The U.S. official said the Biden administration’s stated aim has been to “ensure that an initial six-week ceasefire would be built into something more enduring. The agreement lays out three phases for this purpose and it would be our aim to see all three phases completed with all the hostages returned to their families.”
Israel doesn’t want a lasting ceasefire…
They want everything they’re asking for in exchange for a very brief “ceasefire” where they don’t actually even pause their genocide.
There is no overlap of positions. It boils down to Hamas wants to stay in power and Isreal won’t agree to that. But, mediators still want to keep talks going.
It makes me very happy that I can actually completely agree with you this time.
Netanyahu has become a dog backed into a corner, with his only protection being a rabid pack of zealots whose god promised them land. He wants no cease fire, so makes unconditional surrender the only terms he’ll accept.
The only way to an actual peace in the region is starting to take steps towards the long term. As distasteful as it may seem it likely includes giving Hamas at least some measure of a seat at the table in the process.
“I get what I want, you get a months reprieve before I kill you.” is not a serious proposal to end this.
As distasteful as it may seem it likely includes giving Hamas at least some measure of a seat at the table in the process.
I don’t trust Hamas (nor the Israeli government for that matter), but the people of Gaza deserve representation. The last election was a held in 2006. Why not make a condition of this peace agreement that free and fair elections be held in Gaza so the people can choose their representation.
This would benefit Israel if they don’t like Hamas, and if the people don’t like the results the Oct 6th attack by Hamas, this would be their chance to voice their opinion and vote out Hamas. If Hamas rejects this demand then it would be very telling that Hamas just wants to stay in power. Perhaps Hamas could counter that if the people of Gaza get a vote for their government, the so should the people of Israel for their government. Do the people of Israel want to continue this bloodshed? Their vote will tell.
The immediate pressing concern is to stop the fighting and get aid in to alleviate the famine and other humanitarian concerns. You can’t hold an election while over half your population is displaced and homeless with tens of thousands wounded and a famine. The situation needs to be stabilized, and there is going to have to be some external party there to enforce the peace and start that work. Some of the proposals involve a regional peacekeeping force from Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, etc
As a party engaged in the fighting, if you want it to stop you’re going to have to be discussing and coming to agreements with Hamas. But yes, in the longer term there should be free and fair elections in Gaza and the whole of Palestinian territory. But that’s steps down the road, for sure.
The alternative is to continue on the path we’re on. Sure, you might destroy Hamas as an organization, but you will have either created the breeding ground for much worse to come in the future, or gone all-in on genocide.
The immediate pressing concern is to stop the fighting and get aid in to alleviate the famine and other humanitarian concerns. You can’t hold an election while over half your population is displaced and homeless with tens of thousands wounded and a famine.
That wasn’t my suggestion.
I agree elections can only be held once there is stabilization. However, a what can be included in these agreements is a commitment from both sides to hold elections. Again, Hamas hasn’t held any since 2006. It costs either side nothing to agree to it now, so one side rejecting it would be very telling.
Sounds like Israel’s main complaint is:
Israel doesn’t want a lasting ceasefire…
They want everything they’re asking for in exchange for a very brief “ceasefire” where they don’t actually even pause their genocide.
There is no overlap of positions. It boils down to Hamas wants to stay in power and Isreal won’t agree to that. But, mediators still want to keep talks going.
It ain’t easy.
They want Gaza to continue to exist, Israel does not.
Israel wants Gaza to become Israel, which is why they’re flattening it and killing everyone that lives there.
Since Hamas accepted this ceasefire agreement, Israel has stepped up their invasion and murdering of civilians
https://apnews.com/live/cease-fire-israel-hamas-updates
That’s not what you do if you’re legitimately working towards a ceasefire.
It’s no different than Russia saying they want peace while leaving out they’ll only stop the attack when they get everything they want.
Neither Russia nor Israel want peace, they want surrender.
It’s two very different things.
It makes me very happy that I can actually completely agree with you this time.
Netanyahu has become a dog backed into a corner, with his only protection being a rabid pack of zealots whose god promised them land. He wants no cease fire, so makes unconditional surrender the only terms he’ll accept.
The only way to an actual peace in the region is starting to take steps towards the long term. As distasteful as it may seem it likely includes giving Hamas at least some measure of a seat at the table in the process.
“I get what I want, you get a months reprieve before I kill you.” is not a serious proposal to end this.
I don’t trust Hamas (nor the Israeli government for that matter), but the people of Gaza deserve representation. The last election was a held in 2006. Why not make a condition of this peace agreement that free and fair elections be held in Gaza so the people can choose their representation.
This would benefit Israel if they don’t like Hamas, and if the people don’t like the results the Oct 6th attack by Hamas, this would be their chance to voice their opinion and vote out Hamas. If Hamas rejects this demand then it would be very telling that Hamas just wants to stay in power. Perhaps Hamas could counter that if the people of Gaza get a vote for their government, the so should the people of Israel for their government. Do the people of Israel want to continue this bloodshed? Their vote will tell.
The immediate pressing concern is to stop the fighting and get aid in to alleviate the famine and other humanitarian concerns. You can’t hold an election while over half your population is displaced and homeless with tens of thousands wounded and a famine. The situation needs to be stabilized, and there is going to have to be some external party there to enforce the peace and start that work. Some of the proposals involve a regional peacekeeping force from Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, etc
As a party engaged in the fighting, if you want it to stop you’re going to have to be discussing and coming to agreements with Hamas. But yes, in the longer term there should be free and fair elections in Gaza and the whole of Palestinian territory. But that’s steps down the road, for sure.
The alternative is to continue on the path we’re on. Sure, you might destroy Hamas as an organization, but you will have either created the breeding ground for much worse to come in the future, or gone all-in on genocide.
That wasn’t my suggestion.
I agree elections can only be held once there is stabilization. However, a what can be included in these agreements is a commitment from both sides to hold elections. Again, Hamas hasn’t held any since 2006. It costs either side nothing to agree to it now, so one side rejecting it would be very telling.