A number of events are likely to take the Middle East by surprise in the very near future, so why not seriously revive hopes of peace between Palestinians and Israelis? The first notable change that could take place is a prisoner exchange: the release of a thousand or more Palestinians held in Israel, including the famous and symbolic Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, in exchange for the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. French, German, Turkish and above all Egyptian intermediaries are devoting considerable effort to this. This is evidenced by the presence of several Israeli and Hamas officials in Cairo in recent days, starting with General Amos Gilad, adviser to the Minister of Defense, and the head of Hamas’s armed wing. A meeting also took place between Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Minister, and Field Marshal Tantawy. The prisoners’ issue, so important for both Israelis and Palestinians, would give a new lease of life, a real chance to resume negotiations. It would mean that for the first time, Hamas, Fatah and a Likud-led Israeli government could overcome their differences to reach an agreement on Palestinian prisoners and the release of Gilad Shalit. This would be a major gesture: not only a sign of goodwill, but also and above all a political gesture enabling the Israeli government and the international community to recognize a unified Hamas-Fatah government. Indeed, the recent formation of national unity among the Palestinians is enabling the democratic process to be relaunched. The elections scheduled for the end of the year, and the probable resumption of negotiations, are in line with the winds of freedom that the Arab Spring is blowing through the region. The Donors’ Conference initiated by France, scheduled for July, aims to develop economic achievements and strengthen fledgling Palestinian institutions. In this way, France is asserting its firm determination to give the forthcoming creation of a Palestinian state a highly political dimension. It is important to build on the parameters set out by President Barack Obama on May 19. Opening talks on the territories on the basis of the I967 borders, enshrining security guarantees for both states, and envisaging negotiations on refugees and Jerusalem within a year, would be essential milestones on the road to future reconciliation. Taking all these elements into account, it is therefore possible that Israelis and Palestinians could reach an agreement that would see the creation of a Palestinian state this year. Instead of symbolic recognition by the United Nations General Assembly, an international declaration establishing the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel is necessary and more than desirable. The parameters for reconciliation and lasting peace could be as follows: – East Jerusalem will be the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem that of Israel. The 1.5 km2 of holy sites would be administered by a committee comprising Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the Quartet, for example. – On the question of refugees, Israel and the Arab countries will acknowledge their responsibility for the tragedy they have suffered. A sixty-billion-dollar compensation fund, financed by Israel, oil-producing countries and OECD countries, will compensate and/or help all those who wish to settle in Palestine. Refugees who prefer to remain in the host countries (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq or elsewhere) can become full citizens of these states, which will grant them the nationality they have requested. Israel will also have to accept certain refugees in the name of family reunification, as discussed between President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Residents of Jewish settlements who so wish will be integrated into the State of Palestine and become full Palestinian citizens. – On the question of security, the Middle East peace signatories could create a regional force in partnership with NATO. Soldiers from a multinational force (like those based in Sinai) would be deployed on the Jordanian-Palestinian and Egyptian-Palestinian borders. A normalization of relations between the states of this region will lead to the establishment of diplomatic ties between Palestine, Israel and their Arab and Muslim neighbors. The countries will usher in a new era of cooperation, exchanges and development in all fields (cultural, economic, scientific…). – Between Israel and Syria, the issue of the Golan Heights could be settled by demilitarizing the area, returning it to Damascus, and offering a lease on land leased to Israelis. Finally, the major objective is that, in the medium term, Israelis, Palestinians and all other neighboring Arab populations should work out a common future. Think-tanks should be set up to examine the possibilities and means of eventually building an Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian Confederation, to be enlarged to include other Arab countries. Or, in exchange, explore the possibility of Israel and Palestine joining the European Union. To achieve this, civil society must now, more than ever, put pressure on its leaders to put an end to a conflict that has gone on far too long. Because today, more than ever, the peoples of the region aspire to freedom, dignity, education, democracy, justice, economic development, security; and finally, the arrival of another springtime in the region: the Springtime of Peace. by Ofer Bronchtein, co-founder and President of the International Peace Forum
Given that several events in the Middle East will before long take us by surprise, why not revive the hopes for peace between Palestinians and Israelis in earnest?
