Source Credit: BBC
In 2008, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert presented a bold two-state solution aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His unseen map proposed a Palestinian state covering more than 94% of the occupied West Bank, while Israel would annex roughly 4.9% of that territory—primarily major settlement blocs—in exchange for ceding an equal area from its own land. The proposal also featured a novel approach to Jerusalem: both sides would claim parts of the city as their capital, and a multinational committee (comprising representatives from Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the US) would administer the holy sites.
Olmert made his pitch on September 16, 2008, urging Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to embrace the deal with the words, "In the next 50 years, you will not find one Israeli leader who will propose what I propose now. Sign it! Sign it and let's change history!" However, Abbas insisted on reviewing the map with his experts, and the two agreed to a follow-up meeting that never took place. As Olmert and Abbas parted ways that day, the promise of peace was left hanging—a missed opportunity that would soon be overshadowed by political turbulence and Olmert’s eventual resignation amid a corruption scandal.
Today, Olmert’s map holds an almost mythical status, symbolizing what might have been if bold leadership and aligned political will had prevailed. With subsequent elections bringing leaders less inclined toward compromise, the proposal faded into the background, serving as a poignant reminder of a potential turning point in Middle Eastern history.
