An Israeli and a Palestinian journalist found common ground on the perils of Israeli leadership ignoring Hamas and the need for a two-state solution during Al-Monitor’s webinar on the Israel-Hamas war on Thursday.
Al-Monitor columnists Ben Caspit and Daoud Kuttab participated in a live Q&A moderated by Al-Monitor President Andrew Parasiliti, touching on the looming Israeli ground invasion of Gaza, the future of the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s new wartime government and more.
Both Caspit and Kuttab argued that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies indirectly emboldened Hamas as the longtime leader ignored the rival Palestinian Authority. Caspit said that Hamas was useful for Netanyahu due to the militant Islamist group’s rejection of a two-state solution. According to Caspit, the deadly Hamas attack represented the “the collapse of the Netanyahu conception that if he weakens the PA and strengthens Hamas, the terrorists, he will be safe because … there will be no partner on the Palestinian side.”
Kuttab expressed a similar sentiment, adding that the world should now refocus on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his secular brand of Palestinian nationalism.
