The events between Israel and the Gaza Strip did not surprise the close followers of this critical file, with the scenario being recurring for more than 10 years; Israel launched four wars on the Strip, in the years of 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021. Additionally, they were all similar in terms of the power of destruction and killing committed by the Israeli army against Palestinian institutions, property, and sites. This is in exchange for the success of both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements in successfully firing thousands of missiles at various Israeli cities. After that, the Egyptian mediator actively intervened, ending the issue by halting the escalation and materializing some understandings; however, the same scenario is soon repeated.
It’s almost impossible for any long periods of calm or truce to hold between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, although it would be necessary for them to catch their breath and search for suitable solutions. In this article, I will not go into the details of the military operation launched by Israel, without any justification, of the assassination of Islamic Jihad leader, Tayseer Jabari, on August 5th, since all the details of the reciprocated operations can be found on various media outlets. Elaborating, in this article, I will try to think of how to completely end the Gaza crisis as a whole.
To commence, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank will remain the two wings that together form the independent Palestinian state that must be born one day or the other. Furthermore, neither Israel nor any other power will be able to stand against the rule of history, no matter how long the occupation lasts. Israel will submit to this rule, either voluntarily or against its will, because this abhorrent occupation cannot last forever. In order to be realistic, I must be more truthful, where the hope that we seek about the inevitability of the forming of a Palestinian state will not be easily achieved. Moreover, it will remain difficult as long as this division persists in deliberately breaking the bonds of the Palestinian nation, and as long as the organizational interests remain higher and more important than the best interest of the people who yearn for freedom yet cannot find the tools to aid in achieving this hope. It’s painful that the Palestinian people on their own face not only an army, that possess and uses modern lethal weapons without any humanitarian considerations but also fight the settlement that devours its territory every day, alters its features, and violates its sacred sites, while the world denounces and demands restraint.
I will never lose hope that the Palestinian people will remain resilient and they will be the decision-makers in changing the current conditions, as well as imposing their will on everyone so that the reconciliation can become an actual reality, where the ending of the division will be the real start of forming the state. Here, I confirm my conviction that if we achieve an actual reconciliation rather than an illusion, we will soon see the parameters of the Palestinian state, which Israel will certainly not grant for free, but will be based on the shoulders and the will of these heroic people. If the leaders of the Palestinian divisions, for whom I have the utmost respect, allow me to ask them an important question; if they do not end the division in the current harsh conditions in which the Palestinian areas and Jerusalem are facing all kinds of violence, injustice, and intrusion, when will they unite? If the Islamic Jihad movement called their response operations to Israel a unity of the areas, then I hope this label is a real introduction to the unity of the nation. Additionally, don’t these martyrs and leaders who have risen for so many years to this day deserve the ending of the division as a gift or a simple price for what they have given to the nation?
In this regard, I would like to call upon Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian divisions, the Palestinian Authority, and the international community to:
Regarding Egypt. I hope that the great role it plays in the issue continues, as well as the continuation of the unprecedented reconstruction that is taking place in the Strip, despite the destruction that has occurred. In my view, the biggest achievement is represented in the establishment of the principles that prevent such military operations from being repeated. Furthermore, regarding Israel, you must keep Gaza out of the electoral process, where the price Tel Aviv will pay might be the opposite of what is planned. The policy of assassinations and destruction will not end the issue, where the Palestinians will continue inheriting the legitimate hostility, as long as their rights are deprived. Additionally, the Israelis must know that their security will never be achieved without the establishment of a Palestinian State.
As for the Palestinian divisions, I ask their leaders to set aside all that relates to the interests of the parties. For example, what is the value in the Hamas movement being in control of the Strip, and what does it add to the issue other than the division of the occupied nation, the suffering of the people, and the diminishing of hopes for forming a Palestinian state. As for the Palestinian Authority, I sincerely ask them to continue reconciliation efforts, sponsored by Egypt, as soon as these operations end and everyone must offer waivers as long as it serves the nation’s interest. As for the international community, I hope that for once it will carry a level of responsibility and it will commence the serious preparation for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, in coordination with Egypt and Jordan. Additionally, I hope that this move won’t be linked solely to the notion of de-escalation and restraint.
In the end, in the absence of a just political solution to the issue and the establishment of a Palestinian state, the events of Gaza will inevitably be repeated. Furthermore, even if Egypt was able to cooperate with some of its partners to de-escalate during each round, who will ensure that the next round won’t go out of control, or that there won’t be a rebellion that explodes in everyone’s faces? In that case, the self-restraint of the people, who lose their hopes of not only a Palestinian state but also a decent life, will not be of benefit.
