On a missed chance - Thore Schröder interviewing Ehud Olmert in Der Spiegel:

‘Ehud Olmert, 79, is a former prime minister of Israel. Originally from a Russian immigrant family, he was a key figure in Israel politics over the course of several decades. As a close confidant of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, he took over control of the government following Sharon’s stroke in 2006 in addition to taking the reins of the centrist party Kadima. During his tenure, Olmert conducted negotiations on the establishment of a Palestinian state but also led wars in Lebanon in 2006 and in Gaza in 2008-2009. He resigned due to corruption allegations made against him. Today, he is a sharp critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.’

(…)

‘Olmert: In the first month after October 7, I said nothing publicly because I knew that my ideas would have sounded ridiculous to many: We should have negotiated a deal to bring back all of the hostages without a large war.
DER SPIEGEL: You mean a hostage deal to ward off the ground offensive that Israel launched at the end of October 2023? Olmert: The Qataris conveyed a message at the time whereby Hamas would be willing to immediately exchange all 251 hostages. My first thought was that the government wouldn’t even consider it. The mood in the country made it impossible to even consider such a thing.
DER SPIEGEL: Could such a deal have prevented a large war of retaliation in the long term? Olmert: It would have at least removed this huge burden from our shoulders – or, rather, from our hearts. These feelings of guilt and failure that have driven us since then.’

(…)

‘DER SPIEGEL: When you speak of war crimes, are you referring to the Gaza war in its entirety and not specific incidents? Olmert: There are a number of events that could be seen as war crimes. More than I can list. More than anything, though, it is the illegitimate war that is being waged out of the personal, political interests of the prime minister. As a consequence, Israeli soldiers are dying, additional hostages may be losing their lives, and many innocent Palestinians are being killed. That is a crime. It is unforgivable.’

(…)

‘DER SPIEGEL: In the West Bank, there are almost daily attacks by radical settlers on Palestinians, but there are no consequences. How can that be? Olmert: These are crimes against humanity being committed before the eyes of the Israeli police, army and government. They are doing nothing to stop the attackers. On the contrary, they are complicit. Without the support of public institutions, these "Hilltop Youth” would be powerless.’

(…)

‘DER SPIEGEL: Interest in a two-state solution has also dropped in Israel over the years. How could that be changed? Olmert: Through Israelis experiencing in their daily lives the damage that comes from a lack of a solution. If we are boycotted, if we are denied all kinds of advantages and freedoms that we currently take for granted.
DER SPIEGEL: Are you calling for a boycott of Israel? Olmert: No, I’m not calling for anything. I am merely afraid that it will happen. I am warning my people not to wait until it happens.’

(…)

‘The only person who can really change things is President Trump. If he tells Netanyahu that things have gone far enough in Gaza, the Israeli prime minister will back down.
DER SPIEGEL: Why hasn’t Trump yet done so? Olmert: Maybe he is waiting for Netanyahu to fall into his own trap – for him to go so far that he sacrifices the fundamental sympathy that Israel has thus far enjoyed in the U.S. That would make things easier for Trump. But I don’t really have a good explanation either.’

Read the article here.

At the end of October 2023, a deal with Hamas was possible, most of the hostages could have been returned immediately.

It might have looked like a Hamas victory.

But the situation today is nothing but a catastrophe created by Netanyahu with the support of too many Israelis.