Israel's Security Cabinet approved the deal late night on January 17, saying it "supports the achievement of the objectives of the war". Source: BBC / Israeli government press office. - Photo: 2025

Rabbinical Cease Fire in Gaza: A New Oslo?

By James E. Jennings*

ATLANTA, USA | 18 January 2025 (IDN) — The Israelis are very good at two things: bombing the hell out of places all over the Middle East using American planes and bombs and writing complicated “peace” deals that wrap the Palestinians in a morass of words so that peace never comes.

The Oslo “process”—an over-complicated agreement if there ever was one—has extended for more than 30 years without improving things.  In fact, peace is farther away than ever.  It is not just stalemated, but much worse.

“Rabbinical” in the Oxford English Dictionary includes the definition of a Hebrew word, pilpul, meaning sharp analysis, with the adjective “pilpulistic.” meaning a keen, over-sophisticated argument—“subtle, quibbling, pedantic.”  In other words, tortured reasoning, often leading to an impossible obfuscation.

The idea of a ‘peace process” is to make sure that peace is impossible. Peace is peace.  A process is a process.  They are not the same.  The blessings of peace are unmeasurable but wonderful.  Diplomats who really want peace can write the terms on the back of a post card.

No one should doubt either the need for this genocidal war to end or the supreme benefits a genuine peace would convey.  The enthusiastic celebrations for peace in Tel Aviv and in Gaza are proof of that.  People on both sides deserve not just a breathing space but hope—a realistic expectation that their lives will be unfettered by bloody carnage and fear—that they will indeed have a future.

Some reports say that this Likud-led cease-fire agreement, which the public has not yet seen, is 98 pages long.  That’s sure to tangle things so completely that living up to the terms on both sides will be difficult.  Note that the plan as advertised so far is not a real peace, but merely a pause in the war.  Therefore, the odds of reaching phase 2 are long.

When revealed, the terms of such a long document are likely to be highly detailed, with phraseology sure to be lengthy, complicated, and tiresome.  That means that eventually even a war will be better than paragraph after paragraph of dictates about security written by zealous, insincere, partisan negotiators on both sides.

Even if the negotiators are sincere, they are not superhuman to foresee the future.  The moment a new deal is reached, there are ways of circumventing it.  And if history is any judge, they will try.  Hope and hatred are equally tenacious.  Only by breaking the agreement can they achieve their real goals.

Consequently, when sincerity is lacking, and even if the deal is finally implemented, giving both sides breathing room, it will hardly be worth the paper it is written on.  As encouraging as it is to have a pause in the one-sided assault against civilians in Gaza, raising hopes on both sides, longtime observers of Middle Eastern wars remain highly doubtful.

*James E. Jennings is President of Conscience International. [IDN-InDepthNews]

Photo: Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the deal late night on January 17, saying it “supports the achievement of the objectives of the war”. Source: BBC / Israeli government press office.

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