The Gaza crisis has highlighted the need for reform.

Translated by Amin Refaat

Firstly, Israel and the Palestinians:

The concept of a "two-state solution" is necessary but ambiguous and requires detailed clarification. The proposed Palestinian state should be sovereign, with defined borders in the West Bank and Gaza, connected by a corridor. A peace agreement between Palestine and Israel is essential, involving:

1.1 From Palestine: Excluding corrupt current leadership (PLO and Hamas), and allowing elected representatives chosen by the Palestinian people, free from previous leadership associations.

1.2 From Israel: Excluding extremist elements, holding them accountable for corruption and bloodshed.

1.3 Jointly: Reforming Israeli and Palestinian education to eliminate hatred, promoting peace, security, and equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis.

1.4 From Israel, the US, and the EU: Taking responsibility for:

1.4.1 Rebuilding Gaza.

1.4.2 Compensating the families of Palestinian victims.

This benefits Israel more than Palestinians, as history shows that invaders coexisted peacefully in Palestine. Israel's current policies, akin to massacres, do not guarantee security but breed fear. The future may see Israel weaker than a united Palestinian and Arab force globally, as power dynamics shift.

Secondly, rapid reform for Egypt by removing military rule and establishing a secular, rights-based civil state:

The biggest threat to Europe, the region, and especially Israel comes from Egypt. Israel, the US, and the West have weakened Egypt by supporting military rule, pushing it to the brink of state collapse, civil war, and hunger revolutions. In such a scenario, millions of hungry, desperate Egyptians, resentful of Israel and knowing Sisi served Israeli interests, could flood towards Israel's borders. A swift remedy for Egypt is necessary before it explodes, impacting not only Israel but also Europe, already grappling with Syrian refugees.

Reforming Egypt is not difficult. The US and the West can convince Sisi and his generals to exit safely, forming an interim civilian government to establish constitutional, legal, educational, and economic reforms. Free and fair elections, overseen internationally, can then take place, leading to a democratic government with power-sharing and free political life.

Third: Reforming Western Democracy

We are now publishing a book on the nature of the Islamic state based on Quranic contemplation, the one established by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. We stated that it is a secular state with direct democracy, preventing the formation of capitalism seeking power monopoly. We mentioned that some of its features are now present in some Northern European countries (Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, and the Netherlands). We argued that partial democracy (representative parliamentary) allows capital to control political life, especially in foreign policy. That's why America fought against democracy in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and now supports Israel in its aggression against Gaza. This contradicts Western (and American) principles declared about human rights and the right of peoples to determine their destiny. The bloodshed of tens of thousands of Gaza's children and women awakened Western nations, leading to protests involving Jews and intellectuals from various backgrounds. The noise of protests rose, and it continues to be renewed, but its impact is limited so far. America, the European Union, and their media still support Israel in killing Palestinian children and women, destroying their hospitals and facilities, ignoring the protests. The deep-seated animosity between President Biden and his rival Trump doesn't overshadow the fact that they both compete to support Israel.

The rivalry between Biden and Trump means there is a problem whether Trump comes to power or not. America has now undergone demographic changes; ethnic minorities within it have increased in number, and their growing numbers threaten the white majority. This political influence manifested in Barack Obama's two presidential victories and his subsequent respect. It also appeared in the appointment of a non-white woman as Biden's vice president. White supremacists, who historically purged Native American Indians and fought against the abolition of slavery, are not happy with this demographic change and its political effects. Trump's policy during his presidency reflects this, especially in his stance on legal immigration. Trump supporters cling to him, not hesitating to commit acts of violence, including the heinous attack on the Capitol. America is facing turmoil, especially in the coming year, and urgent reforms are needed, including those related to the complex electoral system and the flexible texts governing the president's power and accountability, ensuring they align with the principle that no one is above the law.

This purely American problem aligns with the rift between the ruling power in Washington and the American masses sympathetic to the people of Gaza. They futilely demand an end to the massacres, the cessation of supplying Israel with weapons, and condemn the American veto against Gaza's people.

Fourth: Reforming the United Nations

The United Nations and its subsidiaries were established after World War II, reflecting the world's conditions at that time. It still represents that distant past that passed about three-quarters of a century. During this period, political changes occurred, the Soviet Union collapsed, its member states dispersed, alliances changed and disintegrated, and religious terrorism emerged as a cloak for resistance, victimizing civilians or using them as shields. In the presence of the United Nations, wars did not stop; America carried them out, the country hosting the United Nations building. In all the wars that happened in the presence of the United Nations, it remained a mere crying wall for the oppressed, who multiplied. The reasons are many, with the most significant being the veto system in the Security Council, which America misuses, a well-known and familiar fact. It is time for a serious reform of the United Nations to be able to deter injustice and oppressors.

