Executive Summary

The EU continues to advocate for Palestinian reforms while avoiding direct pressure on Israel, despite the growing consensus against a two-state solution. This approach risks perpetuating the occupation and undermining Palestinian self-determination, necessitating a shift toward concrete measures like sanctions and international accountability.

Historical Background: The Two-State Solution

For decades, the two-state solution has been the cornerstone of international efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rooted in the 1967 borders, this framework envisioned an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, meaningful negotiations have stalled since 2008, and the idea has increasingly been deemed unfeasible by Western diplomats, despite public rhetoric supporting it.

The Oslo Accords of the 1990s established the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a temporary institution to pave the way for statehood. Yet, the PA has become a tool for conflict management rather than a stepping stone toward sovereignty, as Israel continues its colonial-settler expansion and occupation policies.

Policy Motivations: EU’s Focus on Reforms

The European Union has maintained its focus on Palestinian reforms, institution-building, and second-track initiatives rather than addressing the root cause of the conflict: the Israeli occupation. This approach aligns with the international community’s reluctance to impose sanctions or take decisive actions against Israel, fearing political backlash or economic consequences.

Israeli political consensus, spanning from right-wing leaders like Netanyahu to progressive figures like Yair Golan, firmly opposes Palestinian statehood. This entrenched stance has shifted the discourse from achieving sovereignty to managing the conflict, with the PA being relegated to a security coordination role rather than a governance institution.

While the EU’s emphasis on reforms may appear constructive, it inadvertently normalizes the occupation by diverting attention from the need for international accountability. Measures such as banning settlement products or ending military trade remain absent, despite their potential to pressure Israel into compliance with international law.

Impact on Migrants

The EU’s current approach risks entrenching the status quo rather than fostering meaningful change. To uphold its commitment to human rights and international law, the EU must transition from rhetoric to action, leveraging sanctions and accountability mechanisms to challenge Israeli occupation policies. Only then can the prospects for Palestinian sovereignty and migrant stability be realized.