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Israel-Gaza war
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

Flawed US Gaza peace plan is better than more Palestinian suffering

The US-backed resolution offers a glimmer of hope and perhaps temporary relief, but it is no solution to Israel’s illegal occupation

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A Palestinian woman hangs clothes to dry amid the ruins of a building in Gaza City on November 18. Photo: AFP
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
The horrors of the war in Gaza have so shocked the whole world that anything is better than allowing it to continue. The fragile ceasefire has significantly slowed but not ended the killings and is itself in danger of imminent collapse. The United States-backed peace plan, now adopted by the United Nations Security Council, at least offers a way to end the killings and bring some stability and safety to the Palestinian territory.

But while it has been hailed as a major diplomatic win for the administration of US President Donald Trump, it would be unrealistic to expect it to achieve any long-term peace. At most, it kicks the can down the road.

Unlike peace plans proposed by China and the Arab states earlier in the year, it offers no real means of ending the illegal Israeli military occupation and achieving Palestinian statehood, which is now recognised by 158 states around the world, including several key Western allies of the US. Some warn that the new plan could even help legitimise the control of Gaza by Israel and the US.

The 15-member Security Council passed the resolution with 13 votes in favour while Russia and China abstained. Unlike the US, which had vetoed previous proposals, China is diplomatically committed to work with the Arab states that support the resolution.

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