Occupation hazards

Indefinite control of Gaza will not bring peace

 As the Israeli Defence Forces’ (IDF’s) ground campaign makes deeper inroads into Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Tel Aviv intends to maintain “overall security responsibility” for an indefinite period in the territory until it defeats Hamas. This declaration effectively spells the end of peace prospects in West Asia for the foreseeable future as well as the concept of the internationally accepted two-state solution that recognises a Palestinian state alongside Israel. These implications have not escaped the US, which had, till war broke out, sought to play the role of mediator in bilateral negotiations to normalise relations between