Many in Israel, especially those on the right, will say “we cannot consider 2 states while Hamas, committed to our destruction, still exists.”    Many in Palestine do not rebuke Hamas because of the Israeli oppression throughout the territories and little progress under the non-violent Palestinian Authority.    This situation can change if Israel and Palestine saw a similar path forward.  

Both Israel and the Palestinians should immediately treat each other with respect in the West Bank to create a “what can be” situation.    Settler violence and even plots for settler violence must stop and must be prosecuted with the same vigor that Israel now prosecutes Palestinian violence.    No new Israeli settlements.   No Palestinian evictions.  Allow Palestinians to graze their flock and tend their olives.  Water rights.   Stop arresting Palestinians involved in peaceful advocacy for their civil rights.  Israel should disengage from Palestinian life.

What about security?  The Palestinian Authority should thwart both actual and plots for violence against Israelis originating from the West Bank.   They should also ensure that antisemitic material glorifying martyrdom is eradicated from their education system – we want a future of tolerance not hate. Renounce “by any means necessary”.  In return for positive performance, Israel additionally commits to new Palestinian settlements in what is now “area C” of the West Bank.  

This creates a model for justice and peace in at least a portion of the West Bank.   Palestinians are able to see a way forward – it eliminates the rationale for violent resistance.    Those in Gaza can now look at the West Bank, and instead of seeing oppression, can see a just society.   They will ask “why can’t we be like the West Bank”.    They can.     They can reject Hamas and chose the new West Bank life of peace and justice in Gaza.

What about Hamas.   When their ideas are shown to be bankrupt, their current supporters will reject them.     Even under current conditions,  a few fighters have changed course.   The Israeli-Palestinian organization Combatants for Peace https://cfpeace.org/ is composed of former IDF and Palestinian fighters who are now committed to a non-violent approach to justice and a 2 state solution.

I owe the security and disengagement ideas to the following: https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/advancing-the-dialogue-a-security-system-for-the-two-state-solution

What can you do?   Write to President Biden, to Israel and to the Palestinian Authority advocating this approach.   

Thank you so much.