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Source: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-886966
Why Modern Day Security Realities Have Evolved Past the Two-State Solution
(Jerusalem Post) Maj.-Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland - The events of Oct. 7 sparked a paradigm shift in Israel. The assumption that Hamas was deterred, and therefore did not constitute a significant threat, proved to be flawed, exacting a devastating blood price. It must be acknowledged that the Two-State Solution in its familiar form no longer serves as a viable alternative for Israel. In theory, one might assume that a Palestinian state within the 1967 lines would be militarily far inferior to Israel and therefore would not constitute an existential threat in a direct, conventional war. Yet that assumption ignores the broader regional context. Israel is situated in a hostile Middle East and exposed to threats from coalitions of states and armed organizations. The events of Oct. 7 demonstrated that fighting in one arena can rapidly escalate into a multi-front campaign. In today's era, Israel is threatened by precision missiles and drones launched from thousands of kilometers away, from Iraq, Yemen, Iran and even Turkey. In such a reality, establishing a Palestinian state in the heart of the country could become an additional risk node within a much wider tightening ring. Moreover, the technological revolution in weaponry has implications for demilitarization. Demilitarization used to mean preventing the introduction of heavy weaponry such as tanks and aircraft into the territory of a Palestinian state. But in 2026, the modern battlefield is built around small, lethal systems that are easy to smuggle, including drones, rockets, and advanced anti-tank missiles such as the Kornet. These can be concealed easily within civilian spaces and supply trucks, making effective oversight nearly impossible. The presence of such systems in the West Bank would pose a direct threat to Israel's main transportation arteries and population centers. The writer is a former head of Israel's National Security Council.