The October 7 crisis demands that we finally confront the fundamental questions that decades of leaders have avoided
An analysis drawing from the worldview of veteran Israeli journalist Akiva Eldar
Is There Any Hope For The Children?
The current state of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict represents perhaps the most dangerous moment in decades. The horrific events of October 7, 2023, followed by Israel’s devastating military response in Gaza, have shattered any remaining illusions about the sustainability of the status quo. Yet within this tragedy lies an opportunity to finally confront the fundamental questions that decades of political leaders have avoided: What kind of future do Israelis and Palestinians want to build together, and what price are both peoples willing to pay for genuine peace?
Drawing from the analytical framework and moral clarity that veteran Israeli journalist Akiva Eldar has brought to this conflict over decades, we can identify pathways forward that, while controversial and demanding significant sacrifices from both sides, offer the only realistic hope for breaking the cycle of violence that has consumed generations.
The Moral Imperative for Change
Eldar’s perspective, rooted in what he calls “enlightened Zionism,” begins with an uncomfortable truth that many Israelis prefer to avoid: the occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 has fundamentally corrupted Israeli democracy and undermined the very values that Israel’s founders sought to embody. This view, while controversial within Israeli society, provides essential clarity about the stakes involved.
Key Insight: The occupation has created conditions that threaten to spiral beyond any government’s control
The current reality in the West Bank, where over 700,000 Israeli settlers live under Israeli civil law while millions of Palestinians remain under military occupation, represents what Eldar has long characterized as an unsustainable dual system. The recent surge in settler violence, which has reached unprecedented levels with over 1,200 documented attacks against Palestinians in 2023 alone, illustrates how the occupation has created conditions that threaten to spiral beyond any government’s control.
This analysis does not diminish the legitimate security concerns that Israelis face, particularly after October 7. However, it recognizes that genuine security cannot be achieved through continued domination over another people. As Eldar has consistently argued, Israel’s long-term survival as both a Jewish and democratic state depends on ending the occupation and enabling Palestinian self-determination.
Understanding the Current Crisis
The events of October 7 and their aftermath have created a new reality that demands honest assessment. Hamas’s brutal attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and took 240 hostages, represented a catastrophic failure of Israeli security doctrine and a horrific violation of international humanitarian law. The attack shattered Israeli assumptions about the effectiveness of technological solutions to political problems and exposed the moral bankruptcy of believing that the Palestinian issue could be managed rather than resolved.
Israel’s response in Gaza, while understandable from a security perspective, has created a humanitarian catastrophe that has further isolated Israel internationally and deepened Palestinian trauma. The death toll, which has exceeded 40,000 Palestinians according to Gaza health authorities, has generated global outrage and renewed focus on the broader conflict.
Yet focusing solely on Gaza misses the larger picture. The West Bank, where settler violence has intensified dramatically since October 7, represents an equally urgent crisis. The Israeli government’s failure to protect Palestinian civilians from settler attacks, combined with increased military operations that have killed hundreds of Palestinians, has created conditions that make any future peace process exponentially more difficult.
“The current trajectory leads toward either permanent apartheid, which is morally unacceptable and ultimately unsustainable, or continued cycles of violence that will consume future generations.”
The Settler Violence Crisis: A Test of Israeli Democracy
The escalation of settler violence in the West Bank since October 7 represents what Eldar would likely characterize as a direct assault on Israeli democracy and rule of law. This violence, which includes attacks on Palestinian homes, destruction of olive groves, and forced displacement of entire communities, occurs with what can only be described as official impunity.
The solution to settler violence requires immediate and comprehensive action. First, the Israeli government must enforce the rule of law without exception. This means prosecuting settlers who commit violence against Palestinians with the same vigor applied to Palestinian attackers. It requires dismantling illegal outposts immediately and preventing the establishment of new ones. Most importantly, it demands that Israeli security forces prioritize protecting all civilians, Palestinian and Israeli alike, rather than facilitating settlement expansion.
