Slippery peace

Peacemaking is more difficult, and demands more concessions, than war, writes Amin Howeidi*

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Peace is elusive, but not impossible. To achieve a peace that lasts, one has to learn from history, for whether one likes it or not, history tends to repeat itself. Many wars in history ended in peace agreements that last to this day. Others had to be fought again and again, for the right peace was never achieved. So let's be careful where we step on the slippery road to peace.

The first attempt to bring about peace between the Jews and the Arabs came in 1947, with a decision by the UN to partition Palestine. The decision was made with 33 votes in favour, 13 against, and 10 abstaining. The UN wanted to create two separate states, one Arab on 42.88 per cent of the total land, and one Jewish on 56.47 per cent. Jerusalem, situated on 0.65 per cent of the total land of Palestine, was to come under international protection.

The UN decision gave the Arabs half of a land they already owned, and Palestine never knew a moment of peace since. A decision that was based on the hard realities of power failed to bring peace, simply because it ignored the realities of history.

When Napoleon lost the Waterloo battle, European leaders met in Vienna and redrew the map of Europe. Their agreement gave Europe 100 years of peace, a formidable accomplishment by any account. The reason is that Europe decided, back in 1815, not to humiliate France but to help it stand up on its feet. A very wise decision, for it made further hostilities unnecessary.

Throughout the 19th century, European leaders maintained the balance of power in the continent, making sure that every nation had something to look forward to. The Russians, the British and the Prussians all treated France as a partner in a new era. This is what gave Europe a century of peace that ended only in World War I.

Fast forward to the Paris Conference that followed World War I. In Paris, Germany was punished and humiliated. The humiliation is what gave rise to the Nazi movement. Within two decades, Europe was involved in an arms race, and World War II was hard to avoid. A poorly conceived peace turned out to be short-lived.

Such are the lessons of history. And yet to this day some people are still striving for versions of peace that are impossible to defend, impose or maintain.

* The writer is former defence minister and director of General Intelligence.