A rainbow of peace
Gaza is finally inching towards peace. It is a win-win situation for all those who believe in diplomacy, and canvass for a two-state solution in the Middle East. The peace plan brokered by US President Donald Trump is epoch-making in essence as it guarantees: one, perpetual peace in the volatile region; two, withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged enclave that has been under a state of war for two years; and three, commitment from Tel Aviv not to annex the West Bank. Notwithstanding a plethora of ifs and buts, the consensus that the draft secures both from the Jewish state and from the Muslim countries at large makes it a formidable document to see the light of the day. A generous nod from Hamas would be the icing on the cake.
The startling feature of the 20-point plan is the unwritten obligation from Israel to accept a future Palestinian state. Likewise, the fact that POTUS is the guarantor of the accord and that the aggression-torn Gaza will be monitored and governed by a transitional government of apolitical and technocrat Palestinians, along with the security shield from an International Security Force, makes it momentous. Other salient features – such as guarantees of no exodus from Gaza; a departure from ethnic-cleansing of Palestinians; enabling a decommissioned Hamas the right to return while granting it safe passage; a promise to broker a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for 'peaceful and prosperous co-existence'; and last but not least rebuilding Gaza on a war-footing basis – are no less than a blessing in disguise.
The success story is pinned in the trust and confidence of signatories, as well as a plausible graceful signing off of Hamas from active politics in the region. Whether Hamas be able to pay that price by decimating its political currency and sitting on the fences offshore Gaza will seal the fate of this euphoric achievement.
The good point, however, is that the quid pro quo offered has all the potential to graduate into an independent statehood for Palestinians. The catch-22 equation, however, seems to be the unsaid verbatim in the grand consensus initiated by the White House, and that is the tactful agreement from many other Muslim countries to join Abraham Accords, and subsequently recognise the state of Israel.
The silver-lining for peace amid the two years of bloodshed, mayhem and genocide in Gaza is the joint stance that the Muslim countries attained after hectic behind-the-curtain consultations to walk the extra few steps for peace. The region has seen enough of somersaults over the decades. The 12-day war this year between Iran and Israel simply proved beyond any doubt the indispensability of striking a brave man's peace.
Tel Aviv climbing down the hubris ladder – by agreeing to stall settlements in occupied territories and extending an olive branch to its Arab neighbours – is the first step towards an era of congeniality. An earnest apology extended to Qatar must replicate with similar goodwill gestures towards Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran to broaden the bandwagon of tranquility and co-existence. For Israel, it is a rare rainbow of acceptability that has dawned from the Muslim countries, and there is not much room for maneuvering.
Time for all peace constituents to buckle up and endorse the Gaza Peace Plan for a collective better tomorrow.