IPC discusses new initiative for peace between Israel and Palestine

What follows is my English translation of a short article originally in Italian, published on Movisol.org on Friday 25th October 2024.

On 18th October [2024], Helga Zepp-LaRouche opened the 72nd consecutive weekly online meeting of the International Peace Coalition [IPC] by emphasising the danger of escalating war in Southwest Asia. After the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his intention to severely punish Iran. The fear is that he - or rather his advisors in the Anglo-American oligarchy - may decide to attack the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities, in which case a direct confrontation between the US and Russia could quickly ensue.

From Israel, the IPC heard from former Knesset member Mossi Raz, who was also director-general of Peace Now and a paratrooper in the IDF [Israel "Defense" Forces]. Raz stressed that peace activists in both Palestine and Israel are saying the same thing: release hostages on both sides, end hostilities and move towards a two-state solution. He said he had just returned from Brussels where, on 15th October [2024], he participated with former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al Kidwa in a conference organised by the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament.

Mossi Raz also recalled that al Kidwa went to Rome where, together with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, he was received by Pope Francis, to whom the two presented the joint peace proposal they had drawn up to end the war in Gaza and achieve peace in the Middle East. The plan envisages first a ceasefire, then the establishment of two states, each of which would have its capital in Greater Jerusalem, without either state exercising exclusive political sovereignty over the city. Another provision would involve the exchange of 4.4% of the total territory of the West Bank for an equally sized territory of Israel, as well as the creation of the long-promised connecting corridor between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

At the IPC meeting, Helga Zepp-LaRouche exchanged views with Mossi Raz, saying she found the Vatican meeting and the discussion of the joint Israeli-Palestinian proposal “full of hope”, especially given the stature and experience of the two authors. But to be successful, he stressed, it should be incorporated into a new comprehensive security architecture and ideally based on an approach similar to the Peace of Westphalia. “I fully agree”, replied the Israeli activist.

Neither Olmert nor Al-Kidwa hold public office today, but the former was Israeli Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009, when the ceasefire of the war in Lebanon was signed, and was the architect of the last real attempt to reach an agreement, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for the creation of two states. Al-Kidwa, nephew of Palestine Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat, whom he represented at the UN, has long been known for his pro-peace positions.

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