Herzog no longer pushes two-state solution, says ‘Oct. 7 was a wake-up call’

The Israeli president said the idea of leaving territories to prepare for a Palestinian state is “not realistic at all. It doesn’t make sense to Israelis.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who has supported a two-state solution, said the October 7th massacre was a “wake up call.”

Speaking at the Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to journalist Fareed Zakaria on Tuesday, Herzog said, “The idea of the two-state solution is something which, on record, I supported in the past, many times.

“But I would say that I had a wake-up call following Oct. 7, in the sense that I want to hear my neighbors say how much they object, regret, condemn, and do not accept in any way the terrible tragedy of the terror attack of Oct. 7 and the fact that terror cannot be the tool to get there.”

Zakaria began the interview by asking: “It seems to me that Israel’s situation today is utterly transformed. Hamas is in very bad shape… Hezbollah has been substantially weakened, Iran – it’s air defenses have been essentially neutralized, its capacity to make weaponry has been significantly impeded. When you look at all that, do you view it as an opportunity for Israel?”

The president responded by saying that “clearly, the situation poses a great opportunity for the world at large, especially the free world, because the source of evil that emanates and covers us all starts with terror, especially with Iranian-instigated terror. This is the strategic issue above everything. Each proxy you deal with” is supported by Iran….

“I have news for you and the entire universe,” Herzog continued. Iran “is working day and night even now, rather than soul-searching…they are continuing endlessly, rushing towards the [nuclear] bomb” and planning terror attacks around the world.

Although Herzog said the Palestinians “deserve” peace, he added that in the post-October 7th reality, Israelis are less likely to make concessions needed to establish a Palestinian state.

“One has to understand the state of mind of Israelis, to come after such a horror and a national trauma, surrounded from seven different frontiers, and expect Israelis to say, ‘Hey guys, we are just — we are withdrawing, we’re pulling out from that settlement,’ or otherwise,” said Herzog.

“That’s not realistic at all. It doesn’t make sense to Israelis. They need to see something that makes sense regarding their personal security and safety.”

Herzog said that normalization with Saudi Arabia was something Israel “should strive for.”

However, regarding the repeated statements by Saudi leaders that Israel should show a commitment to establishing a Palestinian state before normalization could proceed, Herzog said the details and “nitty gritty” could be worked out through negotiations.

“Regarding the nitty gritty or the conditions, I would ignore some or all the statements. I think these things need to be discussed in closed rooms. I assume the Oval Office will be involved in it as well,” said Herzog.

“Israel is here in this region forever, and that’s why we should aim for it, apart also from the fact that Saudi Arabia itself is a key to regional stability.”

Regarding Donald Trump’s new administration, Herzog predicted that dealing with the Iranian threat would be the US President’s top foreign policy priority.

“Iran will be a main issue on his agenda in the very near future, and it will have to be deliberated,” Herzog stated. “Iran cannot have nuclear capabilities, and has to stop with its proxies and axis of evil.”

He said that Iran is “rushing” and “working day and night” to build nuclear weapons.

Herzog expressed hope that the ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas would hold and last through its second and third phases.

“I believe that there is a clear potential of getting to the second stage. There is a desire, and we meant it when we signed the agreement,” he said.

Herzog added that he believed there was a “potential” to reach the third phase.