Last month, founder and director of the Israeli-Democratic Alliance Rotem Oreg visited the U.S. Congress for the second time this spring, to present the IDA's framework for stabilizing the Israel-Gaza War.
The main policy proposal the IDA presented is the “Ceasefire Triangle”, the three Israeli objectives that from Israel’s perspective are crucial to any potential ceasefire, alongside providing Gaza with deeply-needed humanitarian aid. Those objectives were reflected in President Biden's plan for a ceasefire in Gaza, at least to some extant:
Objective Number One is the immediate return of all the hostages. Hostages that were released share unspeakable, atrocious human rights violations. They must return, and the president - who's personally committed to their return - made sure to include that in his proposal.
Objective Number Two is ensuring Hamas is dismantled. This is not a maximalist approach that seeks killing or capturing every Hamas militant in Gaza, as this is not realistic. It is about dismantling its military and governing capabilities, making sure Hamas has no future, as it is posing a threat to Israelis, to Palestinians, and it is also the largest obstacle to peace. That is still need to be made sure in President Biden's proposal - to leave a path for continues tactic special-forces operations that would make sure Hamas does not regain power, alongside the reconstruction (physical and social) of Gaza.
Objective Number Three is creating a long-term reconstruction process in the Palestinian society. The fact that Hamas was elected in 2006 doesn’t mean that all Gazans support it; but the group does enjoy a good deal of popular support. This is the crucial peice that needs to be included in the plam, to make sure this is the last war between Israelis and Palestinians. President Biden's plan must promote, with the help of Arab countries, the dismantle the social institutions that glorified violence against Israelis (the reform in the textbooks in the UAE is a good model) and replace them with pro-coexistence institutions.
This is an example for the work that the Israeli-Democratic Alliance, founded three years ago, is doing: advocating for Israeli interests, in a way that is compatible with liberal values.
We know that supporting a secure, prosperous, democratic nation-state for the Jewish people and that fighting for freedom, justice, and human rights for all - including the Palestinians - are far from mutually exclusive. The Ceasefire Triangle is proof of that, as well as President Biden's plan.
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