Updated: May 28th, 2024
– Mid Week – Hasmukh Gajjar
– Peace can be established only if there is a responsible political leadership in place of a violent organization like Hamas in the two state settlement. Even if the creation of two separate states is possible, there is no guarantee that Israel’s opponents will lay down their arms.
The fires of unrest in the Middle East have not calmed down since the Hamas attack on Israel. Hamas’ barbaric attack was so premeditated and dangerous that it was the largest mass killing of Jews since the Holocaust sponsored by Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II. More than 1,200 Israeli citizens were killed and more than 250 were kidnapped. Israel has been carrying out military operations for the past 7 months and 20 days, vowing to destroy Hamas as a counter strike. This action of Israel is considered very cruel on the world stage. Especially the 40 km long Gajapatti area has been devastated. Human rights activists believe that 35,000 people have died in Gajapatti, in which innocent civilians, especially women and children, are more than Hamas terrorists. Thousands of people have died like ants due to the confusion of distinguishing between civilians and terrorists of the Hamas organization. An arrest warrant application has also been made against the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and the top leadership of Hamas in the International Criminal Court. Israel believes that if terrorist attacks are taking place even on the land which is considered the safest for the Jews, then the war of existence must be fought. Relatives of victims are pressuring the Israeli government to release civilians kidnapped by Hamas men. According to Israeli government estimates, 112 civilians were released in November under a Qatari peace deal after 252 civilians were abducted in cross-border attacks. Israel is still conducting military operations to search for the remaining casualties. Some dead bodies are being found during military operations. After the 7th October 2023 Hamas attack, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has lasted much longer than expected. On the one hand, there is still tension and danger on the northern border of Israel, on the other hand, the Iran-backed Hezbollah organization in Lebanon is also raising its head. Even in Syria, the whole region has become vulnerable after the activity of anti-Jewish Islamic groups and Israel’s sudden attacks. Deadly armed groups, including the Houthis, are expanding amid tensions between Iran and Israel. Be it Yemen’s Houthis or the Islamic State of Iraq-Syria, Lebanon’s Hizbullah or Palestine’s Hamas, Israel’s existence is glaring at everyone. Although these Islamic terrorist organizations have different interests and agendas, they support the Palestinians with a wink.
The whole world now wants a peaceful solution to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The ‘two state solution’ has been revisited to resolve the decades-old conflict between Israel and Palestine, born out of religion, cultural differences and hatred. The United Nations believes that this ‘two state solution’ recognizes the legitimate national aspirations of Israel and Palestine. The two state solution is about creating two states for the people of two communities. Countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, European countries, Australia, Canada and India are emphasizing the implementation of the ‘two state solution’ to both sides. Recognizing Israel’s security challenges, the concept of a ‘two state solution’ for an independent Palestine while maintaining a Jewish majority is not current. Finally, in 1991, after the mediation of the United States, a two-state solution was agreed upon under the Madrid Peace Conference to solve the Israel-Palestine conflict. Attempts at the ‘two state solution’ were made even before the independence of Israel in 1948. The United Nations passed a resolution outlining the partition plan but its proposed borders were never realized. Soon after Israel was declared independent on May 14, 1948, Syria, Jordan and Egypt invaded the new territory of Israel. After the First Arab-Israeli War (15 May 1948 to 10 March 1949), thousands of Palestinians from the new Israel were displaced from the West Bank and Gaza. The Green Line (the armistice line) was then drawn between Israel and its neighbors, roughly the current border between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. In 1967, Israel captured East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, along with the West Bank and Gaza, after the 6-Day Arab-Israeli War.
The current debate on the two-state solution now refers to the creation of two states along pre-1967 borders. This means that a new Palestinian state will include the pre-Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. However, how will Jerusalem be divided in this plan?
has been the most important point of contention. Israel is not willing to give up any of the territories it has acquired for its security. Israel has already strengthened its control by removing settlements. It has also expanded its population towards the West Bank. This changing demographics only complicates the ‘two state solution’. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rejecting the talk of two states. Recently, countries like Spain, Norway and Ireland have also expressed their displeasure over the recognition of Palestine as a country.
Israeli and Palestinian rights are difficult to understand and put on the ground. It is worth noting that some Palestinian nationalists in the West Bank support the ‘two state solution’ but the Hamas organization in Gaza does not recognize Israel as a state. In fact, Israel was founded with the idea that after the Holocaust there should be at least one place in the world where Jews could feel safe forever. The intention of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is to oust Israel and establish an independent Palestinian state. There is a widespread lack of coordination and understanding among the political leadership in Palestine today. Over the years, jihadist and extremist organizations have done much harm to the Palestinians. Palestinians have suffered under authoritarian Islamist rule for years under Hamas. Hamas is a mixture of terrorism, movement and political organization. It is the Palestinians’ turn to suffer because of Hamas’ own actions. Peace can only be established if there is a responsible political leadership in place of the two-state solution, the cut-throat organizations like Hamas. Some experts believe that even after the creation of two separate states, there is no guarantee that Israel’s opponents will lay down their arms. On the other hand, even after the two-state reconciliation, there is a possibility that fighting will continue on more than one front. It would be good if Israel and the Palestinians could co-exist in peace and security under a two-state solution. It is also important to understand that this is just a demarcation fight but the roots of the culture war are very deep. It is hard to say that mutual hatred, hatred and mistrust will go away after border sharing when blood has been spilled for generations. The only basis for lasting peace in Palestine and the Gaza Strip lies in sensible citizens and thoughtful leadership. Organizations that spread violence and unrest in the name of religion will never do any good. It is the unfettered right of any country, not Israel, to protect its citizens and land when terrorists challenge from across the border.
