World Jewish Congress head Ronald Lauder has written in his New York Times article that the yet-to-be-resolved issue of a two-state solution and a lack of a pluralistic approach to religion remain Israel's two major challenges.
"The Jewish democratic state faces two grave threats that I believe could endanger its very existence," he pointed out.
He did not rule out "the possible demise of the two-state solution," recalling that more than 50 percent of those 13 million people who live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea are Palestinians.
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"If current trends continue, Israel will face a stark choice: grant Palestinians full rights and cease being a Jewish state, or rescind their rights and cease being a democracy. To avoid these unacceptable outcomes, the only path forward is the two-state solution," Lauder noted.
The second great threat pertains to "the spread of state-enforced religiosity in Israel" which Lauder claims could turn Israel into a "semi-theocratic nation."
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"We must change course. We must push for a two-state solution and find common ground among ourselves so that we can ensure the success of our beloved nation," he concluded.
The sides are still at loggerheads over the boundary between the two states, which Palestinians insist should be in sync with the "1967 borders," something that is rejected by Israel.
