Gaza Cease-Fire Welcome; Prompts Cautious Optimism

~June 19, 2008~

Warren Clark, Executive Director

The cease-fire arrangement that went into effect today between Israel and Hamas is a welcome development and cause for cautious optimism.  Months of rocket attacks, military responses and border blockades have made life for the people of Gaza and the residents of southern Israel intolerable and have undermined progress on the Annapolis peace process.  While the cease-fire is fragile, it is undoubtedly the best option to end the violence and enable progress on the diplomatic front. 

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) has consistently called for a cease-fire, an end to the blockade and a solution to the border crossings that meets Israel’s security needs and allows the return of economic life to Gaza.  CMEP has commended the fifty-two Members of Congress, lead by Rep. David Price (D-NC) and Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), who sent a letter to President Bush in May urging efforts to end the crisis in southern Israel and Gaza and re-energize the Annapolis process. 

Work must now be done to ensure that the cease-fire holds and that the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza shows rapid improvement.  Issues related to the border crossings – both facilitating the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza and preventing the smuggling of weapons– will need to be resolved.  These efforts can help normalize the daily life of both Palestinians and Israelis and are integral to creating a climate conducive to successful negotiations. 

The United States provided quiet support for the cease-fire deliberations, which were brokered by Egypt.  It should now help to strengthen and preserve the current arrangement and use the opportunity of the calm to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.  Ending Gaza’s isolation must ultimately pave the way toward the unity of the Palestinian people that will be necessary for a viable state living in peace with Israel. 

The Gaza cease-fire, together with Israeli overtures towards Syria and Lebanon, also of uncertain prospect, are all related to the ongoing talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) set in motion last November at Annapolis.  Any meaningful agreement will require addressing a host of thorny issues, not least of which is the Palestinian political schism between Hamas in Gaza and the PA in the West Bank.  No one can know whether or how these divides can be breached, but it seems that hopes for progress toward an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement remain alive and are in some way spurring regional diplomatic efforts that have not been seen for a long time.

Background Resources:

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing, Tom Casey, Washington, DC, June 18, 2008

Secretary-General welcomes Israel/Gaza cessation of violence, United Nations, June 18, 2008

Gaza truce takes hold, skepticism abounds, Ibrahim Barzak, Associated Press, June 19, 2008

As Israeli Siege Strangles Gaza Strip, Hamas, Smugglers Profit Off Tunnels, Griff Witte, The Washington Post, June 18, 2008

Reason to Believe?, Joharah Baker, Miftah, June 18, 2008

Ten Comments on the Gaza Cease-Fire and What Next, Daniel Levy, Prospects for Peace, June 17, 2008

CMEP Policy

CMEP Commends 52 Reps. for Letter to Bush Urging Efforts to Re-Energize Annapolis Process, May 15, 2008

Heads of Churches on Gaza Crisis, Ahead of Sec. Rice’s Mideast Trip, February 29, 2008

CMEP Writes Sec. Rice on Gaza Crisis, January 23, 2008

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