The Next Century Foundation has co-signed a resolution submitted to the United Nations on the need for a peace process in regard to the Israel-Palestine war. In view of President Trump’s intervention on the issue, this seems timely. The full text as submitted to the UN is on this link. A version also follows below:

Considerations in Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The ceasefire agreement entering into effect on 19 January 2025 is a step towards a just and lasting settlement. The protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict has continued for too long causing excessive suffering, resulting in the intolerable loss of countless lives since 1948 until the present day. It has spread to affect Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt. It is therefore more realistic to include these countries when trying to resolve this conflict.

The purpose of this statement is to highlight crucial considerations which will determine the success of any attempt to resolve the conflict. This needs to be done urgently.

The signatory NGOs emphasise the need for parallel processes to both achieve a lasting ceasefire and resolve this protracted conflict, without either process being a precondition of the other. The stability of a ceasefire depends on progress in resolving the conflict. Agreement is needed on measurable milestones to ensure that progress is both timely and tangible.

This approach, combined with transparent accountability mechanisms, could pave a way towards both peacebuilding and resolution of the conflict.

All people have an equal right to life and to protection from threats to their life, regardless of whether they are in the State of Israel or in countries or territories bordering Israel.

This applies the principle of treating others as you would like others to treat you, reflected in the Golden Rule mosaic at UN Headquarters in New York.

Successful resolution of the conflict will necessitate taking the following points into consideration, in no particular order:

1. The use of air defence systems with international accountability to make airborne attack from any side futile. This would effectively impose a partial ceasefire through technological means, as well as supporting the stability of any agreed ceasefire. Applying the Golden Rule means equal security for all countries and territories in the region, offering all of them air defence systems which provide comparable levels of protection against airborne attack, including by drones.
2. A permanent durable full ceasefire between Israel and all regions involved in the conflict, imposed externally, mandated by a UN Security Council resolution under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.
3. Release of all hostages and prisoners.
4. Withdrawal of all forces from territory in this region which they are deemed by international law to be occupying illegally.
5. Unrestricted access and protection for UN relief organisations, including UNRWA, in their areas of responsibility, and the same for the media.
6. Recognition of Palestine as a UN member state, followed by negotiation on its boundaries.
7. Palestinians and Israelis living in sovereign states side-by-side, with equal measures of security, freedom, opportunity, respect and dignity. Consideration of any future form of confederation or union would have more legitimacy if it resulted from the decision of these two sovereign states with the support of their populations. Cooperation between Israel and states bordering Israel for their essential supplies of fuel, electrical power, food and water will pragmatically build trust. Alternative sources need to be available, to ensure that no country can use the withdrawal of these resources as blackmail. The natural environment, (e.g. underground water, watershed basins,) has no political boundaries. This necessitates co-ordination and co-operation in the region for a win-win situation.
8. Considering the legitimate needs, responsibilities and rights of all inhabitants of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including settlers and Palestinian refugees, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. These considerations also include restorative justice and the rehabilitation of communities and individuals and the supportive infrastructure necessary for their human security.
9. The implementation of rulings of the International Court of Justice.
10. Internationally supported forces to maintain law and order, peace and security, which are: 
    1. acceptable to the elected representatives in the territory where they operate,
    2. monitored by credible authorities with accountability mechanisms accessible to all residents of the territories in which they operate,
    3. able to prevent the territory from launching or receiving a violent attack (e.g. equipped with air defence systems like Iron-Dome / S400 / Patriot / THAAD etc.)

1. The selection of each governing authority without external interference but with the provision of the resources necessary to fulfil its responsibilities. The legitimacy of each authority will depend on whether it is seen to represent the interests of the inhabitants of the territories it governs.

The above provisions would pave a credible way to resolution of this conflict, offering an alternative to those who see violence as the only effective reaction to injustice, neglect and perceived existential threat.

This statement focuses on resolution of the conflict, as an independent issue from pursuing accountability for past actions, which should be pursued separately and in parallel through judicial means.

Achieving these objectives calls for a whole new level of commitment and cooperation between all UN member states. This calls for the skilled diplomacy between people of good will such as enabled France and Germany to build friendship and cooperation in the mid-twentieth century, despite having fought three major wars against each other in 75 years. This cooperation was helped by the work of civil society from 1945 on, when thousands of French and Germans went to meet their former enemies, to understand the reality, with a readiness to reconcile and to build bridges of trust.

Everyone can play some part in enabling that trust to grow between all states of the region.

We commit ourselves to this essential long-term trust-building work.

Signatory NGOs with UN ECOSOC Consultative Status:

1. Initiatives of Change International
2. The Next Century Foundation
3. L’observatoire mauritanien des droits de l’homme et de la démocratie

Image by hosny salah from Pixabay