The swapping of prisoners is the first notable change that may intervene in the forthcoming days with the release of a thousand or more imprisoned Palestinians in Israel, including the emblematic Fatah leader, Marwan Barghouti in exchange for the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. The French, German, Turkish and especially Egyptian negotiators have devoted important efforts to this initiative.
The presence of Hamas agents and various Israeli officials in Cairo, notably the leader of Hamas’ military branch and General Amos Gilad, advisor to the Israeli defense minister, attests to the fact that mediation is in progress. A meeting between Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Minister and Marshal Tantawy also took place.
The issue of prisoners, so important in the eyes of both parties can give a fresh impetus to the peace process, a genuine possibility for the resumption of negotiations. Such course of action would mean that for the first time, the Hamas, Fatah and the Israel’s Likud-led government may succeed in overcoming their differences to reach an agreement on the Palestinian prisoners and the release of Gilad Shalit. It would undeniably be a strong gesture, not only as a sign of goodwill but also a political act that would enable the Israeli governement as well as the international community to recognize the now coalesced Hamas-Fatah government.
Indeed, the recent establishment of national unity among Palestinians surely facilitates the renewal of the democratic process. Along these lines, the elections scheduled for the end of the year and the potential resumption of negotiations are fully in keeping with the wind of freedom blowing through the Arab world.
Also, the donors’ conference initiated by France and scheduled for July, aims at strengthening the Palestinian institutions in the making while promoting economic growth. In this way, France demonstrates a firm commitment to endowing the impending creation of a Palestinian state with a genuinely political dimension.
The peace paramters outlined by President Barack Obama in his speech of May19th on the Middle East must serve as a guideline for discussions. Open talks on the territories on the basis of the borders of I967, set the necessary safety guarantees to both states, and envisage within a year consultations on refugees and Jerusalem constitute as a whole the essential foundations of a future reconciliation.
In light of these promising prospects, Israelis and Palestinians could in all likelihood reach an agreement that would ensure the creation of a Palestinian state this year. Rather than a symbolic recognition by the General Assembly of the United Nations, an international declaration establishing the state of Palestine alongside Israel is both necessary and highly desirable.
The viable parameters of reconciliation for lasting peace:
– East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem that of Israel. The 1.5 km2 of holy places will be administered by a committee with-by way of illustration-the following parties: Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the Quartet.
– With regards to refugees, Israel and Arab countries will recognize their responsibility in the tragedy they have suffered. A Fund for Compensation of sixty billion dollars supplied by Israel, oil-producing nations and the OECD countries will compensate and / or help those who wish to settle in Palestine. As for the refugees choosing to remain in host countries (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq or elsewhere), they ought to be given full citizenship of those States.
Israel must also accept a number of refugees in the name of the right to family reunification, as discussed between President Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
The residents of the Jewish settlements who wish to live in the State of Palestine and shall become Palestinian citizens in their own right.
– On the issue of security, countries of the Middle East signatories of the peace could create a regional unit in partnership with NATO. Soldiers of a multinational force (such as those based in the Sinai) would be deployed at the Jordanian-Palestinian and Egyptian-Palestinian borders.
Normalization of relations between states in this region will result in the establishment of diplomatic ties between Palestine, Israel and their Arab and Muslim neighbors. The countries will open a new era of cooperation, exchange and development in all areas (cultural, economic, scientific …).
– Between Israel and Syria, the Golan Heights issue can be resolved by a demilitarization of this area that would be given back to Damascus while offering land leases to Israelis.
The major objective in the medium-term is for Israelis, Palestinians and the neighboring Arab populations to eventually trace the path to peace and build together for their common future.
Advisory committees should be established to examine the terms and means to consolidate an Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian confederation and then extend this alliance to other Arab countries. Alternatively, the possible accession of Israel and Palestine to the European Union could be explored.
To bring these hopes to fruition, civil societies must expressly pressure their leaders to cease this long-lasting conflict. Because today more than ever before, people in the region aspire to freedom, dignity, education, democracy, justice, economic development, security, and finally, the arrival of another spring in the region: the Spring of Peace.
by Ofer Bronchtein, co-founder and president of the International Forum for peace.
