New Israeli pro-diplomacy lobby hopes to avoid another Gaza war

Coincidently, the launch of the "Diplomatic Vision for Gaza" lobby by Knesset member Haim Jelin of Yesh Atid on June 12 coincided with the intensification of the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip. Based on an assessment presented by Israel's military chiefs to the Cabinet just a day earlier, the crisis could lead to more than just a humanitarian disaster. It could also result in a military escalation between Israel and Hamas, making the new lobby all the more relevant.

Almost three years have passed since 2014's Operation Protective Edge. While there is unanimity among the political and defense leadership that another round of fighting against Hamas in Gaza is only a matter of time, it is one of the least popular issues to deal with politically. The public actually prefers suppressing it entirely. Reports on what is happening in Gaza tend to be pushed to the bottom of the Israeli media agenda, with very few politicians advocating for any agenda to confront the issue. That is why the new lobby formed by Jelin is worthy of attention. As head of the Eshkol Regional Council (adjacent to the Gaza Strip) during Operation Protective Edge, Jelin became an iconic symbol of that turbulent summer.

Jelin focused on an issue that is of no interest to the Israeli public and that offers no immediate political gain. At a time when Culture Minister Miri Regev's populism captures all the headlines, Jelin is trying to foster a discussion about how there may be a way to avoid another round of fighting in Gaza.

What Jelin said June 12 was simple, and it made a lot of sense: "Gaza is a ticking time bomb, Israel's patchwork policy will not help mitigate the situation, and there is an obligation to institute a diplomatic vision that will stall repeated rounds of fighting and bring us closer to more enduring calm with Gaza.”