As Israel’s Left Suffers Defeat, So Does Two-State Solution

KIBBUTZ TZUBA, Israel—For decades, Israel’s left wing championed a Palestinian state side by side with a Jewish nation, keeping alive the idea even as it declined in popularity. Now, the left’s crushing defeat in last month’s election has dealt a punishing blow to those still committed to the so-called two-state solution.

This kibbutz, or collective community, located on the lush hills outside of Jerusalem, is still a bastion of support for the socialist ideals of Israel’s founders. But even here, support for left-wing parties has plummeted, a decline many residents attribute to the failure of previous Israeli governments to achieve a solution to the longstanding conflict with the Palestinians.