Is the two-state solution dead?

In this episode of Ideas, host Nala Ayed explores the fate of the two-state solution with Daniel Levy, a British-Israeli author, former Israeli negotiator, and key figure in the Oslo Accords. Levy argues that the two-state model is effectively dead, not due to inherent flaws in the idea, but because of decades of failed diplomacy, entrenched Israeli occupation, and the systematic dismantling of Palestinian statehood. He traces the collapse from the Oslo process—once seen as a beacon of hope—to today’s reality of Gaza’s near-total destruction, the expansion of Israeli settlements, and the normalization of apartheid-like conditions. Levy contends that the current situation demands a radical reimagining of coexistence, rejecting zero-sum outcomes in favor of a future where Palestinian and Israeli Jews can live together under a framework of equality. He warns that without addressing the regime of Jewish supremacy and the lack of accountability for Israel’s actions, the region will continue on a path of escalating violence and irreversible damage. The episode also critiques the Trump-era Board of Peace as a farce that undermines international legitimacy and fails to address core issues. Levy emphasizes that the end of the two-state solution is not the end of hope, but a moment to confront uncomfortable truths: the failure of Western diplomacy to enforce accountability, the erosion of Israeli democracy, and the moral crisis facing both Palestinians and Israelis. He calls for a shift in incentives—ending impunity, supporting Palestinian political agency, and holding Israel to international law—to create space for a new political process. Ultimately, the episode presents a sobering yet urgent call to move beyond outdated paradigms and confront the reality that peace cannot be built on occupation, denial, or asymmetry. The conversation underscores that the future must be shaped not by nostalgia for failed processes, but by a courageous reimagining of justice and coexistence.