Author and human rights activist Miko Peled released a video on October 25 saying that while calls for a ceasefire are important, the world needs to demand real political solutions for the Palestinians now.
Peled, who was born in Jerusalem and is the author of The General’s Son, said: “There's no question the ceasefire is important, but the demands of us as people of conscience, the demands by people who care for justice and peace, and who care for human rights need to be bigger. We need to demand a real political solution to the Palestinian question.
Peled wrote back in March for MintPress News: “when Palestine is in flames, history will remember who lit the match”.
Peled, who was raised in a prominent Zionist family, has long campaigned for the rights of Palestinians. His father, Matti Peled, was a young officer in the war of 1948 that led to Israel's establishment and a general in the war of 1967 when Israel conquered the West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights and the Sinai from Egypt, Jordan and Syria. When he retired, Matti Peled became part of a group of retired army officers who met secretly with the Palestine Liberation Organisation to work on finding a two-state solution.
The death of Peled’s niece from a suicide bombing attack in 1997 and the deaths of children of several Palestinian friends pushed him to discover and understand the true nature of Israel's ongoing war on the Palestinians.
He is now a fearless campaigner for one secular state for Palestinians and Israelis in which all live in equality.
“We need to demand the unconditional surrender of the apartheid regime and one person one vote elections in all of Historic Palestine,” said Peled.
“We stand at an intersection historically right now, as a result of the Palestinian fighters coming in on October the 7th. We are now at a historical intersection. And the demands must be great.
“When we talk about Palestinians, we're always asking for just a little bit, just a little mercy from Israel. And when Israel provides that mercy for a short time, it's hailed as a great humanitarian. And then they usually violate whatever ceasefire agreement that they signed.
“What we need is a real, a permanent, a just political solution, and we need to demand it now at this particular opportunity.
“Palestinian fighters have managed to completely paralyse the State of Israel. Whoever sat there and planned this attack knew that there will be incredible amounts of savage revenge against the people in Gaza.
“There's no question that this was taken under consideration. Not that this savage attack would not have taken place one way or the other. It was just a matter of time, perhaps.
“Now we are at an intersection historically, people who are standing with Palestine, standing with justice must demand real political solutions, and the first thing needs to be the lifting of the siege on Gaza — unconditionally, release of prisoners — unconditionally and immediate unconditional relief to Gaza [in the form of] medical, humanitarian aid, rebuilding to bring people back on their feet…
“This is not about Israelis versus Palestinians. This is about justice versus Israel. This is about humanity versus Israel. This is about human rights versus Israel.
“Israel is the one that is at war with all of these things. Israel is at war with the Palestinian people. It's at war with justice. It's at war with liberty. It's at war with freedom. It's at war with peace.
“Israel does not want peace, does not want Israelis and Palestinians to live together peacefully; as they can under a free, democratic Palestine, without the Apartheid regime, without a military occupation, without the racist laws, without the military and the secret police and this entire security apparatus — which, of course, we saw was merely a paper tiger.
“Israelis and Palestinians can live free and peacefully, have a normal life, in a free Palestine without all of these other elements.
“That needs to be the demand. Where we are today, historically, we have an opportunity to demand this and we must, so people who go to the protests, organise the protests, [are] speaking at the rallies, this needs to be the ask.
“A ceasefire is not enough … there has to be something beyond that, today. We have to demand it today. Not wait till the dust settles. Not wait until the fighting ends. Not wait until more and more Palestinians are slaughtered by Israel.
“There needs to be demand for a political solution immediately.
“Once these steps are taken, we can see an improvement in the lives of Israelis and Palestinians.
“We can create that new dawn and this is the perfect opportunity … We should not wait any longer.”