From October 7th we knew that in order to return all the hostages we would have to negotiate with Hamas. Despite this, the first and most important goal of the Israeli government since that terrible Saturday was to eliminate Hamas from all of its military and governmental capabilities. We knew that the army and the Shin Bet might be able to rescue some of the hostages, but not all of them. We said that there was no chance of another Entebbe operation and that ultimately we would have to reach a deal with Hamas. In our unreal reality and in direct contradition of the Israel war goals, if we want to return the remaining 94 hostages, we need Hamas to continue to control Gaza, at least until the last of the hostages is released.
In my opinion, this is what the Israeli government should do in the face of this unbearable reality: We must pressure the Americans to pressure Qatar and Egypt to obtain Hamas’s agreement to shorten the time frame for the implementation of the current deal. The deaal which will extend two to three months is a bad deal and works against the chances of survival of the hostages who are still alive.
Shortening the implementation time requires Israel to agree to an end to the war, because Hamas will not agree unless it involves an end to the war and a complete withdrawal of the IDF from the entire Gaza Strip. At the same time, Israel must act, together with the Americans in coordination with Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Morocco, and of course Saudi Arabia, to exert pressure on Mahmoud Abbas to appoint an independent person as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, a person who is not corrupt, who is morally and practically against violence and the armed struggle, and who is prepared to lead Gaza to a reconstruction that will allow the Palestinians to live a life of dignity. Mahmoud Abbas and the PA cannot control Gaza, they barely control the West Bank.
It would be best if Abbas moved aside – he could be president until his death, but the powers of government would be transferred to a worthy Palestinian person who is acceptable to the Palestinian street. Even if that is not possible, it would also be good if there was a temporary government in Gaza only, legally linked to the Palestinian Authority, but in fact independent of it, for a period of two to three years until the Palestinians can hold elections for a new government for the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. The temporary government in Gaza would be a non-Hamas government and it would work to lead the beginning of the reconstruction of Gaza.
The most important key to all of this is the understanding that eliminating Hamas as we know it is not a military act – it is a diplomatic and political act. The Palestinian struggle against Israel will not end until the Palestinians achieve independence in a Palestinian state next to the State of Israel – mainly in the territories occupied in 1967. This may sound delusional to most Israelis now and maybe also to most Palestinians, but it must be our main lesson from October 7. This terrible war will not be the last war until Israeli control over another people comes to an end.
Seven million Palestinians living between the river and the sea in the same area where seven million Israeli Jews live cannot live together in peace as long as one side has full control and full national rights while the other side does not have those same rights. If President Trump is truly serious about his statement that he will bring an end to wars, then he will embrace the understanding that the two-state solution is the only solution that exists that allows both peoples to receive territorial expression of their identity. It is less important that we do not have leaders in Israel and Palestine now who will lead us to peace.
The new president’s American pressure will bring about the change that we need in Israel and in Palestine. And even if that does not happen, we – the Israeli and Palestinian peoples will be obliged to bring in these new leaders – because if not, then what was until now is what will be our future – and this should not be acceptable to any of us.
