The deal that’s on the table – Gershon Baskin

Let it be known – one of the mediators told me today that Hamas is willing to free all 58 hostages at one time but demand the end of the war.

The mediator told me

“Israel refuses to accept a permanent ceasefire”

. I repeat what I have been saying for many months – negotiating any deal with Hamas that leaves hostages behind for any period of time puts them at risk and is a declaration by the government of Israel that they are willing to sacrifice the hostages so that Netanyahu can save his coalition.
This war has been for a very long time “the war to save the coalition” and not the war to defend Israel. Netanyahu and his government continue to put their own political interests ahead of those of Israel.

Israel continues to kill innocent people in Gaza. Gaza is totally destroyed – an entire civilization has been decimated by Israel in Gaza. The people of Gaza want Hamas out of their lives and want Israel to end this war. The people of Israel want this war to end and for the hostages to be brought home. This war must end now and the only way it will end is when President Trump finally tells Netanyahu to end the war, and to make a deal to bring the hostages home.

The Palestinian people and the Arab neighbours will make Hamas pay for what they have brought to the Palestinian people. Israel cannot remove Hamas – but the people of Palestine can and they will once the war is over and once Israel leaves Gaza. Now not tomorrow!

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.