In an astonishingly honest interview, where he willingly reveals his anguish and pain, Israel’s former Justice Minister has said that he was “very very unhappy” and that his “heart [was] broken” by the devastation of Gaza which has left nearly 42,000 killed, almost 100,000 injured and practically all of its 2.3 million people displaced.
Clearly suggesting that the retaliation Israel has inflicted on the people of Gaza after October 7, 2023 is exaggerated, disproportionate and unjustified, Yossi Beilin said that “retaliation was needed in a functional way” and its aim should have been limited to the release of hostages and forcing Hamas to leave Gaza.
In a 30-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Beilin also said he was deeply concerned and worried by the way Israel’s image in the West has nosedived. Immediately after October 7, 2023, Israel had the compassion of the world. Now that compassion has turned to contempt. On university campuses in the West, Israel is despised if not hated. Beilin says he is distressed and very worried about this.
Speaking about Israel’s repeated promises to retaliate for the 180 missiles Iran fired into Israel on October 1, Beilin said: “I’m not sure whether retaliation is the only answer.”
In the interview, Beilin repeatedly criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to accept terms for a ceasefire, which in March or April were promising. Beilin also said that if the present outline of a ceasefire, worked upon by Gershon Baskin, who earlier negotiated the release of Gilad Shalit, are accurately reported, Netanyahu has made a big mistake not accepting them.
Finally, speaking about the solution to the Palestine problem, which lies at the core of the situation between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah, Beilin spoke of the same concept of confederation that earlier Omer Bartov mentioned in an interview 12 days ago. Beilin is one of the authors of this concept, along with Hiba Husseini from the Palestinian side.
