https://arab.news/m5zve
Following two years of mass killings by Israel in one of the most ruthless military campaigns in recent history, the Gaza ceasefire agreed in October was an undoubtedly welcome step. But even if it holds, the root causes of the problem need to be addressed in order to achieve a just and lasting peace. Otherwise, renewed bloodshed and suffering in the region are inevitable.
Notably, the current ceasefire is US President Donald Trump’s personal project, rather than the continuation of decades of international efforts to solve the Israel-Palestine problem. It does not contain the necessary references to UN Security Council resolutions that refer to a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state. Presenting the current peace deal as a “new beginning” thus risks creating the illusion of a solution. While a new UNSC resolution (2803) has legitimized the Trump plan, its references to rightful Palestinian expectations remain insufficient (unlike in the Russian draft).
An especially urgent danger is the normalization of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. According to a recent International Crisis Group report, Israeli outposts are growing more numerous and are being transformed into permanent settlements. Similarly, the introduction of a “yellow line” in Gaza raises the likelihood of partition, with Israel permanently occupying more than half of the enclave. There are too many reasons to be suspicious of Israel’s intent to withdraw from these territories.
