Former Prime Minister of Ireland Mary Robinson and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark have called for the definitive cancellation of an Israeli settlement plan, warning that it poses a significant threat to the viability of a two-state solution. The former leaders emphasized that such a solution is essential for the peace and security of both Israelis and Palestinians.
In a joint statement, Robinson and Clark highlighted the growing extremism and intolerance within Israeli society, noting that many Israelis recognize these threats. They mentioned meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who condemned settler violence. The authors also acknowledged the profound trauma experienced by Israelis following the October 7 Hamas attacks, which included the unlawful detention of hostages.
Robinson and Clark expressed inspiration from Israeli and Palestinian civil society activists they encountered, who remain committed to combating impunity and injustice while striving for a future based on equality and respect for international law. However, they observed that the current reality on the ground diverges sharply from this vision.
Their assessment points to the ongoing settlement of the West Bank and sustained violence against Palestinians, leading to displacement, as actions that threaten ethnic cleansing and annexation. Coupled with the occupation of Gaza and renewed discussions among some Israeli ministers about establishing new settlements in the Strip, they concluded that these developments indicate a conquest and erasure of one state by another.
"Israel’s friends and allies must demand E1’s cancellation—not just postponement or freezing, but definitively ruling it out as a threat to the two-state solution which is necessary for both Israel and Palestine to have peace and security," the former leaders wrote. They believe that the current trajectory is making a two-state solution more critical than ever.