BEFORE PEACE CAN BEGIN, PALESTINIANS MUST UNITE

Internal divisions and stalled diplomacy threaten peace, but global momentum may offer one last chance for a breakthrough

- BY SULTAN MAJED AL ALI | Special to Gulf News

The prospects for peace in the Palestinian reality are diminishing. The war on Gaza has been ongoing for nearly two years, the humanitarian conditions in the Strip are dire, security entanglements persist in the West Bank, and Israel continues to backtrack on any promises regarding a Palestinian state through policies that systematically undermine the two-state solution. Moreover, the internal Palestinian division weakens the overall Palestinian position.

Although the two-state solution has been effectively frozen for years and international support for resolving the Palestinian issue has waned, the situation on the ground has gotten worse with the deepening rift between Fatah and Hamas and the absence of a national unity government that represents all Palestinians. This division not only weakens the Palestinian negotiating position but also hampers all international efforts in support of the two-state solution.

The future of the entire region — not just the West Bank and Gaza — is linked to the fate of the two-state solution. The ongoing war in Gaza and the broader regional conflicts cast dark shadows over the region's future. Despite differing visions for the future and competition between those who seek dominance and those looking to secure zones of influence, opportunities still exist. The Palestinian issue has returned to the forefront of international concern, and there is a growing desire to reach practical solutions, even if each party envisions such solutions differently.

A call for leadership transition