Yair Golan, Maj. Gen. (res.), chairman of the Democrats Party
This week, after weeks of increasing international pressure, the severe deterioration of Israel's standing, the cynical use of the hostages and soldiers in Gaza as a backdrop for Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech, and the publication of Donald Trump's cease-fire plan, the prime minister stood in the White House and said yes to an agreement. He revived the only solution that can bring Israel long-term security: the two-state solution.
Netanyahu's yes was an admission of the collapse of the right-wing notion of achieving security by ignoring the Palestinian problem or using force alone. It was an acceptance of the path we had always taken.
I entered politics to advance separation from the Palestinians in a regional agreement that would lead to two states for two peoples, two states living side by side in security and peace. As someone who for years tackled the issue from the security angle, including as an officer at West Bank headquarters during implementation of the Oslo Accords in the '90s, and as commander of the Judea and Samaria Division from 2005 to 2007, I can say that the two-state solution is in Israel's strategic interest. And I know that the path is no less important than the goal.
A life-affirming prime minister would have launched negotiations over a year ago with Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to build a more secure future for the Gaza Strip. The agreement now stemming from the Trump plan could have been put on the table a year and a half ago, at Israel's initiative. But Netanyahu, who preferred keeping the prime minister's chair to keeping the hostages alive, did everything he could to fritter away any chances for such a plan.
None of the countries mentioned above will invest billions of dollars in Gaza or train and send forces for stabilization operations there without a genuine Israeli commitment to continue a diplomatic process with the Palestinians with a clear purpose: establishing a Palestinian state.
But post-October 7 Israel isn't the same Israel as before, nor will it ever be. The collective trauma brought with it Israelis' hatred and mistrust of their neighbors, with an intensity we haven't seen for years.
We must not turn a blind eye to those feelings and their implications. They won't disappear if we don't acknowledge them and don't understand how to deal with them. The way there can't pass through a futile and hopeless war that exploits the national trauma to fulfill messianic delusions about annexation.
The Palestinian arena is where our country's future will be decided. In this arena the most urgent challenge is Gaza, a problem that won't be solved unless we provide a solution to two basic problems: who will govern the Strip and who will be responsible for rebuilding it.
Israel's wisdom will now be measured by its ability to influence the formation of a government to replace the terror organization in Gaza. This government must enjoy internal Palestinian legitimacy, be moderate and work hand in hand with the moderate Sunni countries in the region. These are the countries capable of supporting the establishment and consolidation of such a government, and they're the ones that can help rebuild Gaza.
These two processes force us to abandon a utopian, superficial notion of peace. For the moment, the partner won't be able to guarantee Israelis' security. Therefore, Israel must strive for separation on the civilian level while preserving the security forces' freedom of operation the right of prevention and response against any terror threats until there is no longer any need.
The path begins with an end to the war and the release of all the hostages, followed by close work with moderate countries in the region and with the West headed by the United States. We must also fully recognize that the temporary multinational government controlling Gaza will in the end have to be replaced by an independent Palestinian government that can be a worthy security and diplomatic partner for Israel, while also benefiting the Palestinian people.
Anyone who thinks Netanyahu is capable of leading Israel along this path is delusionary and didn't listen to him closely the other day. The road toward a life worth living can only be paved by a new government that doesn't include the current coalition parties.
Since Yom Kippur 1973, a national soul-searching has joined the personal soul-searching that is traditional on this day. Fifty-two years later and nearly two years since the massacre on Simhat Torah, the time has come for Yom Kippur to serve for the government's soul-searching. After that, we can start repairing.
* The article was first published in the Al Quds, on October 2nd, 2025. The Levant Files does not share all the arguments that have been expressed in the republished articles. We share the article due to the ongoing historical developments in the region.