Is the two-state solution promoted by the United States and the European Union the key to ending the war in Gaza and growing instability in the Middle East?
The physical and political separation between Israel and Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is inevitable. In this era of nation-states, a nation for Palestinians is a suitable alternative to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Israel’s treatment of Gaza as an open-air prison. It is an alternative that the United States government and President Biden have adopted. The creation of a Palestinian state would survive and thrive if it was accompanied by a “Middle East Marshall Plan” for the Palestinians.
Israel launched a war on October 8 in response to Hamas attacks on Jewish communities. Can it restore its security and prevent regional escalation?
Israelis are proud of their democracy. Between January 7, 2023 and October 6, 2023, an attempt by the Netanyahu government to destroy Israel’s democracy through a series of five “judicial reforms” sparked unprecedented protests and demonstrations, the largest in Israel’s history. Israel. The protests brought together Israeli citizens from across the political spectrum. 20% of Israelis took part in some protests. Israeli protesters gathered every Saturday for 40 weeks. 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to stay in office. Those who protested against the “judicial reforms” and those who are still protesting on Israeli streets will unite to remove Netanyahu from office. National Unity Party President Benny Gantz is most likely to win Israel’s upcoming elections, and I predict, based on a pragmatic calculation, that he will free the nation from war by agreeing to a plan that allows the Palestinians to… from the West Bank and Gaza. The United States and the global community will have to insist that this territorial and administrative separation allows for a Palestinian state linked to a “Middle East Marshall Plan” for the Palestinians.
Why is anti-war sentiment growing in Israel and can it pose a threat to Netanyahu?
Supporters of the State of Israel and many experts have concluded that there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States and President Biden acknowledged and mourned the deaths of the 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas on October 7. The United States and President Biden must insist that Israel’s attack on Gaza has become a war of revenge and is contrary to Israel’s security interests.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu needs to hear from Biden that Israeli strategic bombing of Gaza will not work, is counterproductive and could cost Biden his re-election. There are good political and military reasons why Biden should insist that Netanyahu stop the bombing of Gaza immediately. Biden recently acknowledged that Israel is losing support from the international community because of the war. Biden is also losing the political support of his base in the United States due to his unwavering support for Israel, which could hand the election to Donald Trump.
There is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A “Middle East Marshall Plan” for the Palestinians, such as that advocated by Doyle, Kacowicz, Miller and Owen, could serve as a fundamental political operation to drive a wedge between Hamas militants and the civilian residents of Gaza.
By providing Palestinians with economic opportunities, jobs, education and industrial infrastructure, a Marshall Plan for the Middle East would give them hope for a better future that can immunize them against the temptations of violence.