Image Source: NBC News
World – Despite the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Professor Jeff Halper believes the roots of the war remain unresolved, with Israel’s leadership determined to maintain dominance rather than pursue a just peace.
He argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s motives are both political and ideologically driven by his desire to preserve power while eradicating Palestinian resistance and asserting control over the region.
Halper explained that Netanyahu viewed the ceasefire not as progress but as an obstacle to his pursuit of “total victory.”
He believes the Israeli leader wanted to continue the war until Hamas was eliminated both as a political and military presence, ensuring that no form of Palestinian resistance remained.
“I mean, Netanyahu, first of all, is dying to continue the war. He wants to continue it both for political reasons, of course, but also… he always talked about total victory… he didn’t break the Palestinian resistance.”
He added that Israel’s broader ambition was to absorb Palestinian territory while relegating Palestinians to fragmented, powerless enclaves.
This vision, he said, aligned with the Abraham Accords, which normalise Israel’s regional status while keeping Palestinians confined and demilitarised.
“Israel… wants the entire country of Palestine for itself and… is willing to accept an apartheid idea… a Palestinian state on maybe 15% of Palestine in little tiny islands… that has to even accept Israel as a Jewish state on 85% of historic Palestine.”
US Pressure and Regional Interests
Halper warned that Netanyahu’s plans were further complicated by US political interference, particularly from Donald Trump and his allies.
He said their involvement was motivated by self-interest, with the former US president seeking personal acclaim rather than genuine diplomacy.
“Trump is on his head… they’re trying to control Netanyahu because… Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize basically.”
He observed that Arab states had also become more involved, though not necessarily out of concern for Palestinians. Instead, their actions were shaped by financial and political ties with Trump’s associates, including Jared Kushner.
Halper expressed concern that these relationships could lead to a peace framework that legitimised inequality rather than resolved it.
“My fear is that the Arab states themselves might agree to an apartheid situation… when we get to the Abraham Accords.”
Governance and Control in Gaza
Halper said one of the most critical questions was who would govern Gaza under the ceasefire. He noted that Hamas was beginning to reassert its authority, even as international powers pushed for its disarmament and external governance.
“Hamas is reasserting its control… They don’t want Tony Blair. The Palestinians refuse Tony Blair as a colonist guy.”
He warned that the proposed postwar arrangements envisioned by Western and Arab powers risked imposing a colonial-style system that would strip Palestinians of agency and deepen long-term instability.
“Gaza is pacified… Hamas is disarmed and not only disarmed, but really, Hamas will be exiled, so it could not be a political force at all.”
Halper believes that if the ceasefire restores order without addressing the underlying injustices, it will only entrench oppression under a new guise.
