Proposed steps to move forward to peaceful resolution of Israeli/Palestinian conflict:
. Hamas entirely resigns ending their ‘administration’ of Gaza.
. PM Netanyahu resigns ending his divisive tenure.
. An Israeli bombing/offensive pause is put in place immediately, contingent on release of all hostages and Hamas relinquishing total control of Gaza to UN authorities.
. All rockets or other instruments of violence from Gaza or West Bank must cease.
. All Israeli/foreign hostages are released and accounted for.
. All missing Palestinians are accounted for—excavations conducted as necessary assisted by Israel and international partners.
. Israel releases all Palestinian prisoners provided they commit to non-violence.
. All settler violence is required to cease.
. All Palestinian terrorism is ended.
. Oslo process is rebooted with PA but this time requiring continuous, daily, irreversible ‘confidence building measures’ by both sides at every step of the way including both Israelis and Palestinians.
. Israel and Palestinians must work together in required mandate to repair all of the damage done since 10/07/23 including repairing all the Kibbutz and other buildings in Israel but also including damage to the West Bank and Gaza funded in large part by international donors.
. The rule of law will prevail over the rule of the mob or any form of violence. The law must be fairly applied.
. Judges which must include some Palestinian jurists adjudicate infractions of any violence by any party including all armed groups even the IDF and PA.
. Israel and Palestinians working together commit themselves to building housing and communities in the West Bank primarily for Palestinians including some returnees provided agree to non-violence.
. Israel and Palestinians are required to meet at least daily and ask in regards to any and all issues and opportunities for progress, for joint symbiotic efforts and concrete actions to improve the welfare of both Israelis and Palestinians so as to live peaceful and productive lives.
. The ‘educational’ curriculum in both Israel and Palestine must be reformed and renewed to strive for excellence, tolerance, and the rule of law.
. Hate speech or incitement to violence will not be tolerated by any individual or group either Palestinian or Israeli.
. After five years time a referendum to be held on Palestinian statehood which must include democratic norms and a renunciation and cessation of all violence. (An underground tunnel may be built to connect the two Palestinian territories.)
. Israel must likewise commit itself to ending all violence and abuse against the Palestinians.
. Both sides must be totally committed to bringing any violators of ‘the end of violence agreement’ to account consistent with the rule of law to be decided by impartial and fair joint Israeli/Palestinian judges whose rulings must be respected and if needed be enforced jointly by both the respective parties to the agreement and conflict.
. The leaders of both Israel and the Palestinians commit themselves to leading their people in this challenging endeavor of ‘the rule of law and cessation of violence’ in good faith.
. The United States, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the PA, the UN and other international partners will commit their good offices to making this plan successful assisting all parties to the agreement and conflict in every way possible to move forward.
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I would add that this plan is likely to be vehemently opposed by the extremists on both sides but they cannot be allowed to prevent this reasonable, comprehensive, and detailed plan from being discussed then moving forward for the benefit of both parties, their citizens, and the international community. I.
Civilian casualties:
The argument is put forward is that if one is fighting per ‘the rules of war’ then whatever force considered beneficial can be applied to a military target not withstanding civilians as the military necessity takes precedence over civilian casualties as long as the military target’s value is commensurate.
Unfortunately, this argument is fallacious reasoning as it doesn’t give any weight to the political dimension, which will likely be enormously affected by large numbers of civilian casualties.
Moreover, a false analogy is made to WWII, for example the bombing of France by the allies as part of Normandy landings.
The difference is that while some French civilians were likely killed in these bombings, the allies would never have considered high civilian casualties of the French to be politically acceptable, responsible, or prudent.
That’s the problem with both Hamas and the current Israeli leadership is that there is no level of civilian casualties which is too high as the civilians are all considered to be ‘enemy non-combatants’ or even combatants.
This ‘thinking’ is fundamentally, morally wrong and has multiple logical fallacies.
Moreover, there are other and more advantageous means of capturing or cornering high value targets then blowing up entire villages or hospitals even if enemy bunkers are below them, but one has to see the paramount necessity of making that arduous effort to save civilian lives while still pursuing justified military objectives and one will simply not see any benefit in doing so if one considers all civilians to be enemy combatants—even children.
The stupidity is that there are likely many Gazans who are sick of Hamas, but Netanyahu/Israel is totally incapable of offering them anything better…and is in fact offering them worse.