However, addressing settler violence cannot be separated from the broader settlement enterprise. The presence of hundreds of thousands of Israeli civilians in occupied territory creates inherent tensions and security challenges that make violence almost inevitable. A sustainable solution requires a fundamental rethinking of Israel’s settlement policy and a commitment to reversing settlement expansion in areas designated for a future Palestinian state.
Critical Point: Over 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, making territorial compromise increasingly complex but not impossible
A Framework for Resolution
The path forward must begin with acknowledging that both peoples have legitimate national aspirations that deserve recognition and fulfillment. This means accepting that Israelis have the right to live in security and dignity in their homeland, while Palestinians have the equal right to self-determination and statehood in theirs.
The two-state solution, despite its current unpopularity among both Israeli and Palestinian publics, remains the only framework that can satisfy both peoples’ core needs. However, this solution cannot be the same as previous iterations that failed to address fundamental issues of justice, security, and viability.
A viable Palestinian state must have territorial contiguity, meaningful sovereignty, and control over its borders, airspace, and natural resources. This requires Israeli withdrawal from the vast majority of the West Bank, with only minor land swaps to accommodate the largest settlement blocs. Jerusalem must serve as the capital of both states, with creative arrangements for sharing sovereignty over the Old City and its holy sites.
For Israelis, any agreement must provide ironclad security guarantees and recognition of Israel’s right to exist as the homeland of the Jewish people. This includes demilitarization of the Palestinian state, international security guarantees, and arrangements for addressing the refugee issue that acknowledge both Palestinian suffering and Israeli demographic concerns.
Immediate Steps Toward Implementation
Action Required: The international community must immediately intervene to stop settler violence and protect Palestinian civilians
The international community must play a more active role in creating conditions for peace. This begins with immediate intervention to stop settler violence and protect Palestinian civilians. International observers should be deployed throughout the West Bank to monitor and report on violations by all parties.
Economic incentives and penalties must be deployed strategically. Countries that genuinely support a two-state solution should implement targeted sanctions on settlement products while increasing economic support for Palestinian institutions that promote peace and democracy. Israel should face consequences for settlement expansion while receiving support for withdrawal and security arrangements.
Palestinian leadership must also undergo fundamental reform. The Palestinian Authority has lost credibility with its own people through corruption and collaboration with the occupation. Any peace process requires Palestinian leadership that has democratic legitimacy and is committed to non-violence. This may require new elections and constitutional reforms that ensure accountability and transparency.
Addressing the Regional Dimension
The current crisis cannot be resolved without addressing its regional dimensions. Iran’s support for Hamas and other militant groups represents a direct threat to any peace process, while Arab states’ growing normalization with Israel creates new opportunities for regional cooperation.
The Abraham Accords, while controversial for excluding Palestinians, demonstrate that Arab-Israeli peace is possible when mutual interests align. However, sustainable regional peace requires Palestinian inclusion. A comprehensive regional peace agreement that addresses Palestinian national rights while providing Israel with full recognition and security cooperation from all Arab states offers the best path toward lasting stability.
Saudi Arabia’s potential normalization with Israel, contingent on progress toward Palestinian statehood, represents a unique opportunity. The kingdom’s influence in the Arab and Muslim worlds could help legitimize compromises necessary for peace while providing economic incentives for both sides to implement agreements.
Regional Game-Changer: Saudi normalization with Israel, conditional on Palestinian progress, could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics
The Role of Civil Society and Track II Diplomacy
Official diplomacy alone cannot bridge the enormous gaps between the parties. Civil society organizations, religious leaders, and business communities must play active roles in preparing public opinion for the compromises peace requires.
Track II diplomacy initiatives that bring together former officials, academics, and civil society leaders from both sides have consistently demonstrated that creative solutions exist for even the most intractable issues. These initiatives must be expanded and supported, particularly efforts that engage younger generations who will inherit the consequences of today’s decisions.
