Is there hope of a negotiated settlement to avoid a full scale ground operation in Rafah?
Gershon Baskin is an Israeli peace activist and negotiator. In 2011, he was involved in negotiations with Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shilat, who was held captive for five-years.
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Originally Published at
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Sally Sara is an award-winning ABC journalist and Africa correspondent. She has reported from more than 30 countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. Sally has spent much of her time as a foreign correspondent and has been based in Kabul, New Delhi and Johannesburg. Sally has won United Nations Media Peace Awards and New York Festivals Radio and Television Awards. She has been South Australian Young Journalist of the Year and Queensland Journalist of the Year. She has been a six-time finalist in the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism. In 2011, Sally was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia, AM, for service to journalism and the community.
Gershon Baskin senses that Israel’s prime minister is using antisemitism to cover up domestic scandals and exploiting the war for his own self-interest. He also criticises the Palestinian side, which must prepare the ground for elections postponed for far too long. Qatar's step back should be used to restart negotiations.
Gershon Baskin shares with Pat Kenny of NewsTalk his thoughts regarding Israel's new Defence Minister, Qatar pausing its role as mediator and Trump returning to the White House and where does the Israel-Gaza conflict go next.
Gershon Baskin spoke to JURIST Senior Editor Pitasanna Shanmugathas about the complex obstacles preventing a ceasefire amid the conflict’s expansion into Lebanon and Iran, his unique correspondence with “the Palestinian Nelson Mandela” Marwan Barghouti, and how the period between Trump’s presidential re-election win and January 20th could be crucial for President Biden’s legacy in ending the war.