What's really next for Gaza?

The return of Israeli hostages marks a starting point, but I fear it's not the beginning of a willingness to deliver the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people.

This is a supplemental post outlining my thoughts on the events of the day in the Middle East. I have the fourth part of my deep dive into the economy ready to go, but decided to push it 24 hours, given that the focus should be on essential developments today.

In this regard, I wanted to take a moment to give thanks for the safe return of the Israeli Hostages. As part of my research resources, I subscribe to Haaretz and the Jerusalem Times, so it’s moving to witness these innocent Israeli citizens brutally taken hostage by HAMAS, return to their loved ones and the joy that this has brought to so many.

My heart equally breaks for those families who will not experience this joy, as they have the soul-destroying task of welcoming home those who did not make it back alive.

Regardless of the pushback I will likely receive for the following comments, I believe in credit where credit is due, and I want to congratulate President Trump for being primarily responsible for the return of the remaining hostages and the ceasefire that appears to be holding in Gaza.

It’s well documented that if my social media feeds were examined by US immigration at a point of entry, I’d be disappeared to a black site for my views on Trump. I believe he’s a danger to humanity itself, let alone a threat to American society, but on the issue of his ‘peace plan’, I feel he must be given credit for what has been achieved.

I also believe that he is the only president who could have pulled it off, because he’s the only president Netanyahu has come to fear. There is no question that Bibi played him for a while, particularly in respect of Iran and Lebanon, but he came to learn that there was a limit and once he’d crossed that line, that Trump could do Israel real damage, so he had been forced to concede.

His narcissistic and transactional tendencies have made it possible to forge the beginnings of peace. Do I think a two-state solution will follow? Likely not, as Netanyahu regroups to find a new angle to stop it now that he has the hostages back.

The weeks and months ahead are going to be highly challenging as Trump’s true intentions begin to surface regarding what’s in it for him and his business interests.

I remain of the belief that he and Netanyahu will make a compelling case for anyone who will listen for the ‘temporary relocation’ of the Palestinians under the guise of reconstruction, so Arab states must make it clear that their contribution to peacekeeping and reconstruction is conditional on there being no forced displacement of the Palestinians.

Equally, there is the challenge of the West Bank and the settler violence against Palestinians. It should be noted that ALL settlements are illegal under international law, as is administrative detention under which thousands of Palestinians have been detained without trial, many of them children.

Turning to the Palestinians themselves, where do I begin? The death toll will likely exceed 100,000, in my opinion. Almost 90% of the infrastructure has been destroyed. The destruction is worse than Hiroshima and Nagasaki following the dropping of the atomic bomb; that’s the level of destruction.

The Israeli right, and sadly, a reported 80% of Israelis, believe that the Palestinians should be expelled from the Gaza Strip. It was destroyed deliberately, in an effort to make it uninhabitable and rest assured, Netanyahu will hinder any reconstruction that might lead to a two-state solution.

This is going to be a massive challenge to those working towards the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people. It will be a considerable test for those nations around the world that want to see a Palestinian state.

This war is not over; it’s just beginning. Call me an old cynic, but I’m not optimistic. I fear Apartheid rule WILL continue in plain sight in a world that wants to see justice for innocent Palestinians who simply seek to live and rebuild on the land they have called home for generations.

I pray they get their wish, but I fear they will be denied once again. One thing I am confident of is that they will never give up hope of living in peace and prospering as every nation should. Their fortitude, tenacity, and sheer determination to overcome the tsunami of vengeful hate that has rained down upon them over the past two years leave me in awe of their ability to survive.

I am in the midst of writing a three-part piece on their audacity of hope, which will be released early next week.

In the meantime, let’s hope the fragile peace holds.

Shalom / Inshallah

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