Wahlkampf in Israel: Netanjahus Rivale Eisenkot: Zweistaatenlösung wäre Fehler

In Israel's upcoming parliamentary election on October 27th, former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who leads the moderate Jaschar party, has made it clear that he opposes the two-state solution. Eisenkot argues that the idea of an independent Palestinian state coexisting peacefully with Israel is a "bitter mistake." His party, currently in the political center, could potentially overtake Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party as the strongest faction in parliament, according to recent polls.

However, neither Netanyahu's camp nor Eisenkot's can guarantee an absolute majority. Eisenkot has faced criticism for not clearly expressing his stance on the two-state solution earlier. Now, he warns that anyone still contemplating a two-state solution after the Hamas attack on October 7th is "utterly crazy." He also points out that his sister lives in a settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Eisenkot further criticizes the actions of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in the West Bank, stating that such behavior and settler violence against Palestinians are causing Israel to lose international legitimacy and endanger the entire settlement movement. Eisenkot also opposes the ongoing settlement project in the E1 area between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim.

He argues that such actions harm Israel internationally, as they could potentially divide the West Bank into a northern and southern part, making the creation of a contiguous Palestinian territory and the eventual two-state solution significantly more difficult, if not impossible. Israel's security concerns are primarily rooted in the fear that a sovereign Palestinian state, similar to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in 2023, could serve as a base for attacks on Israel.

Therefore, Netanyahu insists that Israel must retain security control west of the Jordan River even in the event of a political solution. Far-right members of Netanyahu's government seek annexation of the territory by Israel.