Gershon Baskin on the Two-State Solution and Israeli Politics

Israeli Government Instability

• ⚠️ Benjamin Netanyahu's government faces collapse due to a dispute over exempting the ultra-Orthodox community from military service.
• ⚡ The ongoing war in Gaza has created an urgent need for soldiers, highlighting the exemption of approximately 60,000 eligible ultra-Orthodox Jews.
• ⚖️ The potential collapse of Netanyahu's government could lead to a temporary government with limited powers until elections.

The Gaza War and Hostage Deal

• 💔 The overwhelming majority of the Israeli public desires an end to the war and the release of the remaining 55 Israeli hostages, with concerns about the survival of only 20-21.
• ⏳ The war, now in its 19th month, is criticized for having no strategic advantage and causing immense killing, destruction, and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• 🎯 The annihilation of Hamas is deemed militarily impossible and can only be achieved politically by the Palestinian people choosing new leaders.

The Two-State Solution

• 🕊️ The time for peace and the two-state solution is now, with a call for the recognition of Palestine and Israel by the international community.
• 🤝 Acknowledging the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to exist between the river and the sea is crucial for achieving peace and security for both populations.
• 🌍 International efforts, including the Paris Peace Forum and upcoming summits in New York, aim to push for the implementation of the two-state solution.

International and Political Stumbling Blocks

• 🇺🇸 A major obstacle is the United States' shifting stance on the two-state solution, though past proposals have contained elements of it.
• 🇪🇺 The European Union is urged to take stronger action against Israeli settlements in occupied territories, including sanctions and restrictions on visa-free access and market access for settlement products.
• 🇵🇸 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has proposed convening elections within a year, with political parties not supporting the PLO's two-state solution line being disallowed from running, effectively excluding Hamas unless it changes its stance.

Public Opinion and Path Forward

• 📉 Polls indicate that the Netanyahu coalition would not win an election, with a majority of Israelis wanting the war to end and hostages to return home.
• 🤝 The biggest challenge to peace is convincing both Israelis and Palestinians that partners for peace exist on the other side.
• 💡 Living in peace is presented not as a fantasy, but as the necessary escape from the current reality of conflict, with the two-state solution being the only viable option despite its difficulties.