The Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory has been the primary and overwhelming cause of insecurity for the Palestinian people and instability in the region for decades. Ending the Israeli occupation through full withdrawal from all Palestinian territory, airspace and territorial waters with no residual Israeli presence or control is a basic requirement for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state, for the resolution of the conflict and for regional stability. After decades of dispossession, living in exile and living under occupation, the Palestinian people yearn for freedom.
Security is a concern shared by the Palestinians and Israelis alike. While security is often described as of paramount importance to the Israeli people, Palestinians have sought for more than sixty years to live in a secure and prosperous state of their own.
The Palestinians have genuine and legitimate interest in establishing a Palestinian state that will be recognized, that acts as an independent state and is able to exercise its full rights and responsibilities as a sovereign nation. The Palestinian state needs also to be able to govern and exercise authority effectively, and maintain a responsible self-defense capability with no interest in establishing an offensive military threat to its neighbors. The main aim, after all, is to establish a national homeland for the Palestinians living in peace and security with all of its neighbors.
In order to achieve this, the security relations between the states of Palestine and Israel need to be structured in ways that will achieve the following:
- provide effective responses to internal and external threats;
- create mechanisms for ongoing cooperation as peaceful and friendly nations;
- respect international human rights;
- promote regional and international peace and security through developing relations with all its neighboring countries, based on peace, security, and stability; and
- Cooperate with the international community in combating international terrorism.
Israel’s 52-year occupation has had far-ranging effects on all aspects of Palestinian life. This occupation has been the primary and overwhelming cause of insecurity for the Palestinian people and instability in the region. For decades, Israel’s occupation has created a high level of Palestinian dependency on Israel in a number of sectors and has prevented Palestinians from fulfilling their potential. A Palestinian state must overcome this forced dependency to fully realize an independent and viable sovereign state.
Ending the Israeli occupation through full withdrawal from all Palestinian territory, airspace and territorial waters with no residual Israeli presence or control is a basic requirement for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state, for the resolution of the conflict and for regional stability.