In the first half of the twentieth century, the world was different villages separated by walls. Now, humans live in one cosmic village, seeing the same thing at the same time. The communication and transportation revolution and its resulting massive changes have made the current state of the United Nations obsolete.

Finally:

The crisis in Gaza has highlighted the urgent need for Palestinian, Israeli, Egyptian, Western, and global reforms. No crisis is devoid of a positive aspect for those who benefit from it, think, consider, and decide to reform.

What we propose is not impossible to implement. It is within the realm of possibility. Without reform, the cost will be enormous. Do not be concerned about the intensity of darkness; a single candlelight can dispel it. What matters is that there is someone to hold and cling to the candle. Do not be bothered by the abundance of the wicked; indeed, Allah says: "Say, 'Not equal are the evil and the good, although the abundance of evil might impress you. So, fear Allah, O you of understanding, that you may be successful.'" (Quran 5:100).

And as always, the Almighty Allah is truthful.

Comments:

Mustafa Ismaeil Hammad:

A wonderful article as usual. However, I have some observations that concern me:

Requesting the exclusion of corrupt current leadership, including Hamas, and I don't see what corruption Ismail Haniyeh and his associates practice unless defending land and honor is considered corruption.

Requesting the exclusion of extremists and bloodthirsty individuals from Israel, and since they all believe in the teachings of the Book of Deuteronomy, they are all bloodthirsty.

The deep-rooted hatred is caused by Jews, not Arabs, and history shows that the only people who embraced them are Muslims, while they faced deserved persecution from all other people, especially Europeans.

Israel began massacres of Palestinians before its establishment, and the massacres continue to be Israeli policy. Despite this clarification, both parties are treated equally. When power dynamics change, and they will change, Israel will suffer a Holocaust without anyone shedding a single tear for them soon, God willing. I assure you that for Jews to remain on Arab land, they will pay the price for their crimes multiplied and will be expelled from Palestine barefoot, and this will happen for one reason: they do not accept coexistence with others at all, and their shameful history is a witness to that.

The West is our eternal enemy, so do not expect any good from it. Persuading Jews to leave Palestine and return to their original homelands is possible, but reforming Egypt is impossible because the flaw is in the Egyptian people themselves, not in the ruler who has never been Egyptian for thirty centuries.

Ahmed Sabry Mansour:

Thank you, Dr. Mustafa, and happy new year to you all. I say:

Historical and realistic generalizations are wrong. There are noble Jews and Israelis I personally know and openly acknowledged their favor. In the angry protests against Israel's brutality, there were Jews criticizing from within Israel. There are noble Egyptians still suffering inside Egypt, and you are one of them, and I know many of them. There is nothing wrong with wishing for a peaceful reform in Egypt.

When proposing a political solution in a crisis where emotions mix, and opinions collide, it is impossible to satisfy all parties. The political solution must be realistic within the realm of possibility. In the end, I  present an opinion that I do not impose or execute. It is a disclaimer and a testimony to the era, perhaps appreciated by the next generation—too late.

I reiterated from the beginning that Hamas is evil. I also said that Israeli extremists are even more evil than Hamas. They are all responsible for the killing of the oppressed people of Gaza, which is what matters to me—innocent lives, regardless of religion and ethnicity.

Ben Levant:

Point of view: I agree with the first and second paragraphs, and the fingerprint of ten is regardless of whether the solution is two states or one state. The rest needs discussion to encompass several points, and this is another story. But what I liked a lot is this sentence: "Do not care about the intensity of darkness; a single candlelight can dispel it. What matters is that there is someone to hold and cling to the candle." Then the wonderful verse: "Say, 'Not equal are the evil and the good, although the abundance of evil might impress you. So, fear Allah, O you of understanding, that you may be successful.'" The shepherd here is the phrase "abundance of evil," as often the abundance of something is what impresses, not the thing itself, and I give an example in military parades. It is not the sight of a tank or a plane that impresses the audience, but the enormity of the parade.

Ahmed Sabry Mansour:

May Allah reward you, brother Ben Levant. Happy new year to you all. I say: I do not claim to have hit the liver of absolute truth (if it has a liver or spleen or intestines), but it is a point of view that accepts discussion, talking, and responding. The important thing is that opinions vary in calling for a just and peaceful solution to stop the bloodshed. How long will the blood of innocent Palestinians remain permissible? How long will this helplessness of the Muslims persist? O Allah, with Your mercy and justice, O Lord of the worlds!