We have been asked to publish the following comment which comes in from Ms Ahlam Akram the founder of Basirah, the women’s rights movement. It does not represent the view of the Next Century Foundation:

Will Yahya Sinwar’s appointment to succeed Ismail Haniyeh change Egypt’s nationalist path in support of Palestinian rights and promote to an end to war?

Such a partnership will confirm the keenness of the Palestinian and Egyptian leadership to achieve a just peace that guarantees the rights of the two peoples to security. Provided that it is based entirely on the Saudi initiative.

Over the past years, the Egyptian leadership has been preoccupied with its internal economic problems, and how to deal with the flood of Arab immigrants, whether they have capital to invest in Egyptian economy or not. Immigrants from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, and lately Palestinians.

During the few years of Egyptian absence from involvement, Qatar took charge, still coordinating with Egypt. In a rare political paradox, despite the Qatari state’s bias towards the Islamist trend, the Qatari state played all the roles of mediation between Israel and Hamas. With the full knowledge of the United States, it has sent all forms of economic aid to the Palestinians, which is what Premier Netanyahu bragged about in the Knesset, about his knowledge of this finance to Hamas. I believe that this aid contributed to the increase in Hamas’ strength and part of it was used for other purposes, such as arming the resistance. This despite the knowledge of both sides (Hamas and Premier Netanyahu) of the intentions of the other.

With the October War, the undiplomatic war erupted between the three parties. Hamas, Israel and Qatar.

Hamas who did not expect the level of ferocity of Israel’s response: Israel’s premeditated intention to get rid of Hamas and the Palestinians, and its expansion into Gaza.

Israel was insulting the Iranian government in Tehran, by assassinating Hamas’ lead negotiator.

All the above confirm the real intentions of Israel’s Premier. To end the negotiations unilaterally, despite the costly war and the increasing numbers of adverse immigration.

But the surprise that Israel did not expect remains in Sinwar’s appointment as the new leader of Hamas.

Dear reader, You will challenge me with your question, what next….

The only solution to spare us a regional war, and save the Palestinian in particular .. convincing the Israeli public to pressure their government to adhere to the Saudi Peace Initiative, combined with Egyptian diplomacy.

The starting point is the new Palestinian (Hamas) leadership’s assertion of the followings

1. that its only goal, is to liberate the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from the occupation. And live-in peace within the borders of its viable State.
2. Assuring the Egyptian government that it will not threaten Egyptian security, who still suffer from attempts of the return to political Islam to power.
3. That Hamas does not carry any agendas that serve other countries.
4. There is no intention to form a religious state, which has become the bogey that the Western world rejects and fears.

Egypt will be the best diplomatic representative for the following reasons

1. Using Egyptian diplomacy and its expertise from its previous negotiations.
2. Its ability to deal with the new Israeli popular mentality that calls for peace with the Palestinians.
3. The weight of Egypt’s role in the Western world and its respect for signing of the peace treaty, and the stability of this treaty, confirms the sincere global Egyptian intentions for peace. All the above could attract international support to end this conflict which is threatening international stability with the thought of war.

The most important guarantor for the success of this attempt is that it is to be based on the Saudi initiative. There is no doubt that Saudi is the rising star globally and has become the rising star for dignity in Arab countries.

Israel is most keen on Saudi recognition, and the Kingdom has conditioned this recognition on an end to occupation and a viable Palestinian State.

The full coordination between the two governments Egypt and Saudi would attract the popular Israeli street .. and convince Western governments to fulfil their people’s demand for their democratic right, which calls for an end to war and peace, in support of the Palestinian right to security through ending the war immediately; and release of the hostages in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners, especially children.

Image by abdulla alyaqoob from Pixabay