The Board of Peace’s commitment is tied to Israeli colonialism

Three years since Israel commenced its genocide in Gaza, the Board of Peace issued a statement in which one sentence particularly stands out. “The President fulfilled his commitment to the people of Israel.” The sentence refers to Hamas releasing Israeli hostages, but the entire statement carries further weight that displaces Palestinians from the narrative. 

Besides omitting the historical context of colonialism, of Gaza’s particular history, as well as the genocide itself, the Board of Peace’s statement is openly revealing its allegiance: “Genuine and durable security for Israel is the foundation on which any peace must be built, and it is the surest guarantee that no October 7 will ever happen again.”

October 7 could have been avoided primarily if the international community did not make the two-state politics the only solution, thus allowing Israel to colonise Palestine. Furthermore, if one had to take only recent history into account, October 7 could have been avoided if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had heeded warnings coming his way. According to Haaretz reports, Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for any scenario in response to the warnings by the United Arab Emirates, and deflected attention to the occupied West Bank with the CIA’s warnings. 

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Israel, therefore, was prepared to commit genocide. It was just waiting for the perfect timing. The only guarantee for October 7 not to happen again is to get a guarantee from Israel, which will not happen, of course. 

The Board of Peace has not explained what ‘genuine and durable security for Israel’ entails, except for vague consistent references to demilitarisation and deradicalisation  of Gaza.

So far, however, what lies behind demilitarisation and deradicalisation is Israel’s military occupation of Gaza, which the Israeli government has stated will be permanent. Again, the historical precedents are many, and Israel’s forced displacement of the Palestinians is by now a permanent strategy. Permanence, however, has been normalised by the international community. There is nothing safer than issuing a statement condemning forced displacement while doing noting about it. The Board of Peace is not new to this politics. Its High Representative Nickolay Mladenov had, for years, contributed to UN diplomacy. 

When the Board of Peace says it is committed to fulfilling its mandate, as the statement asserts, there is little to distinguish it from the UN in practice. The UN had decades of collaboration with Israel. The Board of Peace is just starting, having had much of its path already carved out by previous complicity. Without a change in international politics, the Board of Peace will fulfil its mandate, albeit not the one it is supposed to follow on paper. Like the UN, it will attempt to hide behind grand plans and safe rhetoric, while allowing Israel to proceed with its colonial expansion unhindered. 

If the Board of Peace fulfils its mandate, it will ensure that forced displacement remains permanent, that Gaza is emptied of Palestinians, and that colonial settlements will be built. Durable security for Israel is built on ethnic cleansing. 

Durable security for Palestinians is built on decolonisation.

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