Why Israeli attack in Qatar risks putting us all in greater danger
The international community must rebuild the rule of law and recognise the Palestinian state
Stepping out of a meeting with the president of Palestine, Mahmood Abbas, on Tuesday afternoon, it would be an exaggeration to say that my mood was hopeful. Two years of brutal conflict in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank have seen little cause for sunny optimism.
Even so, the constructive atmosphere took a sharp downturn when it emerged that while we had been meeting to discuss prospects for the much-overdue recognition of the state of Palestine, Israel had launched an unprecedented strike on the capital of Qatar. Their goal was to kill Hamas negotiators discussing a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
For Israel to take the step of attacking the very people who were assigned to negotiate an end to this conflict takes us all down a seriously dangerous path. If such an action becomes normalised, it will put all of us at risk.
Hamas’s hostages put at increased risk
Hamas – whether their negotiating team in Qatar or anyone else – are not nice people, to put it mildly. The sooner they are out of power in Gaza, the better. This Israeli strike, however, escalates and widens an already highly fraught conflict.
It puts the remaining hostages held in Gaza at increased risk, as their families have already warned, by reducing the incentive for Hamas to engage in negotiations.
The bigger picture is still more concerning. The basic principle that negotiators are not themselves targets of war is hardwired into diplomacy. If it is overturned then it risks making negotiations of all sorts far harder to resolve – and making our world that much less secure.
Just imagine the same principle being applied to the war in Ukraine. If we think that Vladimir Putin is murderous enough already, the danger if he felt he had the impunity to target Ukrainian negotiators in the future would be even worse.
Finding a lasting peace
We know that there will not be a military solution to the conflict in Palestine, so one way or another there is going to have to be a political solution. It is a negotiated settlement that is needed – and for that, there must be negotiators.
What is too often forgotten is that the people of Gaza are not Hamas – they are its victims. Negotiations with Hamas are unavoidable to bring the remaining hostages home, reach a lasting ceasefire and end the humanitarian crisis, but Hamas cannot remain in power in the long term.
That is why building consensus for a political solution is so important, and why working with figures like President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority is so vital. If there is a route to a lasting peace for both Palestinians and Israelis, it runs through recognising a legitimate state of Palestine.
Recognition is only part of a wider set of challenges but it is essential all the same. Our government must get this across the line when the UN General Assembly meets in two weeks’ time.
It is some time since we have had any real cause for optimism in the conflict over Israel and Palestine. If we are going to reignite hope for the people of Palestine, rebuilding the international rule of law – and the recognition of the legitimate Palestinian state – must be at the heart of it.
Alistair Carmichael is the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.