Stewart Sweeney has reminded us of the important distinction between negative peace (the absence of violence) and positive peace (the presence of justice). Peace researcher Johan Galtung made a further distinction between direct violence (eg being killed by an enemy bullet) and structural violence, the harms that accrue from punishing social and economic conditions.
While direct violence has been committed by both sides in the Gaza conflict, albeit hugely disproportionately, only the Palestinians have suffered long-term structural violence. Examples include the dehumanising impact of the “security wall” — declared a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law by the ICJ in 2004 — and the devastating Gaza blockade from 2007.
The Universal Declaration on Human Rights affirmed that “it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law”. This was not heeded by Israel or the Western powers and the inevitable consequences followed.
To ensure the current ceasefire transitions to a just peace is now a moral imperative for the international community, and the only way to a secure future for Palestinians and Israelis.