‘Not Displacement But a Two-State Solution’
CrossFireArabia- January 28, 2025
By Khaled Shaqran
Jordan’s posture on the Palestinian question has always been firm and clear: Jordan is not, and will never be, an alternative homeland for Palestinians.
This position is not merely a political statement but a historical commitment rooted in the principle of justice and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Jordan rejects any attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause or deny the rights of Palestinians under whatsoever pretext.
In reality, Jordan, which has historically served as a safe haven for those fleeing wars and persecution, is already under immense pressure on its resources and infrastructure due to the accumulated influx of refugees from successive waves of migration. It cannot bear the burden of accommodating more refugees or the multifaceted challenges their presence would bring.
The Palestinian people cannot abandon their homeland, no matter the pressures or threats they face. For Palestinians, their land is not merely territory but identity, history, and shared destiny. They will continue to hold onto it until their legitimate rights are realized. Palestinians will not relinquish an inch of their land, neither through enticement nor intimidation, and will persist in their struggle to achieve their dream of freedom and justice.
No short-term solutions would resolve the issue and end the long-running conflict, as some believe.
While the United States, as a global power, can propose initiatives and exert political pressure, it can never erase an entire people and their just cause. Despite the systematic killing, repression, destruction, and unprecedented exclusionary practices supported by some influential international powers, the Palestinian people have never stopped and will never stop fighting for their legitimate rights, paramount of which is the end of the occupation and the establishment of an independent state of their own.
It is also crucial for the international community to understand that the Palestinian issue is not merely a regional conflict that can be resolved through short-lived settlements. It is a human rights issue tied to the lives of an entire people and their ongoing struggle for freedom and independence. Therefore, any solution that does not rest on the foundation of comprehensive justice will fail and will not bring lasting peace. The only solution to this conflict is a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The two-state solution is the only viable formula that enjoys international consensus and reflects the will of the region’s peoples for coexistence in peace and security. Palestine, as both land and cause, is not negotiable or to be ever terminated, and Palestinian rights are historical and legitimate, beyond the power of any force to erase or deny.
It is historically inevitable all occupations eventually end, and it is time for the international community to recognize that this conflict cannot be resolved through displacement, killing, or destruction, but by achieving justice for the Palestinian people. Any solution that does not rely on the two-state framework will remain unattainable. The Palestinian cause will persist as a struggle for rights and freedom, and the region will not enjoy security, stability, or peace until the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights and establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Khaled Shaqran is a columnist in the Jordan Times
ESCWA: War on Gaza Sets Backs Development by 69 Years
- CrossFireArabia
- January 25, 2025
The impact of the year-long war in Gaza and escalations in the West Bank has set development in the State of Palestine back by about 69 years, according to a new UN report released on Tuesday.
“Without lifting economic restrictions, enabling recovery, and investing in development, the Palestinian economy may not be able to restore pre-war levels and advance forward by relying on humanitarian aid alone,” Gaza war: Expected socioeconomic impacts on the State of Palestine, concludes, produced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
The analysis suggests three recovery scenarios for Palestine. Given that the recovery will be a long-term process, the report assessed both the immediate impact projected for 2025 and the long-term impact anticipated by 2034, a decade after the start of the conflict.
“Our assessments serve to sound the alarm over the millions of lives that are being shattered and the decades of development efforts that are being wiped out,” said ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti.
“It is high time to end the suffering and bloodshed that have engulfed our region. We must unite to find a lasting solution where all peoples can live in peace, dignity and reap the benefit of sustainable development and where international law and justice are finally upheld.”
Projections estimate that the gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 35.1 per cent in 2024 compared with a no-war scenario, with unemployment potentially rising to 49.9 per cent.
Three recovery scenarios
Building on findings published in November and May, the report estimates that poverty in Palestine will rise to 74.3 per cent in 2024, affecting 4.1 million people, including 2.61 million people who are newly impoverished.
The assessment also examines the extent and depth of deprivation, employing multidimensional poverty indicators and includes recovery prospects for Palestine after a ceasefire is reached as well as three early recovery scenarios.
The non-restricted early recovery scenario sees restrictions on Palestinian workers lifted and withheld clearance revenues restored to the Palestinian Authority.
In addition to $280 million in humanitarian aid, $290 million is allocated annually for recovery efforts, resulting in an increase in productivity by one per cent annually, enabling the economy to recover and putting Palestinian development back on track.
