Palestinian resistance leaders have historically adopted a vision for a democratic Palestinian state, from the river to the sea, with equal rights for all its citizens. It was lost when Israel and the US succeeded at imposing the two-state non-solution at Oslo. Today, the One Democratic State Initiative is working to revive the historical Palestinian vision for liberation, and calls on Palestinians and allies to join us in this fight.
"The vision for one secular and democratic state is strategic. It has been the resistance factions' vision since the early 70s, and it is important that it is being revived today"
Salah Salah, co-founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
"A democratic and secular state is the only solution to the struggle between us and Israelis; Arabs and Jews have historically lived in peace"
Georges Habash, co-founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
"Contrary to the Israeli narrative, genocide is not on the table. We want one Palestinian state, and those who wish to be its citizens are welcome to, no matter their religion"
Osama Hamdan, Hamas leader
"Why doesn't anyone ask about one state where all citizens enjoy the same rights? Our problem is not with the Jews, it is injustice. We are not against Jews living amongst us in the region, but they can't dominate and take control."
Mohammed el-Hindi, Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader
"We must confront the vision for a Jewish state with a vision for a secular and democratic Palestinian state that aims to liberate Jews and Palestinian Arabs at once"
Ahmad Saadat, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
"The solution is to eliminate the Zionist entity … and to establish a popular democratic Palestinian state where Arabs and Jews live without discrimination"
Nayef Hawatmeh, secretary-general of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
"We want to establish a democracy where all have the same rights and duties. We want to do this with the people who are there – with Israelis. This is a humane and democratic solution"
Leila Khaled, militant and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
"The solution is one democratic Palestine for all who agree to live in it, Arab or Jews"
Raja Eghbarieh, Former secretary-general of Abnaa Al Balad
"The right solution is one Palestinian state for all its citizens, Muslims, Christians and Jews without discrimination, with citizenship not on the basis of religion but of coexistence on a single land"
Musa Abu Marzuk, Hamas leader
"The Palestinian resistance movement aims to liberate the Jews from Zionism and the Arabs from reactionaries and to establish a socialist, democratic Palestine"
Ghassan Kanafani, leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
