You have travelled around here for a week for discussions with #Israel and #Palestine – for example, Abbas, Peres, and Tzipi Livni?

Yes, this spring, we experienced that the #Oslo Accord# paradigm had reached a dead end, and we had to assess whether it was possible to move forward and still support a Palestinian state project. Several of us in #Norway asked ourselves if this still had any meaning.

Did this have anything to do with Salam Fayyad?

We had been working with Prime Minister #Salam Fayyad# for several years, but we were afraid that everything would collapse when he stepped down. I believe that the success of recent years was linked to his personality and abilities.

Any examples of what worked?

I think the Palestinians realised they had to expand the tax base by stimulating private economic activity. By encouraging an environment for private growth, Palestine could move away from donations and become self-sufficient. For example, there is a lot of good agricultural land connected to the C-area, which Israel controls. They could have implemented new constructions, and established companies, factories, and water supplies there. But it requires Israel’s cooperation and support to ensure that roads, electricity, and water supply work.

The more I work with this conflict, the more convinced I am that it is entirely solvable.

How do you view Israel regarding the conflict?

A future Palestinian state can only be sustainable if it has a good relationship with Israel, which means open borders and easy access. Today, many restrictions hinder normal economic activities. For example, Palestinians must take long detours because they cannot drive on the settlers’ roads.

So the alternative is a one-state solution?

Yes, that is the logical alternative to a two-state solution. This is dramatic for Israel, with a majority of non-Jews. They will not accept that. They would really have trouble maintaining the Jewish character of the state of Israel. Well, today’s solution is what some would call «apartheid», which is not compatible with democracy.

Looking ahead, what do you see as Norway’s role?

We supported a separate Palestinian state as early as 1948. We not only contribute financially but also as advisers on how to build a modern state. The more I work with this conflict, the more convinced I am that it is entirely solvable. Unlike Africa, with so many people and problems, here we have a highly educated group with good skills, great commitment, and a lot of initiative.

Excerpt from an unpublished film interview. From the Palestine supplement in June 2020.