Is the two-state option headed back to center stage?

Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni, former Israeli Foreign Minister

Akiva Eldar writes in Al Monitor, “In recent days, leaders of Israel’s political center-left have managed to generate a measure of public interest in an alternative to the moribund negotiations with the Palestinians. It began with the highly publicized meeting in Paris between former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sept. 21. After the meeting, Olmert said that only Abbas is able to implement the two-state solution. Several days later, on Sept. 25, an opposition leader, Tzipi Livni, also met with Abbas, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, at a New York City hotel. This event, too, generated major headlines in Israel, largely due to Livni’s aides, who shared information about the meeting with the press.”

Ehud Olmert, former Israeli Prime Mnister

“Livni reportedly implored the despondent Palestinian leader not to walk away from negotiations and encouraged him to resume a dialogue with the United States to push forward the two-state solution to the conflict with Israel. Livni told Abbas that seclusion, one-sided moves against Israel and wanton destruction would be an eternal tragedy. According to Livni, such steps “may lead to deterioration on the ground, a loss of control, and the loss of the two-state solution.” Livni further urged the aging Palestinian leader to mobilize to resolve the situation in Gaza and return to discussions rather than attacking the United States. She also said the Israeli government should conduct talks with moderate states in the region.”…

“Olmert and Livni are among the top leaders of the Israeli center-left…Both Olmert and Livni have at different stages conducted negotiations with the Palestinian leadership, so they know Abbas well. ”

“The past few days represent a milestone, no less in the struggle for Israeli public opinion regarding the conflict with the Palestinians. Olmert and Livni, in cooperation with Abbas, are once again moving it toward center stage. No less interesting, of course, are the aggressive reactions from the right. One after another, ministers and Knesset members from the right-wing parties have given interviews, tweeted and written Facebook posts pounding Olmert and Livni with harsh words. “Contemptible” was the word Tourism Minister Yariv Levin chose to describe the Livni-Abbas meeting in an interview with Israel Army Radio.” (more…)