Is Peace Possible? What Does the “End” of the Israel-Palestine Conflict Look Like?
By: Ani Weimar
Yet another conflict abroad has made its way into U.S. news and has been a source of significant political polarization. Due to this topic being so divisive, it was difficult to find unbiased information regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. With its origins of tension going back over a century, the most recent conflict between Israel and Palestine began on October 7th, 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 Israelis, foreign nationals, and U.S. citizens. Over the past two years, 251 hostages have also been taken by Hamas. Over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliations and efforts to free hostages. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that he intended to “free Gaza” (Magdy, Metz, Shurafa) by gaining complete control over Hamas and obliterating their military abilities and authority.
Palestinians have never had an official country; however, they have resided in the territory along the eastern Mediterranean for thousands of years, gaining an influx of migrants in the early 20th century. This fact has sparked considerable debate and contributes to why this remains a contentious issue. Tensions between the Palestinians and Israel heightened after May 14th, 1948, once Israel gained independence and was recognized as an independent nation. The United Nations Resolution 181, or the Partition Plan of 1947, proposed splitting Palestine into two states–one Arab and one Jewish; however, the Arab side had rejected the idea. Following deliberation and rejection of various proposals, the revised Partition Plan was enacted on November 29, 1947, further amplifying the conflict between the two groups. Since 1948, the United States has remained supportive of the Jewish state, with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman supporting Jewish forces, and Truman going on to recognize the effective or “de facto” authority of the Jewish government in 1948. These events resulted in the first Arab-Israeli War, beginning a long road of conflicts.
There have been numerous peace deals between Arab nations and Israel; however, the agreements mentioned will focus on the major ones enacted after 2005, when Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip. Several ceasefires and deals have been attempted, such as negotiations in 2013 involving Secretary of State John Kerry leading talks, the Palestinian Libertarian Organization and Hamas seeking to create a unified government, the U.S., U.N., and Egypt negotiating ceasefires after Operation Protective Edge, President Donald J. Trump’s proposed plan in 2020, and so forth. None of these proved to be effective, until Trump’s most recent 20-point peace plan came into play.
Before proceeding, it’s imperative to understand the main components of this plan. To view all 20 factors of this plan, click here. The key factors of this plan include:
● the “deradicalization” of Gaza, meaning it will become a more secure area, not raising concern for itself or surrounding regions
● hostages and prisoners/detainees on both sides must be released
● authority must be transferred to a technocratic (governing body filled with people who are experts in their field, rather than politicians) Palestinian committee overseen by an international “Board of Peace”
● The Israel Defense Force (IDF) will withdraw from Palestinian territory
● The implementation of Trump’s economic plan aimed at restoring Gaza
Now, many prior plans have incorporated elements of this, but none have been successful — so how is this one any different? To start, rather than seeking to resolve the broader Israel-Palestine conflicts, this plan focuses on the tensions between Hamas and Israel after the October 7th attacks. Additionally, this plan offers a more urgent, immediate call to action with the release of the hostages, rather than written agreements of continued negotiations between the two bodies. On top of this, this plan has more key factors relating to economic redevelopment. According to the 20-point peace plan referenced above, the agreement maps the framework to create new investments, work opportunities, and reconstruction. Lastly, there has been increased support from external relations, such as forming the “Board of Peace” with international representatives sitting, and more nations supporting this course of action, such as Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and more. I believe that with the weakening of Iran, a significant economic and military supporter of Hamas, the newly crafted peace deal has a higher potential to succeed in the long run compared to previous ceasefires.
Contrary to this, numerous officials have raised concerns regarding the successful transition from a ceasefire to a stable, more permanent agreement. Politico is one of several news sources that have brought up the power vacuum Trump's plan may create and how there are still so many unanswered questions regarding who will be the representatives of the Board of Peace and other governing bodies in Palestine. Furthermore, government officials, such as David Schenker (the former Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East), have pointed out that this contract hasn’t been given the amount of attention it deserves, and that “Gaza alone was a full-time job” (Burns, McLeary, Schwartz, Toosi). That being said, the same small number of people in charge of countless crises around the world had to add this conflict to their plates.
Beyond this, there are some concerns surrounding the effectiveness and lasting impact of this peace deal, with new reports from the New York Times claiming that Hamas is continuously attempting to establish dominance by holding executions in Palestine. Furthermore, CBS has printed about Hamas killing Palestinians whom they suspect to be working with Israel. These acts of violence could potentially lead to Israel going back in, reigniting the conflict.
According to PBS News, U.S. approval of Trump has shifted in a positive direction after seeing his handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict. After this recent peace deal was brokered, 47% of U.S. adults (with a huge improvement in Democrats, especially) approve of Trump’s work. The counter to this data is that many voters have complaints regarding his domestic policies, and some believe he should place more of his efforts in this category.
Overall, regardless of which side you have supported or opposed throughout these conflicts, it is in both Israel’s and Palestine’s best interests for a long-term peace plan to be successful and effective.
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