Beyond Illusions: Only The Two-State Solution
Today, the conflict stands at a critical juncture. Military dominance, fleeting truces, and great-power backing have given Israel a sense of invincibility. But this security is an illusion. Beneath the surface lies a gathering storm: rising international criticism, generational shifts in global opinion, and an expanding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
For India, the conflict has never been distant. New Delhi’s foreign policy reflects a rare balance—unwavering support for Palestinian self-determination alongside an ever-deepening strategic partnership with Israel. India’s dual stance underlines the urgency of peace. And at the center of any peace lies one undeniable truth: without a Palestinian state, there can be no lasting security for Israel, no dignity for Palestinians, and no stability for the wider world.
Israel’s Mirage of Security
On the surface, Israel is stronger than ever. Its military is unmatched in the region, its intelligence capabilities are legendary, and its Iron Dome air defense system has become a global benchmark. The Abraham Accords opened diplomatic doors with several Arab states, while the United States remains its staunch ally. After the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, global sympathy initially flowed toward Israel, reinforcing its narrative of existential vulnerability.
But strength is deceptive. Over time, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, marked by civilian deaths and destruction, eroded much of that sympathy. Younger generations across Europe and North America increasingly view Israel not as a democracy under siege, but as an occupier denying another people’s rights. In universities, civil society movements, and digital activism, the discourse is shifting. Israel’s security built solely on force is unsustainable—it risks losing the very international legitimacy that ensures its survival.
The Missed Chances of Peace
The history of negotiations is littered with near misses. The Oslo Accords of the 1990s promised mutual recognition and gradual steps toward Palestinian statehood. The 2000 Camp David summit and subsequent talks addressed the thorniest issues—Jerusalem, borders, refugees—yet collapsed under mutual mistrust.
Palestinian leadership failed to unify its ranks; divisions between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas weakened its hand. Extremist violence sabotaged public support. Meanwhile, Israeli politics moved rightward, with successive governments expanding settlements and resisting concessions.
Each failure deepened despair, feeding the belief that peace was a mirage. But as decades of bloodshed show, no alternative path has ever succeeded.
Settlements: The Fatal Obstacle
If there is one issue that most starkly threatens the two-state solution, it is the relentless growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
More than 500,000 Israelis now live in over 140 officially recognized settlements and 200 ‘outposts.’ These communities, scattered deep within Palestinian territory, fragment the West Bank into isolated enclaves, making a contiguous Palestinian state increasingly unviable. Roads, checkpoints, and military zones further entrench this geography of control.
For many Palestinians, the very possibility of statehood seems to be slipping away. For the international community, settlement expansion represents not only a legal violation but a political death knell for peace. Unless this tide is reversed, the two-state horizon will vanish entirely.
Netanyahu’s Politics and the Post-October 7 Landscape
The Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, was Israel’s darkest day in decades, shattering its sense of invulnerability. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it also provided political cover. Dependent on ultranationalist coalition partners, Netanyahu has leaned further toward hardline policies, openly rejecting Palestinian statehood.
This shift may win him short-term political survival, but at enormous long-term cost. The more Israel entrenches occupation, the greater the risk of perpetual war, demographic challenges, and global isolation. The irony is sharp: in seeking absolute security, Israel may be undermining its very future.
Why a Palestinian State is in Israel’s Own Interest
The case for two states is not charity toward Palestinians; it is rational self-interest for Israel itself.
Security Responsibility: A sovereign Palestinian government would be internationally accountable for preventing terrorism, unlike non-state actors such as Hamas.
Regional Acceptance: Arab states—including Saudi Arabia—have made clear that normalization hinges on progress toward Palestinian statehood. Peace with the broader Arab world requires peace with the Palestinians.
Democratic Identity: Israel cannot remain both Jewish and democratic while ruling over millions of disenfranchised Palestinians. A one-state reality either strips Palestinians of rights—an apartheid-like outcome—or erodes Israel’s Jewish majority.
Exit from Gaza: Only a credible political horizon can undercut Hamas’s influence and provide a path out of the Gaza quagmire.
Global Legitimacy: By embracing two states, Israel regains moral standing and international support.
The ‘Less is More’ Strategy
Given today’s hard realities, a comprehensive peace agreement may be out of reach. But the choice is not between everything or nothing. Incremental steps can keep hope alive:
Stop Rewarding Extremes: Unilateral recognition of Palestine outside negotiations risks strengthening groups like Hamas. The path to statehood must run through diplomacy.
Freeze Settlements: The U.S. and EU must pressure Israel to halt settlement expansion, preserving the territorial possibility of two states.
International Framework: A coalition of global powers should provide security guarantees to Israel alongside economic and institutional support for a future Palestinian state.
Strengthen Moderate Leadership: Political and financial backing should flow to Palestinian leaders committed to negotiation, not armed struggle.
This ‘less is more’ approach recognizes that while final peace may not be imminent, keeping the door open is itself a strategic victory.
India’s Balancing Act: Lessons for the World
Amid polarized global alignments, India offers a striking example of balance. Rooted in its anti-colonial legacy, India was one of the earliest champions of Palestinian statehood, consistent with its leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement. Yet since normalizing relations with Israel in 1992, India has cultivated a robust partnership in defense, technology, and agriculture.
What makes India unique is its ability to hold both commitments without contradiction. By voting in favor of Palestinian recognition at the UN while simultaneously deepening strategic cooperation with Israel, India demonstrates that moral principles and pragmatic interests can coexist.
This dual-track diplomacy could serve as a model for other states navigating the Middle East’s complexities.
A Glimpse of Hope Amid the Gloom
Despite despair, glimmers of possibility remain. The Abraham Accords revealed that Arab states are increasingly willing to normalize with Israel—provided Palestinians are not permanently sidelined. In Israel itself, voices of conscience continue to rise. Civil society groups, former security officials, and democratic activists argue that perpetual war is unsustainable.
History reminds us that the darkest moments often precede breakthrough. The question is whether Israel and its allies will seize the opportunity or let it slip away once more.
Conclusion: The ‘Now or Never’ Moment
The two-state solution is imperfect, fragile, and riddled with obstacles. Yet it remains the only path that balances justice, security, and international legitimacy. Every other alternative leads to dead ends: endless conflict, global isolation, or the loss of Israel’s dual identity as a Jewish and democratic state.
This is why the current moment must be recognized for what it is: a closing window. Military might cannot erase a people’s demand for dignity. Humanitarian crises cannot remain indefinitely hidden. And illusions of security cannot replace genuine peace.
As former Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban once quipped about the Arabs—’They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity’—today the same warning applies to Israel. With unmatched military power, peace treaties with neighbors, and unconditional U.S. support, Israel has never been better positioned to make a courageous choice.
To miss this chance is to condemn both peoples, and perhaps the wider world, to another generation of bloodshed. To seize it is to finally transform illusions into reality.
Beyond illusions, there is only one solution: two states.