Hebrew News Paper: After the war, we will have to talk about two states for one people in Israel

In these hours, the State of Israel is struggling to achieve three decisive goals that are shaking it severely and degrading it to a level it has never known before: eliminating Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip; Freeing those kidnapped from Hamas captivity; restoring security and calm to the residents of the north.

What is meant is a reality the likes of which the state has not known since its establishment. During the past 76 years of its existence, the State of Israel has witnessed many difficult wars, crises and unrest. But we were fortunate that we had governments at the time, some good, others less good, that knew how to lead the country towards a much better reality.

The problem is that the State of Israel is now governed by a failed government, which lacks the capabilities to lead the state in the current situation. A government that does not enjoy a majority among the people, the majority of whom want to replace it as soon as possible. A government, whose president and his ruling party are caught between the clutches of their extremist partners who are tightening the noose around their necks and directing them according to their extremist doctrine, which would undermine the state due to irresponsible and delusional behavior.

What is painful about this difficult reality is that wherever you look, you do not find a possible way out of it or a solution. Elections during the war, while our soldiers are on the southern and northern fronts, are not on the table. Forming a pragmatic and effective national emergency government with the participation of the “There is a Future” and “Israel Our Home” parties, at the initiative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is a dream far from reality, because it is clear that Netanyahu prefers to put his political future before the future of the state, and he is not ready to separate from his extremist partners who, for him, represent the stake of salvation.

On the other hand, whoever is looking for manifestations of national and civic responsibility and loyalty to the state among Likud Knesset members, it will be difficult for him to find an honest person among them who will say, “Enough, this behavior is offensive to the state.”

Meanwhile, we can see how the feeling of “together we win” [the war slogan] is beginning to dissipate. In the first days of the war, we felt it, and it created the impression that the events of the past year, such as the attempts to advance the judicial coup and the demonstrations against it, were behind us. But it is clear that the polarization within the people remains the same, and has even become more severe. The spread of conspiracies and lies about the Shin Bet’s intention to overthrow Netanyahu, and the talk about the phone call between Shikma Pressler’s husband and Sinwar, on the eve of the war, in addition to the attacks on the Chief of Staff, the Commander of the Central Region and others, prove that unity, calm and tranquility will not prevail here, even after the end of this war and achieving goals.

If we once talked about two states for two peoples as a solution to the Palestinian problem, it seems that after this war, we will be forced to talk seriously about two states for one people, a people divided, polarized and trapped...

Anyone who tries to search for the roots of the phenomenon, and for a solution to the difficult problem into which the state has deteriorated, and which is destroying everything that was built in it with blood, effort and tears over the years, will reach one conclusion, which is that the emerging situation and the trap in which we are stuck was created by one person, Benjamin Netanyahu. He held office for many years, and most of the time, he turned a blind eye, made promises that could not be fulfilled, and criminally neglected many areas. Netanyahu's main concern was to preserve his survival and glorify his name. He never admitted mistakes and shortcomings, and knew how to find those to blame when the situation was difficult and painful.

A prime minister who, in order to maintain his political survival, allied himself with extremist factions of the people who are on the margins of Israeli society, which led to their control over the agenda of the Israeli state. Because of it, Israel turned into an extremist and religious state.

The bulk of Netanyahu's supporters agree with these facts. All those who supported him for years and elected him, and like the entire people of Israel, stand today, in fear, in the face of this terrible collapse.