Welcome back to This Week in Peace, our weekly summary of events in global peacebuilding.
This week, we discuss international efforts to broker peace in Gaza, a complicated situation for peace in Yemen, and a blow to hopes for a ceasefire in Sudan.
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Blinken’s peace tour unlikely to see a breakthrough
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been in the Middle East this week, in what will likely prove a futile effort to find consensus for peace. The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrel, was also in the region this week. The US, Israel’s main international backer, continues to push the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make progress on a two-state solution, with a path to an independent Palestinian state that would control post-war Gaza. The US still hopes to broker a peace and normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but peace in Gaza and progress towards a Palestinian state are necessary for Saudi Arabia to be able to consider such a deal. Blinken’s efforts are unlikely to convince many of the most influential figures in the conflict. Hezbollah’s leader threatened escalation with Israel as long as the war continues, and said that he was unwilling to discuss peace until the fighting in Gaza stops. Netanyahu, who depends on support from far-right politicians who oppose Palestinian self-determination, has been vocal about his opposition to an independent Palestinian state. For the people of Gaza, the need for peace is far more urgent than any political issues.
You can read our past articles on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict here, as well as our recent video on peacebuilders working in Israel and the West Bank.
A complicated outlook for peace in Yemen
The crisis in the Red Sea continued to escalate this week, as Yemen’s Houthi rebels continued their attacks on merchant vessels. Since the start of the conflict in Gaza, the Houthis have attacked shipping heading into the Red Sea, claiming they only target Israeli-owned vessels or those heading to Israel. The Iran-backed group has also launched increasingly frequent attacks against American and British warships in the region. While the coalition of mostly Western naval ships intended to protect commercial shipping has so far restrained from offensive action, continued attacks could provoke a response, which could involve Iran and lead to a wider regional conflict. Avoiding escalation is essential to maintaining regional peace, as fears persist that Israel may expand its war to Lebanon. An end to the attacks on international vessels and de-escalation is essential to preserving a path to peace with Saudi Arabia, the main adversary of the Houthis. The main Houthi negotiator claimed that their actions have not endangered the peace deal, but as international pressure grows following a UN Security Council resolution, the crisis could begin to endanger that progress. Saudi Arabia does not want the conflict to escalate again, but while the Houthis seem interested in that deal, their apparent willingness to engage in direct conflict with the United States and Israel could harm the progress towards peace.
You can find past Peace News stories on Yemen here.
Sudan’s top general rejects a ceasefire offer
Last week, we reported on an offer for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, led by the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The civil war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continues as Sudanese civilians are caught in the crossfire. The head of the SAF, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, rejected that offer and said that reconciliation was impossible, pointing to “war crimes” carried out by the RSF during the monthslong conflict. Burhan’s forces have also been accused of war crimes during the war, and millions of Sudanese civilians have been displaced, with tens of thousands killed. A peaceful resolution is desperately needed to prevent further violence, as the power struggle between the two armed groups continues and concern grows over atrocities committed in the Darfur region.
You can find our past stories on Sudan here.
