| Dear Mark, We are gratified and deeply thankful that an agreement was reached for a short “humanitarian pause” between Hamas and Israel, and we share with the joy and relief of the released captives and the ever so short respite from vengeful destruction and carnage. Nonetheless, we need to reiterate a number of shortcomings from our perspective that render this agreement insufficient : 1. The release of women and children should have been done immediately and unconditionally. They should never have been captured in the first place. Their abduction was illegal under the laws of war, immoral according to Islamic principles, and totally unconscionable. No oppression and injustice by Israel can justify such an action, which has been deeply counterproductive for the Palestinian cause anyway. I hope Hamas commanders will punish those responsible for this action and publicly make clear that it is contrary to their policies and Islamic principles. Children and noncombatants must never be used as bargaining chips. 2. The increase in access to humanitarian supplies is being agreed upon as a concession, a quid pro quo, and part of the agreement. While humanitarian supplies to the civilian population of Gaza should never have been denied in the first place, they should have been allowed into Gaza unencumbered from Day One. Like the kidnapping of civilians, barring these essential supplies is also a war crime, and must be stopped immediately. It is unconscionable that such basic humanitarian essentials as water, food, medicine, and fuel are being doled out sparingly and used as leverage and bargaining chips in this power game. 3. It is still unclear what will happen after this short respite, and whether the negotiations between Hamas and Israel (through intermediaries, at this point) can be resumed and will be able to address other core issues. The alternative is to allow those who prefer the language of violence and force to continue to hold sway. It is maddening that it took so long for those in power to even agree to such a short respite, all while promising to resume bombing with a vengeance once the suspension of hostilities is up. The true hope of all peace-loving people is that this pause will allow tempers to cool down, the lust for vengeance to subside, and all efforts made to pursue alternative means of resolving difficult issues. At a minimum, additional exchanges of prisoners and captives should be negotiated and perhaps a reassessment made of the declared goals of the fighting. Can one even hope that some underlying issues are addressed finally and a true peace process started? Those who oppose a ceasefire seem to want only the language of violence and destruction. Despite the bravado on both sides, it should be abundantly clear now that violence alone cannot advance the interests of either side. While Hamas has succeeded in shaking Israel’s purported invincibility and sense of security with its attacks, no one really believes that Hamas can possibly liberate Palestinian territory by force, even if it is willing to pay a horrendous price as it faces the wrath of a far more powerful opponent determined to unleash its full power with no restraints. Similarly (and without making any pretense at symmetry between the two sides) Israelis must be aware by now that they cannot achieve security by military force alone, however superior and however much devastation and destruction it can wreak on its enemies and their civilian population. A political solution is ultimately in their interest as well. The stated goal of “eliminating” Hamas is clearly unobtainable, and even if it were possible it would not provide security, since other groups, perhaps even more radical, will necessarily arise out of the massive destruction entailed. If history is any indication, only further hatred will result, and other eruptions of violence are certain to occur in the future. Israel, despite being asked repeatedly by the US, seems to have no realistic plans for the future of Gaza, let alone for the day the war eventually ends. Yet there are those in the Israeli government who may think otherwise. Of particular concern are the statements by Israeli officials that their true aim may not only be the destruction of Hamas and its military potential but the goal of ensuring that Gaza will “never again pose a threat to Israel.” This means that those within the Israeli government who actively seek to depopulate Gaza, produce a “second Nakba,” and forcibly move Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan may try to have their way. Indeed, a plan for such a transfer was already leaked, and Egyptian President Al Sisi openly spoke of attempts to pressure Egypt into accepting millions of Palestinians into Sinai. The fact that Palestinians were ordered by the millions to “move South” as Israel destroyed most buildings in the northern half of Gaza appears to be only the first phase of such a strategy. Israel already announced that Palestinians will not be allowed to return to the North. The discourses surrounding the threat posed by Khan Younis in the South and subsequent bombings merely serve to confirm this. As the bombing continues, Palestinians may soon be ordered to evacuate the rest of Gaza and move into the Egyptian desert, if Israel is to achieve its stated war objectives. The strategic imperative for Zionists to ethnically cleanse Palestine of its non-Jewish population in order to “win the demographic war” and assure the Jewishness of Israel seems to be playing out today in Gaza under the guise of “eliminating Hamas.” The only way to prevent such a calamity would be a determined effort by the United States and the international community, which so far has been either silent or complicit in the forcible transfer of Palestinians. As governments fail to act to prevent this outcome, our massive protests and direct actions demanding a ceasefire are all the more needed to prevent such a catastrophic outcome. Those, however, who would still reject such a permanent ceasefire are actively complicit in genocide and ethnic cleansing. Sincerely, Jonathan Kuttab, FOSNA Executive Director |