the roadmap presented by Joe Biden, an “unprecedented event”, according to political scientist Hasni Habidi

It was in fact the American president who presented on Friday a new “comprehensive” ceasefire agreement with Hamas, drawn up by Israel.

American President Joe Biden unveiled on Friday, May 31, the new Israeli roadmap with a view to a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip. A “unprecedented event”, according to Hasni Habidi, political scientist, director of the center for studies and research on the Arab and Mediterranean world (CERMAM) in Geneva. He was the guest of Franceinfo on Saturday June 1st.

franceinfo: Could this Israeli proposal, received positively by Hamas, be, in your opinion, a turning point in the war?

Hasni Habidi: The most interesting element in this initiative, in this road map, is that it is certainly pronounced by the American president, but it was written by Israel. And Benjamin Netanyahu, three days ago, announced a plan for Israel to end the crisis. We finally have President Biden, who himself negotiated in place of Israel, that is an important element. Generally, when you have an exit plan or an initiative, you can put it through a mediator. But there, President Biden devotes a public speech to this road map, which shows that Biden, first of all, is sending this message internally, since in an important electoral season, but he will also exert pressure on Benyamin Netanyahu. Biden is aware that Netanyahu may very well ultimately shirk this responsibility since during the last proposal drawn up by the Egyptians and the Qataris in the presence of William Burns, the head of the CIA, Benjamin Netanyahu, refused this offer despite accepting of Hamas. So this is why, in terms of form, it is an element that is unique.

Why could this agreement come to fruition now, when all previous attempts have been in vain?

Because there is an awareness of the limits of this offensive. I think what happened after May 7 in Rafah was a turning point in American support. The double decision of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the International Court also played an important role in pushing the Americans to once again play a role, therefore a positive one. The United States does not yet want to join a camp that is against any ceasefire, which is also part of a UN framework. And the third element is that obviously President Biden needs this way out of the crisis for his voters.

Is it already time to consider the future of the Gaza Strip?

This is one of the big points of difference between certain Israeli soldiers and Benjamin Netanyahu, that is to say that we cannot continue the war without what we call the plan for the day after. This initiative returns to this element which is crucial and which responds to the concerns of the Palestinians, that is to say the return of the Palestinians, of the population of Gaza, to their area of ​​residence. Reconstruction is important. President Biden hasn’t talked about the two-state solution, but he has talked about normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia. And that is such an important element for President Biden. This means that the Gulf countries […] ultimately condition normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with a political solution, for financial reconstruction. The next day, it is also the Palestinian Authority, which means that today it is an option that is vulnerable, but it is the only one that is available. We must give a greater role to the Palestinian Authority to manage at least administrative and security affairs in a transition phase.