Gershon Baskin

None of these concerns should become an excuse to deny Palestinians the right to choose their leadership. Palestinian politics has suffered for years from a deep crisis of legitimacy.

Netanyahu would like nothing more than to campaign as the Israeli leader who stood up to Trump. Trump should refuse to play the role Netanyahu has written for him.

Replacing Netanyahu with a more competent leader while retaining Netanyahu’s fundamental doctrine toward the Palestinians would amount to better management of the same failed strategy.

If Israel goes to elections while fighting another war, the political terrain changes.

A functioning state cannot allow private ideological movements to use violence to determine borders.

Israel cannot achieve sustainable security by permanently controlling millions of Palestinians.

The next government should be formed by every party – Jewish or Arab – that accepts a common democratic platform.

The conflict will end only when Palestinians achieve freedom, sovereignty, dignity, and statehood, and Israelis achieve security, recognition, and regional acceptance.

Israelis and Palestinians may soon have a rare opportunity to replace the politics of permanent war with leaderships carrying renewed democratic mandates.

It is time to wake up and acknowledge that there is no democracy with occupation.