Tag Archives: Israel

24Mar/24

Israel and Palestine, 4.0 – An Alternate Future

Israel and Palestine, 4.0 – An Alternate Future

Dr. Nir Boms and Sarah Aweidah, the Global Arab Network

Amid a bloody war and the tragic course that began on October 7th, Israelis and Palestinians require a profound process of introspection, asking some difficult questions about an alternate future that may still be built. Can this tragedy be turned into a positive path forward for both people? We outline how this could be achieved.

We write during one of the darkest moments in the history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict set against the backdrop of another war in Gaza. The war that began after the unprecedented October 7th attack has quickly emerged as the lowest point in the history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict: the tally of Palestinian casualties already compares to the combined Palestinian death toll of the past 75 years. This destructive dynamic also finds both societies in the grips of a leadership crisis.

In recent years, until October 7th, the region was moving toward a robust path of progress and connectivity, much buoyed by the Abraham Accords. But now, it once again finds itself consumed by the familiar, destructive dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On a broader scale, this has triggered a conflagration in Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and the Red Sea.

Israel has endured the largest massacre of its people since the Holocaust and now grapples with the aftermath of an intelligence failure of catastrophic proportions. The war has temporarily diverted attention away from a protracted political division but has been far from ending the political debate, fueled by anger and revenge.

At the same time, Palestinians – caught in the crossfire in Gaza amid Israeli bombings and internal Hamas strife – are now confronted with an imperative for decisive action. However, Palestinians have little leverage as their options are constrained by Hamas’s relentless persistence in Gaza and Abu Mazen’s diminishing influence in Ramallah.

The Arab nations, witnessing the unexpected rise of radical forces, find themselves incapable of distancing themselves from the unfolding events. Torn between sympathy for the cause and fear of further escalation, they are once again summoned to assume a mediating role, provide aid, and contribute to covering the costs incurred.

On all sides, a new operating system is needed.

***

Israel 1.0 was conceived in 1948. The Jews settled the land and began to construct state infrastructure that came to fruition after the conclusion of the British mandate and after a war of independence with the Arabs, who refused to accept a partition plan for a two-state solution. With barely 600,000 Jews in 1948, Israel was a small nation often perceived as David among the colossal Goliaths surrounding it. Marked by a socialist orientation and grappling with the trauma of the Holocaust, Israel was finding its way, seeking refuge behind the major powers at the time. The young country had made its first steps in the international arena and worked to create relations with the non-Arab allies in the region. Turkey and Iran became trusted allies. The Palestinians, at this point, are mainly on the other side of the border.

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07Mar/23

Regional Crisis and Regional Cooperation: Israeli Response to the Earthquake in Syria and Turkey

Regional Crisis and Regional Cooperation: Israeli Response to the Earthquake in Syria and Turkey | The Washington Institute

Israeli aid efforts to Turkey and Syria have been multifaceted after the earthquake, despite the difficult political circumstances.

On February 6th, the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria prompted an outpouring of international aid to the affected areas. Although the crisis coincided with a complex political situation in Israel—including ongoing domestic protests, escalating tensions with the Palestinians, and a newly formed government working to establish its position—Israeli aid organizations became one of the first foreign aid responders on the ground. As is sometimes the case in the Middle East, crises become a moment for countries to demonstrate a different side and even perhaps a show of unity. 

While Israel has long been active in emergency disaster relief missions in various countries around the world, four aspects of these current efforts are especially noteworthy. First, they involve both official teams from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a range of relevant Israeli NGOs working in parallel. Second, some of those NGOs are actively partnering with NGOs from other regional countries, both Turkish and Arab. Third, several of these NGOs have committed to ongoing aid efforts past the immediate rescue and relief period to facilitate long-term reconstruction. And fourth, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public announcement that part of Israel’s humanitarian aid would be delivered inside Syria marked a new development in its relationship with its northern neighbor—although the Assad regime refused such aid, and it is consequently being provided without publicity.

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02Dec/22

WARM PEACE IN THE MAKING – Examining P2P Relations, Two Years to the Abraham Accords

WARM PEACE IN THE MAKING – EXAMINING P2P RELATIONS TWO YEARS TO THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS 

The Abraham Accords have offered a new and different model for regional relations and already shaped a different reality in the region by offering a dynamic of cooperation in just about all fields: business, security, diplomacy, tourism, and People-to-People (P2P) relations. However, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to bridge building between people and cultures following decades of animosity and some of the initial  effort to build these bridges had actually backfired. This article seeks to analyze the challenges and opportunities of P2P relations under the framework of the Abraham Accords and to point toward a more constructive path that will enable them to develop and flourish.

Published in TPQ (transatlanticpolicy.com) by Nir Boms* and Ahmed Khuzaie**

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17Apr/22

Warm Peace and the Challenge of People to People Relations after the Abraham Accords

U.S., Israeli, Bahraini, and Qatari flags on a mural celebrating the Abraham Accords

Washington Institute, Fikra Forum Policy Analysis

“Today, we already witness a change taking place in the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope throughout the world,” said Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the UAE’s Foreign Minister when signing what would be dubbed the Abraham Accords at the White House in August 2020. A move that surprised many, the accords began to shape a new model for relations in the region—especially in its demonstrated interest in people-to-people relations. However, it must also be recognized that creating a “People’s Peace” needs more than words to become a reality. 

The Abraham Accords were crafted in a very different spirit than the earlier peace agreements between Israel and Jordan or Egypt. The Camp David Agreement of 1978 did in fact outline plans to establish normal relations between Egypt and Israel, including diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. Furthermore, in 1982, a cultural agreement called for the establishment of two academic centers to facilitate cultural ties between the two nations. Yet actual people-to-people (P2P) relations remain effectively nonexistent. While an Israeli center was established in Cairo, it is guarded by Egyptian intelligence who make it clear that Egyptians are not welcomed. Likewise, after 40 years, the gates of the corresponding Egyptian academic center in Tel Aviv still remain unopened.


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