Madness is the logic of war, and reason is the foundation of peace. With this in mind, we can take into consideration the plan proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the Gaza crisis, which is now nearing its second year, sparked by Hamas’ reckless actions.
Some naive individuals believed they could defeat Israel with a few rockets, ignoring the fact that the West, especially the United States, would never allow this at any cost. If Hamas were guided by reason and truly concerned with the well-being of the people in Gaza, it would have been the first to accept a peace plan.
Instead, it chose to escalate the conflict, leading to further death, destruction, hunger, and suffering. By all rational assessments, Hamas and the other factions fueling this crisis face inevitable defeat, and their continued presence only deepens and prolongs the tragedy.
Some Arab leaders, especially those who met with Trump during the UN General Assembly, realized that their window of opportunity is closing, and that maneuvering is futile without possessing a force capable of resisting the Israeli-American- Western alliance. The region is now entering a new phase, different from the era of the Sykes-Picot Agreement that culminated in the 1967 war, when Israel expanded into Arab territories. Despite the presence of armies, there was no direct military confrontation.
The outcome of that defeat marked the worst Arab catastrophe, the repercussions of which continue to this day. Despite this, the Palestinians still have a chance to preserve some gains, especially in the Gaza Strip, where the Mediterranean Sea off its coast holds oil and gas resources that could help the people of Gaza overcome poverty and build an economy to support a future Palestinian state.
This is why the Trump plan has received a positive response in the Arab world, as some leaders recognize that the world has changed and are dealing with it in a language it understands. Therefore, stopping the war in Gaza is a prelude to halting a plan targeting the entire region.
Conversely, a thoughtful and wise reading of the Trump plan reveals a great opportunity for the Palestinians to establish their state and halt the Judaization of the West Bank. Paragraph 20 of the plan states, “With the reconstruction of Gaza progressing, and with the faithful implementation of the Palestinian Authority’s reform program, conditions may finally be created for a credible path leading to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”
The final statement in this paragraph marks the first Israeli recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and acknowledges the existence of a Palestinian state, which has become a reality increasingly recognized by countries around the world. However, achieving this goal depends on the ability to unify Palestinian decision-making under the legitimate, internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.
Wasting this opportunity will only prolong suffering. Unfortunately, reckless rhetoric continues to dominate the leaders of the Palestinian factions, who seem to take pride in the bloodshed of their own people. Hamas’s rejection of the plan is not an act of patriotism but a clear evidence of betrayal, as the ongoing suffering benefits the greedy leaders who live luxurious lives nearly 2,000 kilometers away from Gaza, while hundreds of their own people are killed daily.
There is no doubt that the Palestinian people will hold accountable those responsible for the suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, and those who fail to understand the language of reason and the precise calculations that govern international balances. They have ignored the history of the Arab region and Palestine, which spans nearly 3,500 years, and witnessed the rise and fall of great empires. Instead, they have fallen into the trap of Hamas’s seductive slogans that cloud reason. For this reason, Hamas’ heretics must be kept away from the Palestinian cause.
