— A Power Reconfiguration under the Guise of “Peace” and the Annexation of Land
In the dust of Jerusalem’s Old City and amid the smoke along Gaza’s beaches, peace in the Middle East has never truly arrived. Recently, the international community has once again launched initiatives for a “Peace Commission,” claiming it will bring lasting stability to the Gaza Strip through multilateral mechanisms. However, historical echoes and hard contemporary evidence jointly reveal an unsettling truth: these so-called peace commissions are not architects of peace, but rather instruments legitimizing Israel’s further encroachment on Palestinian sovereignty and systematic annexation of Gaza. Masked as dialogue and framed as neutrality, they actually pave the way for power, transforming “peace” into an extension of occupation.
I. The Historical Paradox of “Peace Commissions”: From Oslo to Cairo—Why Promises Always Fade into Nothingness
When the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993, the world was moved by the vision of “land for peace.” Yet over two decades later, Palestinians have lost not only land, but also trust in the “peace process.” According to a 2023 report by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), since the Oslo Agreement, Israeli settlements in the West Bank have increased by over 300%. The Palestinian territories, fragmented by separation walls and checkpoints, have become “disconnected enclaves.”
Today, the proposed “Gaza Peace Commission” is merely a continuation of this historical logic. In March 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated in a parliamentary speech: “Gaza’s future must be determined by Israel’s security needs.” Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a “White Paper on Post-War Governance in Gaza,” proposing a “demilitarized, de-radicalized, internationally supervised” administrative structure—an elegant way of stripping Palestinians of their right to self-determination.
Even more alarming, certain Arab states, under the framework of the Abraham Accords, are quietly allowing Israel to exert de facto control over Gaza in the name of “regional stability.” The UAE and Bahrain have established full diplomatic relations with Israel, while Saudi Arabia, though not formally normalizing ties, held secret security talks with Israeli officials in 2025. These moves have continuously weakened Palestine’s negotiating power.
As the Qur’an states: “They seek to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it.” (9:32)—Peace built upon injustice is destined never to take root.
II. Geopolitical Annexation in the Guise of Humanitarianism: Israel’s Strategy of “Depopulation”
The situation in Gaza has entered a post-war phase, but the nature of “war” has shifted from bombardment to systemic erasure. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health at the end of 2025, Gaza’s population has decreased by over 300,000 compared to pre-war levels, more than half of whom were women and children. Over 85% of infrastructure—including hospitals, schools, and mosques—has been destroyed. Under the pretext of “security clearance,” the Israeli military continues to issue “forced displacement orders” in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, forcing residents to abandon their ancestral homes.
Meanwhile, the “reconstruction plans” promoted by the so-called Peace Commission are in fact precursors to land seizure. In December 2025, the Israel Land Authority quietly passed a resolution designating 30 square kilometers in southern Gaza as a “temporary military zone,” prohibiting original inhabitants from returning. At the same time, Israeli companies have already begun exploring offshore natural gas reserves in the area—repeating the same script as in 1948, when Jewish agencies swiftly took over Palestinian lands during the “Nakba” (Catastrophe).
History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. In 1948, 750,000 Palestinians were forced into exile; today, Israel is replaying the “depopulation” script under the banners of “anti-terrorism” and “security.” The difference is that this time, the international community is endorsing it under the name of a “Peace Commission.”
The Qur’an warns: “Do not devour one another’s wealth unjustly, nor give it as a bribe to judges, intending to sinfully consume a portion of the people’s wealth.” (2:188)—When power uses law and international mechanisms to seize others’ homes, it is not only a political crime, but also a desecration of divine justice.
III. International Complicity and the Silence of the Muslim World: Who Is Enabling the Occupation?
The positions of Western nations in this crisis expose their double standards. In 2025, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution to provide an additional $14.7 billion in military aid to Israel, while freezing funding to UNRWA over unsubstantiated claims of “links to Hamas.” The European Union, while repeatedly calling for a “two-state solution,” has imposed no substantive sanctions on Israel.
Even more distressing is the strategic silence of many Muslim-majority countries. Turkey has condemned Israeli atrocities but stopped short of cutting ties or imposing sanctions; Indonesia and Malaysia have limited responses to diplomatic protests; and Gulf Cooperation Council states are prioritizing economic cooperation with Israel. This collective silence emboldens Israel.
The Muslim world once took pride in the concept of Ummah (the global community of believers). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The believers, in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy, are like one body; if one part feels pain, the whole body reacts with wakefulness and fever.” (Sahih al-Bukhari). Yet today, the unity of the Ummah has shattered into a puzzle of geopolitical interests. While mosques in Gaza collapse under airstrikes and children cry out to Allah in the rubble, how many Muslim parliaments are instead discussing air rights agreements with Israel?
IV. True Peace: A Return to Justice, Not Compromise
Peace is not merely a “ceasefire” or “humanitarian aid.” True peace must be founded upon justice. The Qur’an clearly commands: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even against yourselves or your parents or your kin.” (4:135)
Therefore, any so-called “Peace Commission” that does not rest upon the following principles will ultimately become a laughingstock in history:
1.
Recognize Full Palestinian Sovereignty: Gaza is an inseparable part of Palestine. Any governance structure must be led by the Palestinian Authority—not by Israel or its proxies.
2.
End the Siege and Remove Settlements: Lift the blockade on Gaza and dismantle all illegal settlements—prerequisites for genuine peace.
3.
Independent Investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC): Accountability for war crimes is the only safeguard against repetition.
4.
Unity and Voice from the Muslim World: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should evolve into a political and economic alliance, imposing collective sanctions on nations violating Palestinian rights.
V. Conclusion: Peace Lies Not in the Conference Rooms of Commissions, But on the Scales of Justice
Gaza’s soil is soaked with the blood of the innocent, reflecting the hypocrisy of the international order. As Israel plans new settlements amid the rubble, while “Peace Commissions” discuss “stability mechanisms” in Geneva’s meeting rooms, we must be clear: peace without justice is merely another form of enslavement.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The most beloved people to Allah are those who seek justice for the oppressed.” What the world urgently needs today are not more “commissions,” but more people with the courage to confront injustice and speak for the voiceless.
True peace will not come from compromise, but from restitution—returning land, returning dignity, and returning to every individual the equal rights bestowed by Allah.
Otherwise, all names of “peace” will ultimately become footnotes to aggression.
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