Catch up: The case for an Israeli-Palestinian Confederation: a two-state solution in a one-state reality with Professor Yossi Mekelberg
Posted: 15th April 2026
Peace with justice, security and equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians
After decades of failed negotiations and a rapidly shifting reality on the ground, is it time to rethink the framework for peace?
Our latest podcast episode is now live:
The case for an Israeli-Palestinian Confederation: a two-state solution in a one-state reality with Professor Yossi Mekelberg
You can now watch and listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, our website - or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search Britain Palestine Project.
In this episode, Professor Yossi Mekelberg (Chatham House, University of Roehampton) explores whether a confederation model could offer a way forward, bridging the gap between an increasingly entrenched one-state reality and the enduring need for two states.
Drawing on decades of research and policy engagement, Yossi examines why past peace efforts have stalled and what a more realistic political framework might look like.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why the traditional two-state model is becoming harder to implement
- The “one-state reality” on the ground
- What an Israeli–Palestinian confederation could look like
- How shared governance and joint institutions might function
- The role of settlements, refugees, and Jerusalem
- Why trust and reconciliation are essential to any solution
- Whether political leadership is capable of delivering change
Key takeaways:
- The current trajectory is unsustainable
- A confederation could bridge political and geographic realities
- Any solution must balance rights for both peoples
- Peace requires more than policy – it requires trust
- Change depends on people as much as leadership
About the speaker
Professor Yossi Mekelberg is an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House and a guest professor at the University of Roehampton. His work focuses on Middle East politics, Israeli politics, and the peace process.
Warm wishes,
The Britain Palestine Project Team
