The Israel-Palestine Problem: The Long Road Ahead

The Israel-Palestine issue continues to dominate the world’s attention today as millions of Palestinians face imminent death through bombing, sniping, disease and starvation. To date, around 30,000 Palestinians have been reported killed with close to 60,000 more injured. It is a sad time for humanity as the carnage goes on and on, with no end in sight.

Israel continues to focus on its stated goal, which is the total elimination of Hamas. Palestine, on the other hand, seeks a ceasefire from which talks can be made for a more binding and long-term peace for the region. Here lies the basic difference between the two groups. While Israel wants to ‘win the war’, Palestine aims to ‘win a respectable peace’.

Israel wants to focus on achieving a victory through an armed conflict. It wants to project strength by crushing its Palestinian neighbor. Israel believes that a strong military victory will provide the region the peace it desires, which means only on their own terms. By avenging the 7 Oct attack, Israel wants to show the world that nobody can mess around with them.

Palestine however dreams of establishing a more long-term stability, in an environment where equality reigns. Palestine wants to show its independence, and its strong national pride. Palestine wants to think long-term, with reconciliation, a sustainable peace and an equal chance at economic emancipation in the aftermath of the ongoing war. Both concepts are crucial in the complexities of the conflict and hopefully, when the time comes, in the difficult task of post-war reconstruction.

“Winning the war” refers only to a military victory and the defeat of the enemy. It involves the use of force to achieve specific military objectives. Israel’s goal in winning the war is to eliminate the immediate threat and ensure its security from further Hamas aggression.

“Winning the peace”, on the other hand, requires addressing the root causes of the conflict, promoting justice and the rule of law, and engaging efforts to eventually facilitate reconciliation and a sustainable peace. It encompasses a broad range of activities promoting more understanding, possibly including amnesty and the integration of former combatants, rebuilding damaged and destroyed infrastructure, and fostering social and economic development. The last is key: the demonstration of support for a bright economic growth for the Palestinian people.

The main difference between these concepts lies in their focus, objectives and timelines. Israel’s “Winning the war” emphasizes the use of force and military means to achieve victory, while Palestine’s “Winning the peace” emphasizes the need for comprehensive, long-term strategies to address the underlying causes of conflict in order to build a durable peace. While the former is simplistic, and can be relatively swift and decisive, it doesn’t necessarily result to a permanent peace.

“Winning the peace”, on the other hand, is a more complex, protracted process as seen in the Ireland experience. This will require patience and understanding, and the involvement of various stakeholders, from the national level to international organizations to civil society and local communities, as creative measures are undertaken to build trust and confidence, as opposed to creating an environment of fear through the demonstration of superior power. But it will be longer-lasting and more beneficial to all, not just one side.

Thus, “Winning the war” will not necessarily ensure that peace follows. One side wins the war, while the other bides its time for another try on some other day. Israel believes that dealing a devastating blow over Hamas will do the trick. Unfortunately, the heavy collateral death and destruction will make the pursuit of peace extremely difficult, if not impossible. In “winning the peace”, one side doesn’t need to win the war. Both sides must be willing to take some compromises for a higher objective which has all of mankind winning in the end. You can win the war but not win the peace. You can win the peace without having to go win a war. Ultimately, what matters most is not about winning the war, but winning the peace.

The Israel – Palestine conflict has been with us for decades. This conflict did not start only last Oct 7. It will not end magically with a wave of a magic wand. It has brought in a vicious cycle of tragedies with each one pointing to the other for having started it all. And it threatens to blow up into a much bigger global catastrophe unless the big guns in the UN put their foot down on this escalating crisis. But unless both are willing to listen, unless both are willing to see the other’s perspectives, unless both are willing to make little compromises in a long, tedious confidence-building exercise, unless both are willing to police their own ranks of extremists, there could be no end in sight for this conflict.

Cover photo courtesy of The Economist. Other pics courtesy of CNN, The Times, The New York Times.