Close attention needs to be focused on the deadly and destructive conflict in the Gaza Strip and the multi-party negotiations being held in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh. The elite of Middle East diplomacy are in Sharm El-Sheikh these days including Steve Withoff and Jared Kushner from the USA, the Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Derner, Khalil Al-Hayya, the head of the Hamas negotiation team, and Mohammed Al-Hindi of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad which holds some of the 20 living Israeli hostages. The exchange of Israeli hostages - 20 living and the bodies of 28 who have died - and some 2000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and army camps is the first order of business. The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and the disarming of Hamas' military is also part of President Trump's 20-point peace plan. There is even talk of President Trump going to Gaza over the 10-11 October weekend.
The negotiations are being held against a politically unstable situation in Israel and the USA where in both there are deep divisions among political parties. The armed conflict in the Gaza Strip could start again with "We tried negotiations and they failed" as a battle theme.
There are strong limits as to what we as NGOs can do at this stage. As a minimum we must watch closely.
René Wadlow, Association of World Citizens
#The_UN_Goals #safeforall #together
