Nickolay Mladenov, a top official with the US-backed Board of Peace, stated that escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank makes a two-state solution "practically impossible". Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi on September 7, Mladenov cited the control of over 50% of Gaza by Israel as an obstacle to a political resolution. A roadmap agreed to by Hamas includes decommissioning weapons under international supervision, but Mladenov expressed skepticism about its implementation. Over 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, home to three million Palestinians.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Nickolay Mladenov, a top official with the US-backed Board of Peace, has stated that the escalation of violence in Gaza and the West Bank is making a two-state solution "practically impossible". He made this comment at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi on September 7. Mladenov noted that more than 50% of Gaza is under Israeli control, while less than 50% is controlled by Hamas, and that there is no credible pathway to a political resolution due to these circumstances. The Board of Peace is tasked with implementing an October ceasefire plan in Gaza.
Written for “Middle East Conflict Escalation” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score +0.85 for article 6863 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-07
Board of Peace’s Mladenov says Gaza, West Bank escalation makes two-state solution ‘impossible’
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solution → say → Peace
A top official within the US-backed Board of Peace said on Sept 7 that a failure to move forward in Gaza paired with rising violence in the West Bank are making a two-state solution “impossible”.
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solution → back → Bank
Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza under the US-backed “Board of Peace” tasked with implementing an October ceasefire plan, was speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi.
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Mladenov → back → Dhabi
“I would say that if Gaza continues the way it is now, or does not move into implementing... the plan that we have under the comprehensive plan, the two-state solution will become practically impossible,” he said.
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he → say → plan
“Because, with everything that is happening in the West Bank, and with more than 50 per cent of Gaza now under the control of the Israeli army and less than 50 per cent under the control of Hamas, there is no credible pathway forward to a political resolution of the conflict,” he added.
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he → happen → conflict
A road map agreed to by Hamas on July 30 said the decommissioning of weapons would be supervised by the International Stabilization Force, the nascent unit that aims to deploy to Gaza if the situation calms.
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situation → agree → Gaza
It is led by US Major-General Jasper Jeffers.
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It → lead → Jeffers
Hamas had pledged to hand over its weapons to a new Palestinian governing body, an arrangement that brought scepticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but which US President Donald Trump hailed as a breakthrough.
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Trump → pledge → breakthrough
The West Bank has also seen a surge in violence since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023.
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Bank → see → Oct
More than 500,000 Israelis live in illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory, home to some three million Palestinians.
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Israelis → live → Palestinians
“The only way that we can build back to that is if we have transitional governance, if we have decommissioning of weapons, if we have withdrawal in Gaza,” he said.
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he → build → Gaza
On Sept 6, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a US envoy, told a press briefing in Kyiv that the upcoming Israeli elections were making Israeli leaders “a little irrational” on Gaza.
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leaders → tell → Gaza
“We agree with them on the end state,” Kushner said, referring to Israel.
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Kushner → agree → Israel
“They just have a crazy election and that makes them a little irrational in certain regards, but we’re very determined and we’re working through these things.
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we → have → things
“You can’t go in if there’s guns,” he said, adding: “We’re now starting to understand the scope of the militarisation of Gaza.
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We → go → Gaza
And so demilitarising it is not going to be easy.”
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demilitarising → demilitarise → it