October 7, 2023: The Day the Two-State Solution Died

Written By: Jerry Elman, October 7, 2024

October 7, 2023, wasn’t just another day of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—it marked the death of the two-state solution. For those, including me, who believed two peoples who don’t like each other could share this tiny piece of land in peace, it was the day when those hopes were shattered once and for all. It was the culmination of nearly a century of betrayal and broken promises, where war had become the only path forward.

Now, a year later, with war still engulfing the region, this reality must be embraced. We cannot keep chasing a path that has proven impossible to achieve. That is the truth we must face on October 7, 2024.

The seeds of this tragedy were planted during the British Mandate. After World War I, Britain promised a homeland to both Jews and Palestinian Arabs. But instead of dividing the land as promised, they carved it up, giving Transjordan to the Hashemites and leaving behind only a tiny, divided piece for both peoples to fight over. The Palestinian Arabs were denied their promised state, and the Jews were left to fend for themselves.

The remaining land was too small and fragmented to support two viable nations, and Britain knew it. They intentionally created a situation where only one side could succeed, hoping the Palestinian Arabs and Arab League would prevail and the Jews would once again be exiled. This was no accident—it was a calculated act of betrayal.

Since then, every attempt at peace has been haunted by this legacy, as the land will always be too small to be shared. Wars will continue because the only way for one side to win is for the other side to be defeated. This two-state solution was never viable because the British division made it impossible and they then walked away.

For nearly 80 years, the world has chased solutions built on this broken foundation, but October 7, 2023, made it clear that those hopes were always an illusion. The legacy of British rule ensured that peace would always be a zero-sum game.

October 7th, 2023, was more than a political failure—it was a humanitarian catastrophe. Families were destroyed, futures were stolen, and communities were left shattered. Though Britain lit the match, the people of the region continue to suffer. As we remember October 7, 2023, we must also remember the hostages still kept captive, their families living in uncertainty and anguish. Their plight remains part of the ongoing human cost of this conflict.

Yet, even in the face of this tragedy, the path to peace isn’t gone. It lies in returning to the original vision before Britain’s betrayal. The path to peace today is the same as in 1921 when two states could have been created without bloodshed or the destruction of either side.

As we reflect on October 7, 2023, a year later, we must mourn the lost lives and recognize that our demands must change. The time has come for the international community to act differently. We must turn to the original solution and make the plans of 1921 a reality by carving out land from Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon to create a viable Palestinian Arab state—one that does not demand the destruction of the Jewish state or that the Palestinian Arabs accept they will never have their promised state.

This path to peace should have been followed from the start. We must say that the dream of peace has not died but has been reborn. Peace, without war, is possible. We need the courage to make it real.

I may be the only person on the planet to formally take this stand and say: let’s stop the insanity of doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome. We’ve played that game for over 100 years—it’s time to try something new.

Britain should be held accountable for this legacy they left the region and the world with. They should take the lead in fixing this mess once and for all.