Former Israeli and Palestinian PMs say a two-state solution is still possible

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Former Israeli and Palestinian PMs say a two-state solution is still possible

Former Israeli PM endorses idea of international peacekeeping force in Gaza

Sarah Ramsaran · CBC News · Posted: Nov 06, 2023 12:43 PM EST | Last Updated: November 6

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/former-palestinian-israeli-prime-minister-peace-plan-1.7019346

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Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian Authority prime minister Salam Fayyad say parties must pursue a two-state solution after the current war ends.

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(Olmert) "My belief is that, number one, we have to appeal to the friends of Israel, to the European countries, to America first and foremost, but to Canada as well and say to them … If you want to have some kind of stability in this region, then we need to have an intervention military force that will take over at the end of the military operation of Israel," he said.

Olmert also said Israel does not want to occupy the Gaza strip and the Palestinian Authority should eventually re-take control of the region.

""We pulled out of Gaza in 2005. We don't want to keep it and we want to allow an international force for an interim period of time now," he said.

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[Lonestarblue]

1. I think an international force is definitely needed. Palestinians do not trust Israel.

Especially with Netanyahu in charge. The sticky problem is where to draw borders. But Jerusalem should become an international city not under the control of either state. That was the original intent from 1948.

[Martin Eden]

2. Where would the Palestian State be?

Gaza isn't big enough, and the West Bank is sliced & diced with Jewish settlements and the roads connecting them. Does anyone really believe they will voluntarily abandon their homes or that ANY Israeli government will forcibly remove them?

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3. Some of those settlements may have been created to give Israel

something to negotiate with. We just don't know and hey we put men on the moon so humans should be able to get peace in Israel/Palestine.

[Martin Eden]

4. Settlements were not established as a negotiating tactic

They were established to create irreversible facts on the ground with the objective being a greater Israel.

Even if that weren't the intent, some of those settlements are multigenerational Jewish communites. The likelihood of them abandoning their homes voluntarily is next to zero.

Hamas recently committed a brazen terrorist slaughter of 1400, and the Israeli government will reward that attack by forcibly evicting thousands of Jewish families from their homes?

Not. Gonna. Happen.

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5. In a peace deal on the West Bank we may see some

give on the Israeli side. I'm not saying the Israeli Government told the settlers they were bargaining chips. But any new settlement came with political, violent and nation-state hazard and the Settlers knew that.

[Martin Eden]

6. I very much doubt the settlers built their communties

With any tacit agreement to abandon those settlements to make way for a Palestinian state.

Israeli citizens are divided into right & left somewhat like Americans. Most of the settlers likely voted for Netanyahu and share his vision of a greater Israel, which does not include a Palestiand state in the West Bank.

Even if Netanyahu is voted out, I don’t believe it is politically viable for ANY Israeli government to forcibly remove the settlers. Where would they be removed TO? Does Israel have a large surplus of available unoccupied homes or land?

In the wake of the Hamas assault, forcing out the settlers would be seen as validating terrorism as an effective way to advance the Palestinian cause.

Personally I've always been opposed to the settlements and would very much like the Palestinians to have their own country, but I'd bet my life savings the Israeli government will not require the settlers to abandon their homes in the West Bank.

[applegrove]

7. As to forcing some settlers out, it would not be a deal

based on Oct 7 attacks. It would be part of a two state solution and peace deal. Not the same thing. But I don't know. It is so complex.