For the sake of both Israelis and Palestinians, we need a two-state solution

A year ago today, I was in a taxi heading to the airport for a flight to Spain for a family wedding as the first reports came in of the Hamas attack on Israel. My heart sank. I have been to Israel and the West Bank several times and seen the best of both communities, their desire to find a route to peace and a future for their children.

But I have also seen some of the worst, been taken aback at the attitude of some Fatah leaders in Ramallah, and argued with Israeli settlers about their aggressive expansionism.

In those first few moments, hearing of young people murdered at a music festival, I remembered driving to pick up my teenage daughter from T in the Park. I felt for all those parents learning now that their children would never come home.

What should have been a joyous celebration of youth had become a heartbreaking, gruesome terrorist horror. In my heart of hearts, I knew that much worse was to come. That this was just the beginning. That there would be retaliation, counter strikes. Israel would exercise its right to defend itself while Hamas and Iran’s other proxies would continue their assaults.

Fears of all-out regional war

Possibly it would be worse than anything I’d seen in my lifetime, during which the Middle East and Israel in particular have been in a constant state of tension and conflict. From that moment a year ago, until now, Israel and Gaza have dominated much of what we have said and done in parliament.

I was proud of my party’s stance and approach, led by Layla Moran who is half-Palestinian, and our call for an immediate bilateral ceasefire, humanitarian aid, release of the hostages and a peace process to achieve a two-state solution in which Hamas can play no part.

A two-minute silence is held at the site of the Supernova music festival where many young people were killed or taken hostage by Palestinian militants on October 7 last year (Picture: Jack Guez) | AFP via Getty Images

Underpinning all of the debates, parliamentary motions and diplomatic approaches has been the knowledge that escalation could lead to an all-out war in the region. In the past few weeks, that fear has become an ever-more real possibility, as Iran's stated desire to be rid of Israel has moved from a campaign carried out through proxies to direct engagement.

World must act

But one other thing has become very much clearer. The world can no longer fail to take responsibility and allow the Palestinian people to be used as pawns in the geopolitical chess game that is the Middle East.

In these latest developments, it seems that their plight has been maginalised and almost relegated to the justification for conflict. Israel has a right under international law to defend itself. The people of Israel have a right to live in peace and security without the constant threat and fear of terrorist violence. So too do the Palestinian people.

The Balfour Declaration, which just over a century ago laid out the case for the establishment of the state of Israel, also recognised the need to protect the Palestinians’ right to a homeland. If ever there was a time when the need to fulfil that promise was laid bare, it is now.

Progress must come out of this horror for the sake of both the people of Israel and the Palestinians. We need a solution, a two-state solution, and we need it now.

Christine Jardine is Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West