As the war in the Gaza Strip enters its fourth month, on the surface it might seem like possibilities for long-term, peaceful solutions are impossible. Even before the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel by Hamas-led forces from Gaza, many analysts were already declaring the idea of a two-state solution dead.
There are real barriers to the creation of a Palestinian state alongside a separate Israel. For example, the current Israeli government rejects the creation of a Palestinian state, and Hamas refuses to recognize Israel. After Oct. 7, some analysts think the barriers are even more insurmountable.
The unprecedented scale of violence in Israel and Gaza is creating equally unprecedented urgency to find a solution, not just to the current violence, but to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, has killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, and displaced more than 1,900,000, according to the United Nations.
The war has also caused significant damage and trauma in Israel, where Hamas’ rockets and drones have reached as far as Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba, killing or injuring hundreds of Israelis and disrupting daily life. The war has also sparked unrest and violence in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and inside Israel, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, and between Jewish and Arab citizens, have erupted, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
The devastation of war
The war has also exposed the deep divisions and frustrations among the Palestinians, who have been living under Israeli occupation, blockade, and fragmentation for decades, and who have seen their hopes for statehood and dignity dashed by failed peace talks, internal rivalries, and international neglect.
The war has also revealed the isolation and vulnerability of Israel, which has faced widespread condemnation and criticism from the international community, the media, and the public opinion, for its disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force, and for its continued expansion of settlements and annexation of lands in the occupied territories.
The war has also reshaped the regional and global dynamics, where some Arab and Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Turkey, have tried to mediate and provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, while others, such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, have maintained their normalization agreements with Israel, despite the public outcry.
Israel has insisted that it will not stop its operation until it has degraded Hamas’ military capabilities and deterred it from future aggression, and that it will not negotiate with a terrorist organization that seeks its destruction. Hamas has insisted that it will not stop its resistance until Israel lifts its siege on Gaza and respects the rights and dignity of the Palestinians, and that it will not recognize or coexist with an occupying and oppressive entity. However, despite the seemingly hopeless and endless cycle of violence and hatred, there are still some voices and efforts that call for and work for peace in the Middle East.
There are still some people and groups, both inside and outside Israel and Palestine, who believe in and advocate for a two-state solution, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, and with mutual recognition, security, and cooperation between the two states. There are still some initiatives and proposals, both regional and international, that aim to revive and advance the peace process, such as the Arab Peace Initiative, the Quartet Roadmap, the Geneva Initiative, and the French Peace Conference.
There are still some examples and models, both historical and contemporary, that show that peace is possible and achievable, such as the peace treaties between Israel and Egypt, and between Israel and Jordan, and the recent normalization agreements between Israel and some Arab countries. There are still some factors and incentives, both political and economic, that encourage and motivate both sides to seek and pursue peace, such as the growing demographic, environmental, and security challenges, and the potential benefits of trade, tourism, and development.
There are still some hopes and aspirations, both personal and collective, that inspire and drive both sides to strive and fight for peace, such as the desire for freedom, justice, and dignity, and the vision for a better future for themselves and their children. The war in Gaza is a tragedy and a catastrophe, for both Israelis and Palestinians, and for the whole world. It is a war that has no winners, only losers. It is a war that has no end, only more suffering and misery. But it is also a war that has a solution, a peaceful solution, that is within reach, if only both sides are willing and able to seize it.
The war in Gaza is not inevitable, nor irreversible. It is not a fate, nor a destiny. It is a choice, and a consequence. The war in Gaza can end, and peace can prevail, if both sides choose to end the war, and to make peace. The war in Gaza must end, and peace must prevail, for the sake of both sides, and for the sake of humanity.
