Prime Minister, I see that you are watching live on television whether the agreement between Israel and Hamas is working. After weeks of being in charge of communicating this, do you still have to stick so closely to this topic?
Believe me, these are intense days and weeks. And the point at which the hostages are to be released is always particularly sensitive. So bear with me when the phone rings, I have to answer it.
After all the experiences you have had with both sides in the past few weeks, are you optimistic that the ceasefire can be extended – and that a solution may even be reached?
At least we managed to create positive momentum and that is a step in the right direction. I hope we can build on that now. There is no conflict that began and ended on the battlefield. In the end there are always agreements and agreements. There was a lot of emotion and anger at the beginning, on both sides. Now that hostages are being released and there is a lull in the fighting, we may be able to find a solution. I think what really sets us apart is the persistence with which we keep trying. We don’t give up easily.
Do you think that Hamas could be part of such a solution, that it should even be?
That is still very, very difficult to say. But you know, ultimately this conflict is not new. What is new is the Hamas attack, its scale and its significance. And also the extent of the destruction that Israel has caused in the Gaza Strip, the number of deaths that have occurred there. These are the new factors, but the rest is not new. This has been going on for a very long time. Nobody knows today what exactly the definition of the endgame should be. That determines Israel. I don’t know what they mean by declaring that they want to destroy Hamas. You won’t be able to destroy Hamas that easily. Whether we agree with her or not, she is part of society in Gaza and also in the West Bank. Or is it about ending the presence in the Gaza Strip? That would be a flexible definition.
It is actually inconceivable that, after the massacres of October 7th, it would be acceptable for Israel to have such an organization on its border. So what scenarios can we talk about? Something like 1982, when the PLO withdrew from Lebanon?
I believe that we must first concentrate on ending this war. First the violence has to stop and then we can think about long-term solutions. But one thing is clear: the Palestine issue can no longer be swept under the carpet. And the Palestinians themselves should decide what a solution should look like, not us.
Isn’t it now time for the Gulf states to take responsibility? They could set the precedent for achieving an Arab solution for Gaza. But willingness seems to be limited?
We fully agreed in our discussions in the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League that our priority is to focus on ending the war. The only thing that will move us forward is a permanent two-state solution according to the international resolutions passed 50 years ago. It is time for us as a region to do our duty – and for Israel to do its duty to make peace possible. Unfortunately, over the past few decades, the Israeli government has rejected any attempt by the region or the international community to find a path to a two-state solution.
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