The status of the palestinians in Israel in an era of peace: Part of the problem but not part of the solution

After the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993 the issue of the possible status of the Palestinians in Israel, as a Jewish-Zionist state, have been discussed with greater frequency than in the past. Old and new ideas of broad or limited personal autonomy have been raised, along with ideas of annexation of part of the Triangle to the future Palestinian entity in the West Bank, or a more substantial integration than at present of the Palestinians in Israel, as individuals and/or as a group. This article presents theoretical options for the future status of the Palestinians in Israel, giving the perspective of the different sides regarding these options. The need for this discussion stems from the dissatisfaction with the present situation and also from the political changes taking place in the region, and especially the peace process. If a Palestinian state is established alongside Israel, the Palestinian Arabs who are Israeli citizens will have to redefine their relationship to the State of Israel as well as to the Palestinian state. This discussion is inevitably linked to the question of the nature of the state. In societies deeply divided on an ethnic, religious or national basis, there are various practices for creating the legalinstitutional framework for dealing with the status of the various groups. On the theoretical level, researchers list mechanisms such as control, the development of majoritarian democracies, and consociationalism or ethnic democracy, as a means capable of ensuring stability. The failure or success of these mechanisms determines the behavior and aspirations of the minority communities.