Quartet report states obvious: Two-state solution is obsolete

While much of the furore regarding the recent Middle East Quartet report has centred on secondary issues such as the cause of stalled negotiations, nothing has been articulated regarding the absurdity of admitting the two-state paradigm is obsolete, while advocating for its implementation as the only "solution".

In a briefing to the UN Security Council, UN Middle East Envoy Nickolay Mladenov declared that "The main objective of this report is not about assigning blame. It focuses on the major threats to achieving a negotiated peace and offers recommendations on the way forward."

The way forward, however, is obsolete, as is the repetitive pinpointing of specifics such as "violence and incitement, settlement expansion and a lack of control of Gaza by the Palestinian Authority" held as the main reasons why the two-state paradigm is untenable. The fact that the observations made are completely devoid of context is, predictably, not mentioned by the Quartet.

However, in the briefing it is clearly stated that "The Quartet report sounds an alarm bell that we are on a dangerous slope towards a one-state reality that is incompatible with the national aspirations of both people."

Incompatibility embodied by Israel

There is one single incompatibility - namely Israel - that is never mentioned explicitly in any report as the prime reason for all ensuing violations. On that premise, all the repercussions created by Israel are manifestations of the only impediment to finding a solution.

Any national aspirations of Palestinians have long been trampled upon by all the key players in the international community who have imposed their extended colonial framework upon the Palestinian territory and people. The Quartet is no different. Indeed, it has perfected its role as interlocutor of the two-state conjecture while resorting to a detached analysis of impediments.

The key players in the international community have imposed their extended colonial framework upon the Palestinian territory and people

In addition, the report is laments the lack of Palestinian Authority (PA) control over Gaza, while negating PA President Mahmoud Abbas's capitulation to Israel on several occasions. He notably did so during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, when he ridiculed resistance against the colonial massacre unleashed by Israel.

It is also worth remembering that the notion of PA control over Gaza was another primary aim of the US - a hope; however slight, that the PA would exert control over the enclave and in turn contribute towards the marginalisation of Hamas. The Quartet has echoed these intentions, showing complete disregard for Palestinian political dynamics and ignoring the role of Hamas in maintaining the importance of defence as opposed to PA capitulation to every Israeli demand.

The illusion of "bridges"

According to the briefing, the Quartet's role is to "build bridges," which translates, in Quartet rhetoric, to "state the facts in an unbiased manner and to engage constructively with the parties". Since unbiased in international rhetoric means adhering to the fallacy of equity between the coloniser and the colonised, the purported "bridges" for the purpose of facilitating expansion have already been constructed.

The "parties", however, should not be interpreted as Israel and Palestine, but rather Israel, the PA and the international community.

A lot of damage has already befallen Palestinians due to the lack of discernment between the corrupt PA and international politicians, leading to the two-state paradigm taking precedence over Palestinian aspirations. Indeed, for the international community, Palestinian aspirations do not exist.

There is no will to discern, to analyse or to seek Palestinian opinion

There is no will to discern, to analyse or to seek Palestinian opinion as opposed to relentlessly promoting an agenda which has served to turn delay into opportunity for Israel. Whether or not negotiations take place, the result is already biased in Israel's favour.

Accomplices in oblivion

No matter now incessantly settlement expansion is cited as the impediment to the two-state paradigm, the truth is that settlements have contributed to a semblance of two entities in which the coloniser is moving towards complete expansion. Any talk of "advancing the two-state solution" should be read as an intentional misrepresentation of Palestinian history - one that renders early Zionist colonisation irrelevant to the brutality and oppression unleashed today.

Differentiation is implemented for convenience; that is to separate the "occupation" from colonisation since the former is easier to criticise without going into the ramifications of international complicity. To put it succinctly, recommendations and observations are futile without prior acknowledgement and intent to decolonise the territory, regardless of consequences for Israel.

If the Quartet is committed to anything less than restoring Palestine to Palestinians, its role is nothing other than that of an accomplice to Israel.

Ramona Wadi is an independent researcher, freelance journalist, book reviewer and blogger specialising in the struggle for memory in Chile and Palestine, colonial violence and the manipulation of international law. Follow her on Twitter: @walzerscent

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.