"We are all children of Abraham"

Preview of an upcoming Special Issue on the Middle East

Lionel Errera — In your opinion, Mr. President, which Arab and non-Arab leaders have best understood the issues and nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Isaac Herzog — The dream of peace is deeply rooted in the DNA of the Jewish and Israeli people. It was voiced by the prophets of Israel thousands of years ago, most famously by Isaiah, who foresaw a future when “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” It was voiced in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, which states that “We extend our hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness.” And it is voiced in the joy felt by our entire nation at the return home of our hostages from Gaza. We carry this longing for peace with us each and every day.

You ask me who best understood the challenges facing the region: President Donald Trump is the perfect example of a leader who has been able to think innovatively about a seemingly unsolvable problem. He engineered a diplomatic masterpiece with his unique ability to bring all the major stakeholders to the table and produce an agreement to free the hostages and end the war in Gaza. Under his leadership, the Middle East and the wider region can look forward to a brighter, more peaceful future of cooperation, friendship, and new partnerships.

This future will be driven by leaders in the Middle East who follow in the path of trailblazing Arab leaders who chose peace with Israel over war: President Anwar Sadat of Egypt in 1977, to whom Politique Internationale had awarded the Prize for Political Courage; His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan in 1994; and the leaders of the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco in 2020 with the Abraham Accords. These leaders all rejected rejectionism. They understood the reality that Israel is not going anywhere, and that peace and cooperation with Israel serve their peoples far better than endless conflict.

L. E. — Can the Palestinian question be resolved without Hamas? If so, how can it be excluded from the process?

I. H. — After the October 7th attacks, there can be no place for Hamas in the future of our region. This is a terrorist organization that slaughtered, raped, and kidnapped children, Holocaust survivors, and young people at a music festival. There cannot be any lasting peace with Hamas in the picture. President Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan, which received the stamp of approval from the UN Security Council in a historic vote last November, is unequivocal about this. Hamas must be disarmed and removed from Gaza. Only then can we begin working towards a genuine peace+. This is a complex process, but with the visionary leadership of President Trump and the full engagement of the international community, we are hopeful that we will see significant progress towards this in the near future.

L. E. — Are you in favor of …