British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock have called on all parties in the Middle East to work towards a two-state solution as soon as the violence (the Israeli war on Gaza) ceases, expressing heartbreak at the sight of the large number of children being killed or injured.
In a joint article in The Times, the ministers stated that nobody wants to see this conflict go on for a moment longer than necessary, expressing their belief that, even in the darkest moments, they have the power to "turn this desperate situation around for the better. We share the longing for peace in the Middle East, as in every other part of the world."
The article clarified that the ministers' aim is not merely to stop the fighting today, but to ensure peace permanently for days, years, and generations. Hence, "we support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable," especially since many in the region and beyond are calling for an immediate halt to the firing, understandably, in reaction to such severe suffering.
Hamas is Not a Partner
While the ministers expressed their support of diplomatic efforts to agree on more temporary ceasefires to allow more aid in and more prisoners out, they do not believe that calling for a general and immediate cessation of hostilities is the way forward. In their view, this overlooks the reason Israel feels compelled to defend itself, which is the attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). They called on the group to lay down its weapons.
Since stopping all Israeli military operations immediately will not stop Hamas from launching rockets, nor lead to the group releasing prisoners or changing its ideology, as per the ministers’ opinion, they concluded that an unsustainable ceasefire, which rapidly collapses and leads to more violence, will only make it harder to build the trust necessary for peace.
Considering the nature of any long-term peace agreement, the ministers clarified that even before October 7th, it was hard to imagine Hamas as a true partner for peace. They asserted that leaving it in power in Gaza would be a perpetual hurdle to the two-state solution, justifying this with the notion that Israelis will not live side by side with those who have committed atrocities against them. Similarly, Palestinians will not settle amongst those who endanger them "by laying ambushes under their homes, schools, and hospitals."
Commitment to International Law
Despite recognizing Israel's right to self-defense, the ministers see that it must first comply with international humanitarian law, and that it will not win the war if it destroys the prospects of peaceful coexistence with the Palestinians, indicating that while it has the right to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas, it must do more to sufficiently distinguish between "terrorists" and civilians, many of whom have been killed.
The ministers called for more aid to be provided to ordinary Palestinians. "Our hearts break when we see children beneath the rubble of their destroyed homes, not knowing where they will find food or water, or where their parents are. Therefore, we have increased our funding for humanitarian aid to Gaza, delivering life-saving supplies to those most in need."
Finally, the ministers appealed to those seeking to end suffering to work together to find a solution that provides long-term security for both peoples, pointing out that Arabs, in particular, have a pivotal role to play, carrying greater political weight to bring to the negotiating table because the rise of extremism is a threat to everyone, not just Israelis and Palestinians.
The article concluded that a two-state solution requires both sides to feel secure and live side by side, hence strongly condemning the despicable acts committed by extremist settlers in the West Bank, their efforts to sabotage any two-state solution efforts, and their violent forcing of Palestinians to leave their homes, calling for a halt to the fighting today and in the future.
