A Former Israeli Prime Minister on Why the Gaza War Must End | The Ezra Klein Show

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It is impossible to overstate how hellish life in Gaza has been for the past 20 months. The death count is above 50,000 people — more than 15,000 of whom are children — and at least 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.1 million people have been displaced over and over again. Starvation is rampant. Hospitals are either damaged or closed; there are only 2,000 remaining hospital beds. Nearly two years after the atrocities of Oct. 7, Israel still has no plan for the day after the conflict ends. Instead, it is escalating its assault on what remains of Hamas and seizing territory to expand its security buffer zone. There are reports that the government is considering a plan that would herd the Gaza Strip’s Palestinians into just a small fraction of the territory. In the West Bank, meanwhile, settler violence has increased sharply, and new settlements are moving forward at a record pace. Ehud Olmert, the prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, recently published a searing opinion essay in Haaretz, one of Israel’s most influential newspapers: “Enough Is Enough. Israel Is Committing War Crimes.” He joins me to discuss why he believes Israel’s war in Gaza can no longer be justified, what he finds missing in Israel’s current political leadership and why he has not yet given up hope for a two-state solution. 0:00 Intro 2:47 Why the war is a “crime” 10:17 The escalation in the West Bank 13:04 Does Israel face an existential threat? 17:24 The right-wing plan for the Palestinians 21:36 The battle for the “soul of Israel” 23:35 Netanyahu’s likely successor, Naftali Bennett 26:18 Israel’s politics of apathy 29:49 Anti-semitism and Israeli psychology 38:32 Israel and the Gulf States 40:43 Why is there no “day-after” plan for Gaza? 46:56 The leader Israel needs 55:40 Trump and the U.S.-Israel alliance 57:22 Why peace is still possible 1:06:18 A parting lesson in diplomacy 1:09:59 Book recommendations Read the full transcript here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-ehud-olmert.html Watch more on @EzraKleinShow Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html