– Now the need for a solution between Palestinians and Israelis is greater than ever, and Norway has shown that they can facilitate negotiations between the actors, says Yossi Beilin to news. Beilin has previously been both Deputy Foreign Minister and Minister of Justice in Israel, and participated in the negotiations on the Oslo Agreement in the 1990s. Few have come up with as many peace proposals over the years as Beilin. – Those are hard days. We are in a collective period of mourning that began on October 7. Does that mean that the possibilities for peace are less than in the past? Not at all, says Beilin. He believes the war on the Gaza Strip has brought the two-state solution back on track. – The leader of the free world talks about it at least twice a day. There is international agreement that it is the only solution, argues Beilin. The two-state solution is a proposal for dividing the areas where Israel and Palestine are located today into two independent states – one Israeli and one Palestinian. Wants Norway to take the helm Recently, a number of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have defended the two-state solution. Especially after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that he does not support a two-state solution. His party, the right-wing party Likud, has stated in its program that it does not support the establishment of a Palestinian state. However, Beilin believes that most Israelis are ready for a two-state solution, and that Netanyahu’s time in Israeli politics is coming to an end. – His popularity is almost zero. He can be blamed for the support Hamas has received, because he has preferred Hamas over the PLO. Hamas never talked about a two-state solution, while for the PLO everything has been about it. – I think we have a better chance now. I am not sure that we will get a two-state solution soon, but I do not rule out that possibility, says Beilin. Photo: Gunnar Bratthammer / news The Oslo Agreement, as the name suggests, was negotiated with the help of Norwegian diplomats. Historic meetings took place in Norway, and Beilin was one of those who participated. He is described as the agreement’s architect. He believes that Norway, then and now, is in a good position to invite new negotiations. – Norway was open to us. They took the chance and hosted us. They were facilitators more than brokers. It was a sober Norwegian way of handling things, if I may say so, says Beilin, and encourages the Norwegian authorities to invite informal talks. Barth Eide: The two-state solution is on the agenda Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap), however, is not quite ready to send out the invitations. He refers to initiatives among Arab foreign ministers, and believes it is important that Norway supports the plan that is being worked on among them. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide in Cairo. Photo: Geirr Larsen / news – But Norway can, they say, play a role in this, he says to news. He mentions that Norway can help the Palestinian Authority to strengthen and modernize itself. – Do you share Yossi Beilin’s belief that there is another move now? – I feel very strongly that there is a completely different pressure internationally. Also the countries that said they were in favor of the two-state solution, but did not do much about it, are now very worried about the situation, and have put it high on the agenda. – So I actually believe that this deep crisis can lead to an opportunity, says Barth Eide. Researcher: Must put power behind the demands History professor and senior researcher Hilde Henriksen Waage says Beilin is probably quite alone in his views in Israel. However, she believes that the fact that the two-state solution is on the international agenda is important. – This means that politically the two-state solution has now risen to the top of the agenda. Everyone believes that this is the only option. What remains is for the international community to put force behind the demands and show the will to implement this, says Waage. She says the important thing for Norway now is to gather support for a two-state solution, so that powerful players internationally, such as the EU and the USA, commit to being part of it. Believes the war is necessary Over 25,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, when Hamas took around 1,100 human lives in a terrorist attack in Israel. Although Beilin thinks the losses in the Gaza Strip are tragic, he believes that the war there is the only way to fight Hamas. – As long as Hamas’ leadership is not willing to leave Gaza and give up governing there, we have no better solution than to fight as if it were the Middle Ages, says Beilin. A negotiation on a two-state solution cannot include Hamas, and their government in Gaza must end, he believes. – I don’t think we can eradicate Hamas. It’s idiotic. There are so many people who support Hamas in Gaza, and not only there unfortunately. But preventing them from ruling the Gaza Strip is possible. – There are high death tolls. But unfortunately it is the only way to prevent them from repeating what they did and from destroying their own people. It is an extremist religious group. They are like IS, says the top politician.
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Israel’s former justice minister asks Norway to intervene in the Gaza conflict – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
