Ein Staat für zwei Völker?

Renowned Israeli historian Shlomo Sand provides a concise overview of the idea of binationalism in the Zionist movement since the late 19th century. The early binational Zionists advocated for a Jewish cultural and spiritual centre in coordination with the Palestinian Arabs and warned against Theodor Herzl's goal of political Zionism, which was to create an exclusively Jewish ethnic nation state. Although binationalism has never been a political force of great significance, it is nevertheless an option that appeals to more and more people fighting for equality and human rights in Israel/Palestine. Shlomo Sand also examines the extent to which the idea of binationalism has taken hold in the thinking of some Arab-Palestinian intellectuals and finds approaches there that are worth discussing. He is fully aware that he represents a minority position in relation to both the Jewish and Arab mainstream. Nevertheless, given the alternatives of expulsion or apartheid-like occupation, he argues for a rethinking of Israel, as he considers the so-called two-state solution to be a completely unrealistic fig leaf of international politics. In addition to the discussed possibilities of a binational federal state or a unified secular democratic state, Sand ultimately advocates for the idea of a confederation of two or more cultural entities that share sovereignty and citizenship but have cultural and linguistic characteristics, autonomous governing bodies, elected assemblies, etc. He cites countries such as Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, India, Bosnia-Herzegovina and others as examples and sources of inspiration.