What have we learned from the Troubles that can help provide a roadmap to peace in Gaza?

Posted on: 11 June 2024

When Joe Biden introduced the three-phase peace plan for Israel and Palestine many people will have felt hope. Hope that such a rational plan with American backing would put an end to the war in Gaza. A six-week ceasefire, followed by a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of the Israeli army, exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners and after that, a major reconstruction effort: it would seem that all bases are covered.

Unfortunately, the rumblings within the Israeli cabinet suggest that there is significant opposition. In a way, the comprehensive focus of the plan is both its strength and its weakness. While giving hope, there is too much that the main players feel seriously conflicted about.

​People involved in resolving a conflict need to resolve the conflict within. Psychologically it is easier to follow the inner voices of hate and seek revenge than to sit down together and go through the painful struggle to find out that the enemy is in fact another human being with the right to be treated as such. At the moment, this is probably what the Israeli government is struggling with most. They have committed themselves to destroying Hamas. Making peace now seems inconsistent with that idea. If Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet finds a way around this, there is hope.

When I worked for the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation in 1999, delegations from Israel and Palestine were visiting to engage in informal dialogue. Anecdotally one of the delegates had said: “If you can’t resolve the issues in Northern Ireland, there is no hope for us.” Considering the progress in Northern Ireland there is perhaps a glimmer of hope. So, what have we learned from the Troubles that might give them hope?

In the first place, a peace process cannot take place when the raw impact of the violence is still hurting everyone. In short, time will need to pass in which there is relative peace and voices advocating solutions are allowed to enter the debate.

A ceasefire is essential to achieve this and for hope to spread. In Northern Ireland, people I met used to say: “We can’t and will never go back to the violence.” This realisation was fuelled by the relief they experienced when the violence stopped. We will see in the coming weeks whether Biden’s three-phased plan will be too much too soon, but if it succeeds in maintaining a ceasefire, an essential step forward will have been made.

Secondly, the destruction and number of deaths to be mourned in Gaza is far greater than in Northern Ireland. Many Palestinians have lost everything. They will be calling for justice and if this is not forthcoming – and let’s be honest where should it come from? – the call for revenge could inspire a new generation of young Palestinians in the same way the IRA support grew after Bloody Sunday.

Considering that those who have lost loved ones will find it hardest to resolve their inner conflict to work towards peace, a massive international effort to help and appease them is needed to avert perpetual war. Biden’s plan includes rebuilding, but the sooner it starts, the better.

Finally, one would like the parties in the Middle East to understand the doomsday scenario that continuation of the conflict may set in motion. At present, neither the Israelis nor Hamas seem to care if they set the whole world on fire. Psychologically this is rooted in the sense that both parties feel the world does not care about them, so why should they care about the world?

This sentiment is justified by a Jewish history of persecution and the Holocaust, and the treatment of Palestinians in refugee camps across the region. For the international community to come together and show persisting care for the resolution of the conflict will give hope to us all. This is what the Irish and British government did, and yes, in Northern Ireland, US support was also essential.

In short, there is hope. The peace plan that is on the table is perhaps overly ambitious right now. However, a ceasefire will allow those in leadership positions to sort out their inner conflict about ending the violence, so behind the scenes peace efforts can proceed, and normality can start to give everyone hope. Just like in Northern Ireland.

You can read the original article in the Irish Independent at the following link: https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/what-have-we-learned-from-the-troubles-that-can-help-provide-a-roadmap-to-peace-in-gaza/a333067993.html

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