Accelerate the Release of all Hostages – Gershon Baskin

Seeing the three hostages this morning as if they had been liberated from World War II concentration camps should compel us all to accelerate the release of all hostages.

This cannot continue for weeks and months to bring everyone home. Hamas’s military Hollywood production, aimed at creating the image that Hamas is still strong, should not distract us from the understanding that Hamas cannot rule Gaza after all the hostages are released. In this regard, the role of Qatar and Egypt is to force Hamas to understand that for the sake of Gaza’s residents, they must leave Gaza—the military commanders who continue to manage affairs must be given a free exit from Gaza to Algeria, Malaysia, or any other country willing to accept them.

These two things are extremely urgent. Also, Netanyahu’s failure to send the senior team to continue negotiations should not be met with patience. The deal must speed up the pace and accelerate implementation. Enough is enough. We all know how this should end—so let’s get there already

Categories: Insights

Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin is one of the most recognizable names in the Middle East Peace process. He is a political and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to peace between Israel and its neighbors. His dedication to creating a culture of peace and environmental awareness, coupled with his impeccable integrity, has earned him the trust of the leaders of all sides of the century old conflict. Few people have such far-reaching and positive impacts on promoting peace, security, prosperity and bi-national relationships. Gershon is an advisor to Israeli, Palestinian and International Prime Ministers on the Middle East Peace Process and the founder and director of IPCRI, the Israeli-Palestinian Public Policy Institute. He was the initiator and negotiator of the secret back channel between Israel and Hamas for the release of 1,027 prisoners – mainly Palestinians and Arab-Israelis of which 280 were sentenced to life in prison, including Yahya Sinwar, the current Palestinian leader of the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The prisoners were imprisoned for planning and perpetrating various attacks against Jewish targets that resulted in the killing of 569 Israelis in exchange for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit. Gershon is actively involved in research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, environmental security, political strategy, peace education, economics, culture and in the development of affordable solar projects with the goal of providing clean electricity for 50 million people by 2020. He is a founding member of Kol Ezraheiha-Kol Muwanteneiha (All of the Citizens) political party in Israel. He is now directing The Holy Land Bond and is the Middle East Director for ICO – International Communities Organization - a UK based NGO working in conflict zones with failed peace processes.