Netanyahu's top election rival: Two-state solution would be a mistake

Gadi Eisenkot, a prominent challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has declared that pursuing a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians is a "mistake" in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

Eisenkot, whose centrist "Yashar" party is polling as potentially the largest faction in upcoming elections, voiced his strong opposition to the concept in an interview with the newspaper "Israel Hajom." He stated, "Anyone who still thinks about a two-state solution after October 7 is simply crazy."

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Anyone who still thinks about a two-state solution after October 7 is simply crazy.

Beyond his stance on a peace settlement, Eisenkot also sharply criticized the actions of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, along with settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. He warned that these actions are causing "Israel to lose international legitimacy" and pose a threat to the entire settler movement.

Eisenkot specifically opposed the current government's push for settlement construction in the E1 area, situated between East Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement. He argued that such developments harm Israel internationally. Building in E1 would effectively split the West Bank into northern and southern sections, making the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state significantly more difficult, if not impossible. The Israeli government, citing security concerns, rejects a sovereign Palestinian state, fearing it could become a base for attacks, similar to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Netanyahu insists on Israel maintaining security control west of the Jordan River, even with a political agreement.

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Israel to lose international legitimacy