Ways of Diffusing Power

This document explains the various terms used to describe sharing, distributing, and decentralizing political control. It explains the differences between confederations, federal states, autonomous regions, and decentralization. The document then examines whether any of these concepts are relevant to the Israeli-Palestinian territorial dispute. Specifically, it canvasses the power-sharing arrangements proposed in the past, and discusses the unlikelihood of a confederation or federal state solution. Finally, the author suggests human ingenuity is key in determining how to adapt the concepts of power sharing to the particular circumstances underlying the middle eastern issue.