Final answer:
President George W. Bush's plan for a 'two-state' solution aimed to establish a Palestinian nation-state alongside Israel, attempting to grant political and economic autonomy to the Palestinians while preserving Israeli interests. This solution was a cornerstone of Middle East peace efforts but faced many obstacles in practice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The plan that President George W. Bush called for to create a "two-state" solution involved establishing a Palestinian state alongside the Jewish State of Israel, granting the Palestinians their own nation-state, which would include the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The two-state solution has been a central feature in the quest for peace in the Middle East, with the United States and various other foreign governments endorsing this approach, although its implementation has faced significant challenges. President Bush had the intention of fostering a compromise between Israelis and Palestinians towards the end of his presidency.
The two-state solution is designed to give both Israelis and Palestinians their own sovereign nations, with the hope of resolving long-standing conflicts regarding territory and governance. For Israel, a two-state approach could maintain its Jewish demographic majority and political power, while Palestinians aim for political and economic autonomy. Yet, even as this plan was proposed, it was clear that numerous difficulties lay ahead for its realization, including continuing uncertainties in international diplomacy, concerns about security, and hesitations from both sides.
During President Bush's time in office, he had to shift his focus from domestic policy to international affairs rapidly, with a particularly acute change following the 9/11 attacks. While initially advocating for 'compassionate conservatism' and nonintervention, the event of the attacks led to a major shift towards a war on terrorism and more assertive foreign policies.