Welcome back to This Week in Peace, our weekly summary of events in global peacebuilding.
This week, we continue to cover peace negotiations aiming to implement a ceasefire in Gaza. Russia continues to reject a negotiated peace in Ukraine, and Venezuela and the US exchanged prisoners as part of an agreement to reduce tensions and promote peace.,
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No progress on a ceasefire in Gaza
Talks are ongoing in Cairo and New York to find an agreement to implement a ceasefire, or at least implement long pauses, in the fighting in Gaza. Israel and Hamas remain at odds about what the criteria should be for a complete ceasefire. However, some progress has been made in talks aimed at freeing some hostages still held by Hamas, and in allowing more aid to reach Gaza, where an escalating humanitarian crisis continues amid Israel’s ongoing military operation. As Gaza’s medical system continues to experience extreme strain, an increase in aid and an end, or a pause, in the violence can save lives and prevent the crisis from worsening. In a positive sign for a post-war resumption of the peace process, a senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated for the first time that Israel could be open to the Palestinian Authority playing a role in governing Gaza. Whatever post-war solution takes shape, it is essential that a lasting peaceful resolution is found, which can meet the needs of both sides – Palestinian self-determination and Israeli security – without infringing on the rights of the other. Most important in the short-term, however, is ending the violence in Gaza, preventing further Palestinian civilian casualties, and releasing the remaining hostages. P
We recently published a video on organizations working to build peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. You can also check out our past and future stories on Israel and Palestine are available here.
Russia rejects peace in Ukraine
Russian president Vladimir Putin has ruled out peace negotiations with Ukraine, insisting that Russia’s war will only stop once it has achieved its objectives. As we approach the two-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s goals remain the same as they were in February 2022 – the “denazification” and “demilitarization” of Ukraine – essentially calling for Kyiv’s unconditional surrender. As long as Russia and Putin refuse to compromise, peace appears unlikely, as Ukraine will not agree to a peace that would essentially deprive it of its sovereignty, and Russia will not positively engage in peace talks. A change in approach from Moscow is necessary to prevent further bloodshed in a war that has seen civilians targeted, mass mobilizations on both sides, and caused economic hardship across the world.
You can find our past stories on Ukraine here, and we will continue to cover this conflict and any further developments in the peace process.
Venezuela and the US find common ground
Venezuela and the United States conducted a prisoner exchange, with 10 imprisoned Americans released, and one wanted criminal extradited, in exchange for the release of Alex Saab, an ally of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Maduro also released 20 political prisoners, in line with a previous agreement with the US. That previous deal had involved the lifting of sanctions in exchange for the release of the prisoners and a commitment to free elections next year. Whether or not that will take place remains to be seen. The deadline for the prisoner release was missed, arrest warrants were issued for aides to the opposition’s presidential candidate, and a member of the opposition’s organizing commission was arrested on treason charges, although he was released and the warrants were suspended following this latest exchange. Continued diplomatic engagement on both sides is essential to a peaceful future to Venezuela, which has dealt with high crime, government repression, and consistent political and economic turmoil for close to a decade. Peaceful relations with the US, which has supported various attempts to overthrow Maduro, will be crucial to that effort.
You can read our past stories on Venezuela here.
