We rightly desire a swift end to the horrific conflict in Gaza and so we are praying for peace. The horrific cost to life even in these past few days has led many people to call for a ceasefire. It’s important as we seek peace to understand exactly what a ceasefire would mean.
There are really two ways in which a ceasefire normally happens. The first way means that there is a bilateral ceasefire with both sides agreeing to lay down their weapons usually for a temporary period but with the intention of negotiating a permanent peace. The other way is for one side to unilaterally declare a ceasefire, in effect to give up on their objectives whether temporarily or permanently and so to admit failure or even surrender.
A bilateral ceasefire leading to a negotiated settlement in Israel and Gaza would require both Israel and Hamas to accept this and to take on the responsibilities necessary to make it hold. For Israel this would require an immediate end to operations including air raids, artillery fire and ground incursions. It would also require an end to any special operations for it to be a true ceasefire.
For the ceasefire to hold, Israel would need to make a renewed commitment to making a long tewrm peace-plan work. A genuine long term peace plan means a few things. First it means that Israel has to do all in her power to enable the Palestinian authority territories to become truly self sufficient enabling a two-state solution. Secondly, it will need Israel to step back from the settler programme in the West Bank. This would mean no further settlements. It also means that the 500,000 settlers will need to decide if they want to remain there as a minority community under Palestinian government (just as many Arabs live within the borders of Israel) or if they want to return to Israel.
Hamas would also need to end its rocket attacks and to return the hostages seized on the 7th October. More than that, similar to the changes made by the IRA, there would have to be a commitment to real change. This would mean abandoning and de-activating the tunnels under Gaza City which put civilians in harms way as in effect a human shield. It would mean a commitment to achieving their aims by peaceful means. It would also require them to change their founding charter in order to remove antisemitic and genocidal aims.
It is unlikely that Hamas will call a unilateral ceasefire without being defeated. So, it seems that the only way we are likely to have one right now is for Israel to give up on her aims and her right to defend herself. It is important that we understand what this means and what in effect we call for when we call for a ceasefire.
It would mean in effect that the October 7th atrocities succeeded. Israeli civilians would have to accept their fate of living in fear of further terrorist atrocities. It would mean the continuation of Hamas’ barrage of rockets which both put at risk Israeli children and civilians in Gaza too.
It also means that Gaza remains occupied by a terrorist organisation which have refused free elections since 2007. It means that those Palestinian civilians living there live under the rule of those who intentionally use them as human shields, embed their terror cells in densely populated areas and put their lives at risk. It means those people are ruled by those who have shown no interest in ensuring that infrastructure is in place to supply fuel and water and who have been accused of syphoning off humanitarian aid and finance in order to support themselves. It means that Gaza remains divided off from the rest of Palestine.
It is for those reasons that I believe that the UK Government and opposition along with thr US and EU have been right in calling for humanitarian pauses, urging Israel to stay within both the letter ad spirit of international law but not seeking to impose a ceasefire on Israel.
We rightly desire peace. We pray for the safety and well-being of all. Our hope is for a true and lasting settlement which enables all to live freely, side by side together. We mourn the loss of Israel and Palestinian lives but if we are to call for a ceasefire, it is important that we know what we are calling for.
Faithroots 