How Ceasefire Advocates are Destroying the Two-State Solution

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The same governments, organizations and individuals calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza are also advocating for a two-state solution in which the Palestinians would get an independent state alongside Israel. Of course, most of the masses demonstrating in support of Hamas are demanding a single state solution that would create a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” — but I’ll focus here on the governments, including the Biden administration, that are advocating for a Palestinian state in what it considers to be occupied territory — namely Judea, Samaria, east Jerusalem and Gaza — and are simultaneously calling for a cease-fire.

If Israel ceases its war against Hamas and does not advance against Rafah, Hamas will emerge from its tunnels with thousands of armed terrorist fighters, around half of its pre Oct. 7 fighting force, including 4 to 5 fully functional battalions and its senior leadership.

If Israel then withdraws from Gaza, which is what the international community will demand it do, Hamas will continue to rule the enclave and rebuild its terror infrastructure.

Hamas will declare victory, despite the death and destruction it inflicted upon its civilian population, and gain tremendous support in the West Bank. With Palestinian Authority President Abbas getting close to making his final exit, Hamas will undoubtedly leverage their new support into political power — most likely resulting in taking control over the Palestinian Authority.

The independent Palestinian state that the world is yearning for will then turn into a Hamas ruled terror state similar to Gaza. It doesn’t take much imagination to envision how this scenario would look. We’ve already scene it play out after Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

As long as Hamas continues to exist as a viable fighting force and is viewed as winning the battle against Israel, no Israeli government can ever accept the reality of an independent Palestinian state that will most likely fall under the rule of Hamas. To do so would be suicidal for the people of Israel.

The only way there can be any hope for the Palestinians is if Hamas is taken out of the picture. Only then can negotiations begin to come up with a scenario that includes a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes Israel’s right to live in peace in all parts of its ancestral homeland and fully commits to peaceful cooperation and coexistence with Israel.

Demanding an end to the Israeli offensive in Gaza before Israel achieves its military objectives is an obstacle to peace and a nail in the coffin of any chance of a two-state solution.