One-state solution would be a disaster for Israel

Your March 26 editorial “Middle East debate,” with the subhead, “Time to look at a one-state solution,” grossly mischaracterized J Street and betrayed serious misjudgment about the feasibility of a “one-state solution.”

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people. As reflected in our advocacy, J Street works in the Jewish community and American politics to advance policies that are supported by a majority of American Jews and rooted in Jewish and democratic values.

J Street supports a two-state solution because it is the only approach that will create a sustainable and equitable peace between Israelis and Palestinians and preserve Israel as the democratic Jewish homeland. Under this framework a new Palestinian state would peacefully co-exist with Israel separated by internationally recognized borders. Capitals, borders, security arrangements and other details would be determined through negotiations marked by good-faith and compromise.

The notion of a “one-state solution” is illusory. The one-state outcome that your editorial wistfully imagines would force Israel to make the impossible choice between preserving either its Jewish character or its democratic system. The Jewish dream of a democratic homeland would evaporate in a single state — an outcome that the majority of Israelis and the overwhelming majority of American Jews could never countenance.