well as segments of the Jewish population, who accept these principles. This struggle is a common one. It aims at the formation of a popular alternative for the project of the democratic and secular state and for the development of a common struggle able to deconstruct the Zionist State and rebuild the society and the State on the basis of clear principles summarized as follows:
1) The solution must begin with steps for the dismantling of the Zionist state as a political and military entity based on a racist ideology. This is the main principle which governs our vision and which lays the foundation for a true solution to this century-old conflict since the publication of the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Especially, since we are not dealing here with the advent of an entity falsely represented as a refuge for victims of Nazism, while it is in fact a colonial entity and an integral part of the imperialist system of domination over the Arab region. The militaristic character of this entity goes hand in hand with its ambitions to dominate and expand. The dismantling of this entity is an objective necessity in order to end its imperialist role and cut its ties with global imperialism.
2) This solution must guarantee rights for all, without exception. The rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, in particular the right of return for refugees and compensation for loss of property. These rights are inalienable, non-negotiable, and this principle is fundamental in this solution. This principle is in conflict with the interests and privileges granted by the colonial system to the Jewish community after 1948 (as a result of the process of expelling Palestinians, confiscating their land and property, and engaging actively in the transfer of population), therefore, it must be stressed that all problems, related to property and housing, arising from it must be resolved according to the principles of justice to avoid new damage for the Jewish community that got rid of the privileges previously guaranteed by the racist Zionist regime.
(3) The new State, which will be built on all the historical land of Palestine, is a Palestinian State, it is also a democratic and secular State, which separates religion from the State and protects the freedom of all religious beliefs, as well as all other fundemantal freedoms. A State which relies on the principle of citizenship, protection of the popular classes from poverty and unemployment, while providing free education and social security for all. It shall the be able to work for the flourishing of all forms of art and culture.
4) Given that the outcome of the end of the conflict will redraw the demographic location among Arab Palestinians, Arab Jews and Ashkenazi Jews, the issue of distinct cultural minorities will come to light and the right to cultural autonomy will be recognized. Noting the close relationship between Arabic and Hebrew, both languages will be recognized as official ones.
5) The dismantling of the Zionist state implies ending the hegemony of capitalism and cutting ties with imperialism, a task to be completed through the reconstruction of the economy on a new basis that reflects the interests of the popular classes in particular. In this context, the major problems created by capitalist colonialism will be solved both in terms of demographic redistribution and in terms of eliminating significant differences in living standards. The implementation of this, will be possible only away from capitalism.
6) The establishment of this State comes as a result of a multidimensional national and class struggle. It is a common struggle of the Palestinian people and the Jews free of the Zionist ideology. This common struggle is crucial and decisive, but it is only possible within a genuine solution that guarantees rights for all. It is important to emphasize the link between the struggle in Palestine and the struggle in the Arab world as a whole since Palestine is part of this world and the Zionist presence in Palestine was intended originally to prevent the independence and the development of the entire Arab world.
7) The role and support of the peoples of the world in this struggle must be emphasized, since the Zionist state originated from the colonial settlement project, related to a particular moment in the evolution of the international capitalist and colonial system. Therefore, all peoples can participate globally in this struggle, either by putting pressure on their governments to draw up policies based on the principles of justice and law, and / or by boycotting the Zionist state, which is based on the control of the land of others, on racism and apartheid and the use of religion in its political project, as well as using
violence and expulsing indigenous peoples, while putting itself at the service of imperialism to control the resources of the peoples in the region and the whole world.
Such is our vision contained in this founding document of the “Popular Movement for One Secular and Democratic State of Palestine”, a vision to rebuild the struggle on the basis of a new perspective capable of establishing a broad, popular political trend for all those who identify themselves with this vision for Palestine: the vision of one secular and democratic state.