A former head of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, Ami Ayalon, is urging Germany to actively support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In remarks to Welt am Sonntag, Ayalon called on Berlin to endorse Egypt’s proposal for a pathway towards a lasting resolution and to join the French-Saudi initiative aimed at achieving the same goal.
The Egyptian plan reportedly envisions an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, followed by the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic government, unconnected to Hamas, to oversee reconstruction efforts. This would then be followed by free and fair elections throughout all Palestinian territories. Ayalon believes a legitimately elected Palestinian leadership would unlock a viable path towards a two-state solution, mirroring the approaches currently championed by France, Saudi Arabia and the long-standing Arab Peace Initiative put forward by the Arab League in 2002. The proposal would link the establishment of a Palestinian state with full recognition of Israel by all Arab nations.
Ayalon, who also previously commanded an elite unit and served as chief of the Israeli Navy, contends that continuing military operations in the Gaza Strip are unproductive. He warned that the current instability is proving to be fertile ground for further radicalization.
He emphasized that military solutions alone cannot address the root causes of extremism. Ayalon argues that the existence of Hamas is fundamentally tied to the persistent lack of progress towards establishing a Palestinian state. “The further this prospect receded, the stronger this militia became” stated the former intelligence chief, who now serves as a member of Knesset, the Israeli parliament, representing the Labor party.