Educational reform represents another crucial element. Both Israeli and Palestinian educational systems must be reformed to promote understanding of the other’s narrative while maintaining commitment to each people’s legitimate aspirations. This does not mean accepting false equivalencies, but rather acknowledging that both peoples have suffered and both deserve justice.
Economic Dimensions of Peace
Economic cooperation offers perhaps the most promising avenue for building trust and demonstrating the benefits of peace. The Palestinian economy, devastated by decades of occupation and conflict, requires massive investment and integration with regional and global markets. Israel’s advanced technology sector could play a crucial role in Palestinian economic development while benefiting from expanded markets and reduced security costs.
Regional economic integration, building on existing initiatives like the Red Sea-Dead Sea water project, could create interdependencies that make conflict less likely while improving living standards for all. The European Union’s model of economic integration leading to political cooperation offers a template, though adapted to regional realities and constraints.
Confronting the Demographics Reality
Demographic Reality: Between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, Palestinians and Israeli Jews number roughly equal populations, with Palestinians likely becoming a majority within a decade
The demographic reality that Eldar has long highlighted cannot be ignored. Between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, the number of Palestinians and Israeli Jews is roughly equal, with Palestinians likely to become a majority within a decade. This reality makes the two-state solution not just morally imperative but practically essential for Israel’s survival as a Jewish democracy.
The alternative trajectories are unacceptable to both peoples. A single binational state would likely lead to continued conflict and instability, while permanent occupation would require Israel to choose between being Jewish or democratic. The window for a viable two-state solution is rapidly closing, making immediate action essential.
The International Community’s Responsibility
The international community, particularly the United States and European Union, bears significant responsibility for the current crisis through decades of ineffective diplomacy and double standards. American support for Israel must be balanced with genuine pressure for ending the occupation, while European criticism of Israeli policies must be accompanied by concrete support for Palestinian institution-building and economic development.
International law must be enforced consistently. This means holding all parties accountable for violations while providing frameworks for addressing legitimate security concerns. The International Criminal Court’s investigations must proceed without political interference, while international humanitarian law must be respected by all parties.
Conclusion: The Price of Peace and the Cost of Inaction
“History will judge harshly those who, when presented with opportunities for peace, chose the temporary comfort of familiar grievances over the difficult work of reconciliation.”
The path outlined here requires enormous courage from leaders on all sides and significant sacrifices from both peoples. Israelis must accept ending the settlement enterprise and withdrawing from most of the West Bank, while Palestinians must accept Israel’s permanent existence and demographic realities that limit refugee return. Both peoples must choose leaders willing to make these difficult decisions and stand behind them when opponents inevitably mobilize.
The alternative to such courage is continued descent into a reality that serves neither people’s interests. The current trajectory leads toward either permanent apartheid, which is morally unacceptable and ultimately unsustainable, or continued cycles of violence that will consume future generations.
Eldar’s perspective, while controversial within Israeli society for its unflinching criticism of the occupation, provides essential moral clarity about what is at stake. His analysis recognizes that genuine love for Israel requires facing uncomfortable truths about the current path and choosing a different direction while there is still time.
The October 7 attacks and their aftermath have created new realities that make previous assumptions obsolete. Yet within this crisis lies an opportunity to finally address the fundamental issues that previous peace processes avoided. The choice facing both peoples is stark: summon the courage to make the compromises peace requires, or continue down a path that promises only more suffering for both sides.
History will judge harshly those who, when presented with opportunities for peace, chose the temporary comfort of familiar grievances over the difficult work of reconciliation. The time for such comfort has passed. The work of peace, difficult as it may be, represents the only viable future for both peoples who share this small piece of land they both call home.
About this Analysis: This piece draws extensively from the worldview and analytical framework of Akiva Eldar, veteran Israeli journalist and political analyst. While Eldar’s views on the occupation and settlement enterprise remain controversial within Israeli society, his moral clarity and commitment to democratic values provide essential insights for understanding the current crisis and potential paths forward.
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