# 265 – Ceasefire

August 6, 2014

Ceasefire – Whatever that means…

Two-thirds the way through the 72 hours…So where do we go from here?

(There’s breaking news that Israel is agreeing to extend the ceasefire).

First of all, I/we regret every life lost and damaged in this conflict. But please don’t ask me to join this macabre game of who has more victims. One disgusting news report estimated at what rate there were deaths on each side: every 28 minutes on their side, and every so many hours on ours. Another said that over 80% of Gazan fatalities were women and children.

I really don’t want to count, but, if the various reports from different sources are correct, at least half of the fatalities were ‘Hamas-affiliated militants’. Otherwise this war would not yet be over.

Let’s see if I can keep this mainly to bullets, which make it easier to read, but usually fails to get to the point?

Definition of ‘ceasefire’

• • Dictionary – who cares…

  • Israeli govt. version – how to prevent this happening yet again and again

  • Hamas’ version – a chance to build on this victory

• Innocent Gazans version – The real innocents can’t think right now. They have no life, no home, see no future, no honest advisor, cannot trust Israel, and don’t trust the int’l community

  UN and other politically-correct persons’ version: a chance for the start of negotiations between the two (equal) parties – a total waste of time, but they hold the cards

  Me?

Those in the south of Israel deserve the same feeling of safety as every Israeli citizen. It’s too easy to say we should not worry about those few missiles that continue and will continue to be fired from some idiots in Gaza. So….we now have a ‘window of opportunity’. To Hell with what Hamas is claiming (from it’s still protected abodes in tunnels or in Qatar) and the ridiculous World opinion that still insists Hamas and the Palestinians are indivisible – and all the froth about UK foreign office minister, Baroness Warsi.

(Btw, there is no question that this lady has done much for ‘decent Islam’, and I respect her sticking to her principles. I have read about her efforts on behalf of Christian minorities. But there’s zero mention of any interest in Judao-Islamic communication. And there’s no mention of her interest in the plight of the ongoing horror and innocent victims in Syria, Lybia, Iraq etc. She has never been democratically-elected in the UK, gaining her political posts by being made a Life peer and joining the House of Lords in order to take up her position. So, bye-bye..).

There is no question that this is a window of opportunity – albeit extremely factional and fragile. On July 25, I wrote, with only slight ‘tongue in cheek’ what should now be done. Now, 2 weeks and many deaths on, nothing has really changed. Let me summarise –

Gaza strip devastated. While too senseless to only blame Israel, perhaps the people of Gaza will now stop and think: what ‘positive’ have their leaders ever given them…

Work towards a Marshall-like plan for Palestine (no more political separation: one voice). Use Qatar money, Cairo influence, UN forum, US power, European history etc.

• Israel will agree to a daily ceasefire, based on ‘quiet’. Before any retaliation, Israel will document any Hamas disruption and report to UN, CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera.

• Set a date for Palestine election, combining West Bank and Gaza. They should be made as publicly fair as possible.

• Peacekeepers to be brought in, publicly seen to be working to keep the peace.

• A tough one, but I would risk putting Marwan Barghouti on probation (he’s in Israeli prison for 5 life sentences), in exchange for putting his mouth where he says his brain is. He could be the ‘more moderate’ Palestinian leader they’re looking for; their Mandela.

• Immediately start rebuilding Gaza. Open the borders and, yes, I would risk dropping the siege immediately, but with clear conditions. Who, except Hamas (and Hezbollah and ISIS) will complain. Even Qatar knows which side of its toast is buttered.

• But, a big but, Israel must immediately relinquish its job as provider. All water, gas, oil etc. must go through Egypt and, perhaps in the future, by sea.

• Start digging that very deep moat around Gaza. Create the ‘Isle of Gaza’, with all the marketing such a potential paradise deserves.

• Disband UNRWA. Absolutely no need for this UN exception. Palestinians to be treated like ALL other refugees. Surrounding states will be forced by UN and Arab League to give resident Palestinians same status as they get in Israel: legal equality.

What else?

Perhaps just an observation. I’ve noticed that most of those who know Israel and/or have been here, would rather have their countries run by Israeli leaders and their homes protected by Israel’s armed forces than by Hamas.

Well, there you are..

Stephen