BY KLAUS JURGENS
TODAY'S ZAMAN- After two days of deliberations, this Thursday morning Israel's Security Cabinet approved a partial easing of the blockade of the Gaza Strip. This decision comes after the Middle East Quartet's envoy, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As it transpired this morning, Blair had been rather realistic when he told CNN this Wednesday that a deal to ease the Israeli blockade of Gaza could be in place 'pretty quickly.' As Mr. Blair had furthermore stated on the same day, he would expect a reversal of the current system, based on having a list of accepted goods which are allowed to enter Gaza, replaced by a system whereby 'stuff can go in as a matter of course, unless it is on a prohibited list.'
For the first time, this new arrangement explicitly mentions construction materials as accepted goods which can be freely transported into Gaza. Israel had previously said that construction materials could be misused for non-civilian purposes.
A short statement issued by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that Israel would 'liberalize the system by which civilian goods enter Gaza [and] expand the inflow of materials for civilian projects that are under international supervision.' It would also continue 'existing security procedures to prevent the inflow of weapons and war material" (BBC World). Additional steps would be announced concerning the implementation of today's vote. At the same time, Israel asked the international community to support its efforts to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured by Hamas back in 2006.
BBC Middle East correspondent Tim Franks said, 'The key now will be just how far and how fast these measures take place.'
The vote came only hours after Syria stated that as Israel had attacked a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last month, hopes for peace in the Middle East had been destroyed. The question now is whether the proposed easing of the blockade will be implemented quickly and efficiently and whether this will be the first step towards opening up negotiations leading to a two-state solution by lifting the remaining blockade and embargo first.
The international community would be well advised to lend more support to the quartet and its Middle East envoy, Blair. While many commentators, including myself, had been rather disappointed and perhaps even disillusioned with regards to detecting any measurable outputs or impacts from Mr. Blair's work on location so far, we should probably think twice, and most likely need to appreciate that creating a lasting solution for peace cannot happen overnight.
The dilemma, however, is that the 1.4 million citizens of Gaza cannot wait much longer and that the bloodshed between Palestinians and Israelis must end at once.
Turkey can continue to play an important role in all of this. Since the deadly attack on the Turkish vessel the Mavi Marmara on May 31, Turkey, by now, has reduced its relations with Israel to a bare minimum - although allowing previously signed bilateral business agreements to continue, and not demanding that nongovernmental business or cooperation cont(r)acts be cancelled.
This tough stance vis-a-vis Israel seems to be paying off in diplomatic terms, as the Israeli government most likely came to the realization that this time around its allies as well as neutral countries have stopped tolerating how Israel deals with the continuation of the unjust blockade of Gaza and how it intercepted one of the six vessels of the Gaza aid flotilla, a Turkish ship.
The attack on the Mavi Marmara will not be forgotten and can never be 'overlooked,' but what is required now is the finding of lasting peace in the region. Only a viable two-state solution, involving both Palestine and Israel, can achieve this goal.
Ankara was right as well to employ diplomacy instead of warmongering. If the quartet now embraces Turkey's experience in the region and as long as Ankara continues to keep its, relative, cool, perhaps the efforts of Blair and the international community may finally bear fruit in the interest of both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples as well as the entire world. Being a realistic commentator, though, I am fully aware of the fact that we have issued similar statements all too often before. Does hope have a place in international politics? Yes - as long as we do not lose faith in it!