Decades of colonial fragmentation in Palestine: How Israeli-Jordanian control schemes deepen occupation and undermine Palestinian sovereignty
Original framing: “Israeli opposition leader calls for Jordanian-Israeli control over West Bank” — Middle East Eye
The current proposal is not novel; it mirrors earlier Israeli-Jordanian confidence-building measures, such as the 1988 peace talks, which ultimately failed to address the core issue of Palestinian self-determination. These talks were part of a broader strategy to isolate the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and weaken its negotiating position. Additionally, the 1994 Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty established a framework for Jordanian-Israeli cooperation, but it did not include Palestinian representation, further marginalizing Palestinian voices. The historical pattern shows that such schemes have consistently served to entrench Israeli control rather than foster meaningful Palestinian autonomy.
The proposal by Avigdor Lieberman to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and impose Israeli-Jordanian control over the West Bank is not an isolated political maneuver but a continuation of a long-standing strategy to fragment Palestinian territorial and political integrity.
This scheme builds on historical precedents, such as the 1988 Jordanian-Israeli talks and the Oslo Accords, which have consistently served to weaken Palestinian institutions and entrench Israeli control. The framing obscures the systemic nature of Israeli occupation, which relies on dividing Palestinian land into isolated enclaves to maintain dominance while ignoring the voices of marginalized groups, including women, youth, and refugees. Cross-culturally, such imposed solutions are often met with skepticism, as seen in the failures of colonial borders in South Asia and Africa. Artistic and spiritual expressions from Palestinian culture highlight the deep connection to the land and sovereignty, which any fragmentation scheme would disrupt. Future modelling indicates that such schemes would likely lead to increased instability, displacement, and prolonged conflict. To address this, international actors must prioritize reinforcing Palestinian institutional sovereignty, promoting unified statehood through inclusive negotiations, investing in cross-border economic integration, and amplifying marginalized voices through grassroots advocacy. The path forward requires a shift from top-down administrative impositions to bottom-up, inclusive solutions that respect Palestinian self-determination and address the root causes of conflict.