An Agreement that Can Bring Peace, Rehabilitation to Gaza and Motivate Iran plus Hezbollah to Cancel their Retaliation

High-profile talks have been continuing for some time for a peace agreement on Gaza, involving diplomats of the USA, Qatar and Egypt. It is strange that the two main parties are not directly involved in these. Anyway, as peace must get all possible chances, the world is again waiting anxiously to see if a genuine justice based agreement can still be clinched by the diplomats and negotiators of the three countries against all the heavy odds.

Those who have been devoted to peace with justice from the outset should also come out with their own versions of justice based peace agreements now so as to provide base documents against which what finally emerges from the ongoing negotiations can be evaluated.

First and foremost, the peace agreement should provide for permanent ceasefire, not for a temporary one of six or eight weeks. There is hardly any peace achievement if all the horrible attacks are resumed again after a few weeks. Israeli armed forces should go away from Gaza. All aggression of Israeli settlers in West Bank should stop.

Secondly, all the remaining Israeli hostages should be returned and at the same time a significant number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees should be released. In the case of those remaining, there should be clear and firm assurance of no torture or mistreatment, as well as medical care for any harm already suffered by them.

Once peace in Gaza is secured, a very large-scale community-based relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction effort in Gaza should start. Decisions relating to reconstruction work should be taken by communities and not by big construction companies. Apart from the existing funds available with UN and other agencies, these should be increased with additional funds donated voluntarily and generously by all countries and organizations that can afford to do so, with special emphasis on oil-rich neighboring countries. However those who provided the weapons for the enormous destruction of Gaza, particularly the USA and Germany, should compulsorily provide almost an equal amount (equal to the money value of the weapons they provided during the war), or a very substantial share of this, for community-based relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work, on the basis of the principle that those who provide the means of destruction must, at the very least, also provide the means of reconstruction. About one tenth of this compulsory payment should be kept aside for the Israeli victims of the Hamas assault of October 7. About one-tenth should be kept aside for the temporarily displaced people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border. The remaining eight-tenths should be dedicated to relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction effort in Gaza, although a small share of this can be shared with other Palestinians who have also suffered harm during the war.

Thus if at least a total of about 20 billion dollars or so is contributed by the weapon suppliers then 16 billion dollars can become available for Palestinians (mainly the people of Gaza), while at the same time two billion dollars becomes available for the Israeli victims of October 7 attack and two billion dollars can also become available for the displaced people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border, with the Israeli and Lebanese people getting equal help.

To utilize this fund properly while minimizing the possibilities of corruption and maladministration, special arrangements can be agreed upon.

Once a satisfactory peace deal is secured, then Iran and Hezbollah should make separate announcements openly that now that peace in Gaza is achieved, in the wider interests of peace they are taking a decision not to launch their retaliatory attacks on Israel. This decision will be widely appreciated by all peace loving people of the world and will contribute to the moral strength of those who announce this decision, much more than any revengeful action taken by them may have contributed. Hezbollah and Israel should announce that their routine exchange of fire which causes so many problems for people living on the border of both sides will also stop and rehabilitation of people on both sides of the border will get priority attention.

Similarly Houthi rebels in Yemen should announce that now that peace in Gaza is secured, they will not be mounting any other attacks on ships or on other Israeli targets, or those of their allies.

Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine.