Policy papers and recommendations
/ Gaza
The Twenty Point Peace plan seems to promise a brighter future for Gazans and Israelis alike. It envisions a massive reconstruction effort coupled with a process of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR). It implies this will include deradicalization and the beginning of a brighter and more peaceful future for the Middle East, with the Arab World eventually normalizing relations with Israel and the solution for Gaza providing a model for beginning the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, at the moment this vision seems very far from reality, and for good reason. For reconstruction in Gaza to be meaningful, and not just building infrastructure for the next war, the territory must become secure and stable, which will not happen as long as Hamas and other armed factions continue to have power.
This is why the keystone for the success of the plan is the creation and deployment of a capable and effective International Security Force (ISF) backed by an appropriate mandate, with the right force structure and national participation. There is a palpable sense of skepticism emanating from Israelis when it comes to the International Security Force for Gaza and the possibility that it will bring security and stability to the troubled region. Israel, Gaza, and the US currently stand at a precipice. Success in Gaza, as hard as it may be to envision, can revolutionize conflict resolution in the region, while failure may render any realistic path towards peace all but illusory. Failure would also greatly harm the reputation and position of the US in the Middle East. The potential to succeed where so many other attempts have failed can only be realized if current policy and force design rise to the occasion and avoid the mistakes of the past.
