Zatari: “The Peace Council Is Doomed to Fail”

Dr. Fadi Zatari, a faculty member of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at İZÜ, evaluated Israel’s policies toward Gaza, the weaknesses of the “Gaza Peace Council” plan, and the possibility of lasting peace in the region in an article he wrote for the Anadolu Ajansı.

Dr. Fadi Zatari, a faculty member of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, wrote an article titled “The Gaza Peace Council and Its Inevitable Failure” for Anadolu Ajansı. In his article, Zatari emphasized that Israel’s policies in recent years in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran have been based on violence and that it has been seeking to expand its borders in line with the goal of “Greater Israel.” Zatari stated that following the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation carried out on October 7, 2023, Israel revealed its long-term objectives toward Gaza more clearly, and noted that these objectives include the elimination of resistance movements, the establishment of security buffer zones, and the removal of Palestinians from Gaza to be replaced by Israeli settlements.

TRANSITION FROM MILITARY METHODS TO DIPLOMACY AND THE POSITION OF THE RESISTANCE
Noting that despite nearly two years of ongoing attacks, Israel has had difficulty achieving its goals through military methods, Zatari stated that increasing global solidarity with Palestine and Israel’s loss of image in international public opinion have pushed the Tel Aviv administration toward diplomatic and negotiation channels. In his article, Zatari also addressed the stance of Palestinian resistance movements, emphasizing that disarmament by groups in Gaza, especially Hamas, is not only a political decision but also a national one, and that this situation is directly connected to the support of Palestinian society.

“THE POSSIBILITY OF LASTING PEACE IN GAZA IS WEAK”
Evaluating the “Gaza Peace Council” plan, Zatari stated that the initiative lacks binding force and enforcement mechanisms and is therefore insufficient to prevent violations on the ground. Noting that Israel continues its attacks despite the ceasefire and that the occupation and blockade in Gaza are ongoing, Zatari expressed that any agreement that does not include reconstruction and the lifting of the blockade would have no meaning for Palestinians. Emphasizing that Israel’s recent policies are largely based on the use of military force, Zatari underlined that developments in the region weaken the possibility of lasting peace in Gaza.