Unrestricted aid can help
The assessment suggests that a comprehensive recovery and reconstruction plan, combining humanitarian aid with strategic investments in recovery and reconstruction along with lifting economic restrictions, could help put the Palestinian economy back on track to realign with Palestinian development plans by 2034.
But, this scenario can only play out if recovery efforts are unrestricted, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.
“Projections in this new assessment confirm that amidst the immediate suffering and horrific loss of life, a serious development crisis is also unfolding – one that jeopardises the future of Palestinians for generations to come,” he said.
“The assessment indicates that, even if humanitarian aid is provided each year, the economy may not regain its pre-crisis level for a decade or more.”
As conditions on the ground allow, he said, the Palestinian people need a robust early recovery strategy embedded in the humanitarian assistance phase, laying foundations for a sustainable recovery.
Humanitarian situation deteriorating
The humanitarian situation is catastrophic and deteriorating daily, said UNDP’s Chitose Noguchi, briefing reporters in Geneva from Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, where many displaced people are currently living.
“The State of Palestine is experiencing an unprecedented setback in development to the year 1955,” she said.
“Restrictions that are currently stifling the economy must be lifted,” she stressed, underlining the new assessment conclusion’s importance for the region. Currently, assessments are being conducted in Lebanon and Syria.
Read the full report here.
Winners, Losers in Ceasefire Gaza
Dr Khairi Janbek- January 21, 2025
Dr Khairi Janbek
The idea of peace in Gaza is a deeply complex and sensitive issue that involves multiple layers of history, politics, and human rights concerns. When asking who is the winner in such a situation, it is important to note that in conflicts like this, there is often no clear cut winner. Both sides have experienced significant losses, and the true victory is ideally peace and justice for all involved.
Therfore, writing about peace in Gaza and identifying a winner is a delicate and complex issue, given the long history of the conflict, the many political, religious, and social factors involved , anf the human toll. Rather than framing it in terms of winner, it might be more constructive to focus on how peace could be achieved and what that would mean for the people of Gaza, Israel, and the broader region.
To move forward, in any conflict the idea of a winner is flawed. For those caught in the crossfire, both Palestinians and Israeli have face immeasurable losses, so instead of asking who emerged victorious, we must ask how can both, Israelis and Palestinians, live side by side in dignity and security? Essentially, a lasting peace would not mean the obliteration of one side or the domination of another. It would require mutual recognition of each other’s rights, history and humanity. It would mean ending the cycle of violence that harms innocent civilians and leaves communities devastated, while opening the door for political and economic solutions that allow both peoples to thrive.
Heavy hand
For Israel, security is a non-negotiable priority. The persistent threat of violence from militant groups in Gaza has been a constant concern. On the other hand, Palestinians in Gaza must also be able to live without the heavy hand of occupation and blocade, ensuring their freedom. In this context, the international community must ensure that the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are upheld, with a focus on dignity of the individuals; whether it is the right to live without fear of violence, or the right to self- determination and sovereignty.
Indeed the people of Gaza have long suffered under economic hardship, with hardly any access to basic services like healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, consequently any peace agreement must include a comprehensive plan for rebuilding Gaza, improving living standards, and opening up pathways to regional cooperation and trade. Achieving peace will require honest peacemakers on both sides, committed to negotiation and diaogue over violence. This clearly will involve the international community playing a much more active rôle in mediating talks, promoting trust-building measures, and holding all parties accountable.
The true winners in a new beginning would be the people; both Palestinians and Israelis, whom have suffered for too long. Peace would allow for the children of Gaza to grow up without fear of bombings, and for Israeli families to live in security without constant worry of attacks. Therefore, victory would be a shared one, a victory of humanity over hate, of hope over despair, and of a future where both Palestinians and Israelis can claim their right to live in peace, security, and mutual respect.
Dr Khairi Janbek is a Jordanian analyst based in Paris
Day 460 of Israel’s Genocide
- CrossFireArabia
- January 8, 2025
Daily briefing by the Ministry of Health in Gaza on day 460 of the ongoing Israeli genocide:
The Israeli occupation committed six massacres against families in the Gaza Strip over the previous 24 hours, resulting in 51 documented fatalities and 78 people injured.
The documented Palestinian death toll has now reached 45,936 individuals killed and 109,274 others injured since October 7, 2023.
Many victims are still unaccounted for, either buried under the rubble or scattered on the streets, and rescue and civil defense teams are unable to reach them.
