Arab states know better than anyone that a durable peace is impossible without resolving the core conflict. And the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative’s recent proposals, as well as the Egyptian plan to end the war, underscore the need for a collective approach that holds Israel to account and lays the groundwork for negotiations leading to Palestinian independence. But these countries must now move beyond diplomatic initiatives to shape and implement long-term policies by leveraging their political, financial and diplomatic clout.
Led in Washington by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and other administration officials who lack both credibility and expertise, recent U.S.-Israeli discussions on Gaza’s future seriously jeopardize any sustainable peace, as they ignore the key demand of Palestinian self-determination while serving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s narrow political interests. Arab states can’t allow these efforts by extremist factions in Israel’s government to dominate the agenda. Instead, they should push for greater international coordination on a realistic, comprehensive regional policy — especially with Europe and the global south.
Of course, meaningful reform of Palestinian governance is also vital. Israel has been reinforcing and exploiting Palestinian divisions for far too long, using them to justify any lack of credible engagement in peace efforts. Palestinians need to establish a unified, democratically elected government that represents both Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. To this end, Arab states, Europe and their international partners should demand a transitional unity government, followed by steps toward elections under international monitoring.
Only legitimate Palestinian leadership can effectively implement and safeguard statehood.
As Israel’s largest trading partner, the EU wields significant influence here — if it’s willing to act. Germany’s recent suspension of some arms exports is a step in the right direction, but European leverage must be amplified through the enforcement of international law. Arms embargoes, investment restrictions and the suspension of trade agreements should be complemented by measures targeting settlement products, dual-use equipment and machinery, technology exports as well as research cooperation. Multilateral sanctions, for example, would be the most effective response.
Meanwhile, outside of Europe, leaders from China, India, Russia, Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates have been calling for Palestinian sovereignty at the U.N. However, they too maintain significant trade, energy and technology ties with Israel — even as bombs fall on Gaza, and Israel continues to expand its unlawful presence across occupied Palestinian territory.