Former Israeli PM and former Palestinian foreign minister lay out joint plan to end Israel-Hamas war

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian Authority foreign minister Nasser al-Kidwa are going public with a joint initiative to end the Israel-Hamas war.

Olmert and al-Kidwa discussed their plan — which is based on a two-state proposal Olmert presented to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2008 — in an interview airing on today.

Olmert and al-Kidwa told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton why they believe their proposal will work despite the recent escalation in violence.

«It's exactly when things are complicated and very difficult that we need leaders that say with a very loud voice that this is not the way forward,» said al-Kidwa.

«And the way forward should be the political solution and the establishment of peace.»

Olmert and al-Kidwa's joint proposal calls for a ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. It also calls for the release of all hostages being held by Hamas in exchange for an «agreed» number of Palestinian prisoners.

It would return Israel's borders to where they were in 1967. Israel would annex 4.4 per cent of the West Bank while the Palestinian state would obtain an equal amount of Israeli territory, which would include a corridor linking the West Bank with the Gaza Strip.

Olmert said that while he understands people on both sides of the conflict will disagree with their plan, a two-state solution is the only way to end the bloodshed.

«There will be many [on] the Palestinian side as well as [on] the Israeli side will reject this and will criticize us and will condemn us,» he said.

«And it will not increase our popularity, both Dr. al-Kidwa and myself, but this is a first step that has to be made in order to move forward into a new reality.»

The peace