Referendum

This study assesses the political challenges that hinder the implementation of a proposed referendum on Palestine, framed within Hegemonic Stability Theory (HST), which underscores the significance of a dominant global power in sustaining international order. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran has suggested this referendum as a means to determine Palestine's political system. From an HST perspective, the United States significantly impacts the international arena, including policies regarding Palestine. Its support for Israel complicates the political landscape and undermines alternative peace proposals, including those from Iran. This article seeks to answer the main question: what political obstacles prevent holding a referendum in Palestine, and what methods can be used to overcome those obstacles? The findings of the article indicate several political dynamics and factors that impede the referendum: political divisions within Israel regarding peace with the Palestinians, lack of consensus among Palestinian factions, differing approaches among Arab states, and conflicting positions of both Islamic and non-Arab countries. Additionally, the stances of the permanent members of the UN Security Council exacerbate these challenges. The author finds that Iran’s proposal has overlooked the international framework of a two-state solution.

The issue of Palestine is one of the important and sensitive topics in the thought of the leaders of the Islamic Republic, particularly Ayatollah Khamenei, and indicates that the liberation of Palestine is not merely a political matter but an inseparable part of the identity and religious principles of the Islamic Ummah. The present study aims to examine the future of Palestine from the perspective of Ayatollah Khamenei. In this article, using a constructivist theoretical framework, Ayatollah Khamenei’s discourse on the future of Palestine is analyzed. Finally, three scenarios for the future of Palestine are presented: the first scenario, resistance and liberation, which involves the collapse of the Zionist regime and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state; the second scenario, continued occupation and crisis, in which conflicts, the blockade of Gaza, and humanitarian problems persist, and despite resistance, a sustainable solution does not emerge; and the third scenario, imposed reconciliation, which may reduce violence but leads to the weakening of Palestinian independent identity and historical justice. The findings of the study indicate that the only path consistent with justice and divine traditions is the continuation of resistance, the strengthening of Islamic Ummah cohesion, and the implementation of a comprehensive referendum.