Michael Oren's Vision for Israel: Unity Challenges, Two-State Solution, and Preserving Identity

When asked what concerns him most about “The Day After,” Michael Oren doesn’t hesitate. The American born Israeli diplomat, historian, novelist, and politician told Steven Shalowitz, host of Jewish National Fund - USA’s podcast, IsraelCast that we need to work even harder to retain and preserve our unity as a people after the October 7 terrorist attacks.

“The irony of the recent events is that the Hamas reminded us of who we are – as a nation, a state, a people, [and] a family,” he said.

But that unity is starting to show cracks in our peoplehood, he believes, and that is “a greater danger than Hamas”.

Responsibility, Vision, Will and a Two-State Solution

Oren spoke about his latest book, 2048, The Rejuvenated State, where the former Israeli Ambassador to the US sets out his vision for Israel in honor the country’s 75^th year of independence and speaks about its main themes of Responsibility, Vision and Will.

For Oren, the concept of Zionism can be defined by one word – Responsibility.

“It is only within the framework of a sovereign Jewish state that Jews can take responsibility for ourselves as Jews,” he said. “In Israel, as a Jew, you’re responsible for everything – from sewerage to foreign policy. That is what Zionism is.”

The book speaks about Israel’s vision as a country on its 100^th anniversary, and Oren hopes that by 2048, “Israel will have a 2-state solution that meets its security needs and enhances its international standards and that preserves its democratic and Jewish identity.”

Yet, because of his decades of experience as ambassador, academic and member of think-tanks examining the idea of a two-state solution, Oren is also realistic about the chances of this vision being met. He refers to the same concepts of responsibility and peoplehood when discussing the Palestinians.

Palestinians and Peoplehood

He believes that one of the biggest problems facing the peace process is that the Palestinians aren’t enough of a ‘people’.

“You took Jews from 70 different countries, with different languages and cultures, stuck them in the desert surrounded by hostile enemies and you created one of the most highly functioning nation states on the planet, because we’re a people,” he said.

But in all the years of attempts to reach peace with the Palestinians, there has never been a leader willing to live life with the Jews in peace and commit to the idea of two States for two Peoples.

“No Palestinian leader has ever subscribed to that formula because they won’t recognize us as a people,” he said. “For them, Jews are ‘colonialist imports.’ They ignore thousands of years of history. They refuse to sign an end to claims and an end to conflict. They all say that a two-state solution is a temporary solution.”

What’s clear to Oren is that Israel will not create a Palestinian state tomorrow that’s going to endanger its existence, “just to appease our opponents on US campuses.”

Gaza and International Trusteeship

Oren is adamant that indoctrination needs to be nipped in the bud and that the Palestinian education system needs to change. Gazan children are taught from infancy that the most sacred thing in life is slaying a Jew.

To this end, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) “should not be allowed to set foot in Gaza again,” he believes, since they were the greatest catalyst for perpetuating the conflict.  Instead, he thinks that the future of Gaza lies in its internationalization. Only through international trusteeship does Gaza have a chance to educate Palestinian youngsters to strive for peace and not war.

Upsetting a Fragile Co-Existence

Michael Oren is angry that October 7 has managed to upset what has already been achieved in Israeli Jewish-Arab relations over the 75 years and sees Israel as an example of how people in a Middle Eastern state can co-exist.  But recent events have created an element of fear in both communities.

He revealed remarkable statistics which showed that up to 80% of Palestinians had no problem with Hamas atrocities of October 7, yet 77% of Israeli Arabs were appalled by them. On the other hand, Israeli Jews are afraid of the other 23% who may support Hamas.

“Hamas mustn’t be allowed to destroy what we achieved,” he said. “We can’t let fear defeat us!”

Israel and a Jewish and Democratic State

When asked about the other part of his vision statement, that of preserving Israel’s democratic and Jewish identity, Oren says that we have a responsibility to protect the pillars of democracy on which the country was founded upon.

“Some of the greatest ideas of democracy come from the Bible,” he said.

Israel is one of only five countries in the world – the others being the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia - that has never had a second of non-democratic governance. Yet it’s the only country which has never had a second of peace.  This becomes all the more remarkable when we consider that what usually affects democracy is upheaval and war.

“Israel is a flagrantly democratic state, even now,” he said. “To be a truly democratic state we must be Jewish, and to be true Jews, we must be democratic.”

This article was written in cooperation with JNF-USA