The Lead
World Mobilization for Ceasefire in Gaza, LaRouche ‘Oasis Plan’ for Development and Peace
by Marcia Merry Baker (EIRNS) — Feb. 12, 2024
The LaRouche Organization’s excellent new video on “The Oasis Plan—LaRouche’s Solution for the Middle East” provides for world dialogue of the program and method for peace in Palestine and Israel, based on development. The LaRouche Organization in the United States released 14-minute video on Feb. 10, which presents an illustrated update to the “Oasis Plan” approach put forward by the late statesman Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr. in the 1970s. Had it been implemented at the September 1993 opportunity presented by the Oslo Accords signed between Israel and Palestine, there would be no genocide and world emergency now. But it was sabotaged by the anti-development London-Washington axis of geopolitics.
The Oasis Plan approach sees the construction of waterworks, power, transportation, agriculture, industry and social infrastructure across the whole of the Trans-Jordan, as a configuration of development corridors and hubs integrated with North Africa and Southwest Asia, and connected to Europe.
The release of this new video for international circulation is profoundly fitting, coming on the eve of the fifth anniversary of Mr. LaRouche’s death today (Sept. 9, 1922-Feb. 12, 2019). His widow, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder and leader of the Schiller Institute, said today, that the “best way to celebrate the life and contributions of Lyn, is to end the genocide in Gaza and use the new video as an instrument to intervene for peace.” The video presentation by Jason Ross, leader of The LaRouche Organization and science liaison, is now being dubbed into many languages.
Over the next two weeks, there are important points of expanding action to stop Israel’s escalating genocide in Gaza. On Friday, Feb. 16, the International Peace Coalition will convene (online) for its 37th weekly meeting, representing wide international circles. On Feb. 18 in New York, the Sare for Senate of Diane Sare, running for U.S. Senate, will hold a day-long event, “Sare for Senate National Presidents Day Conference America’s Next Fifty Years,” (by registration, in person or online). Sare will host reports on the crisis in Gaza and how it must be stopped.
From Feb. 19-26 will be an international platform at The Hague for nations and groups to tell the truth, and demand action about what Israel is doing—which the whole world is watching, and how the United States, Britain, Germany and other nations are complicit. The International Court of Justice is taking testimony in its review of the legality of Israel’s conduct in its occupation of Palestinian territories over the recent decades. The hearing is pursuant to a request from the UN General Assembly in December 2022.
So far, 52 countries and groups are scheduled to speak at the ICJ next week, including the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and dozens of nations.
The situation in Gaza is beyond urgent. In southern Gaza, around Rafah, 1.4 million people are crowded together, after being displaced repeatedly, and Israel has conducted intense bombing over the past 30 hours. In the meantime, the Israel Defense Forces special forces rescued two hostages, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is citing as the raison d'être for yet more mass destruction. In the immediate vicinity of the hostage release, some 100 people were killed, including women and children.
For all Gaza, UNRWA funds for aid will be depleted by March, without funding commitments. This was reported today in Brussels, by Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Director for Palestine relief operations, at a meeting of European Union officials, hosted by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. Lazzarini said he will not step down over the contrived, unverified accusations against UNRWA from Israel and its backers. He said, “We have one government calling for (my) resignation. We might have other voices, but I haven’t heard any other government.” It was pointed out that UNRWA has 30,000 workers in the greater region, caring for over 6 million Palestinians. In Gaza, the IDF has killed 130 UNRWA workers since October 7.
This situation was alluded to at the White House itself today, even though in a subdued way, by Jordan’s King Abdullah II. He is in Washington for two days of meetings, on a four-nation tour. After the King’s meeting with President Biden in the early afternoon, each one spoke at a very short press briefing, with no questions taken. Biden made crafted, limited points about how there must be a “lasting peace” (that is, no ceasefire), there is a “deal in the works,” and meantime he expected Israel to follow a “credible plan” for how those displaced in Rafah will be protected. Such remarks are clearly a mockery, given that Netanyahu has declared in no vague terms that he expects the Rafah population to just go north to the rubble, or otherwise, depart.
King Abdullah, however, stressed the need for “a lasting ceasefire now.” He opened by saying that, “nearly 100,000 in Gaza have been killed, injured, or are missing.” There is “an unbearable situation for more than a million people.” He asserted that “no other agency can do what UNRWA is doing.” He said the agency is vital: In Jordan alone, UNRWA is caring for 2.3 million Palestinian refugees, and although he didn’t say so, many have been there since UNRWA was founded in 1949. He declared it as completely unacceptable that Palestinians potentially will be forced out beyond the West Bank, Gaza, and the Holy sites in Jerusalem. “The vast majority of Muslim worshippers are not being allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the third most holy site for 1 billion people in the Islamic world. Even Christian churches have been unable to function, he said.
King Abdullah will go to Canada on Feb. 14, thence to France and Germany. Jordan’s Foreign Minister was among those from six neighboring countries which met Feb. 8 in Riyadh, on the push for an immediate ceasefire. The others were Egypt, the U.A.E., Qatar, Palestine, and host Saudi Arabia.
These are just a few indications of the context in which it is clear that the actions of every person and every group right now counts enormously, for the momentum to succeed for a ceasefire in Gaza, restoration of funding to UNRWA, and the Oasis Plan approach. In the United States, some 50 local municipal councils, including that of Chicago, the third largest U.S. city, have passed ceasefire resolutions, and there are hot battles underway in hundreds more locations. A statement of endorsement of the new “Oasis Plan” presented in the video, will be made available.
Jason Ross concludes the Oasis Plan video presentation with the personal question: “How about you? Will you act to give meaning to the lives of those who have perished? Will you be a voice for peace and development?”
Contents
Strategic War Danger
- Israeli Forces Rescue Two Hostages, but Kill 100 Palestinians in Gaza (↓)
- Spanish Foreign Minister Albares Insists on Ceasefire in Gaza, Funding for UNRWA (↓)
- Chris Hedges Details How Israel Institutes Warsaw Ghetto Strategy in Gaza (↓)
- Jordan’s King Abdullah II Met with Biden on Gaza, Urged for Ceasefire (↓)
New World Paradigm
- German Farmers’ Protest Becomes Mittelstand Revolt (↓)
- Moscow To Host Anti-Colonialist Forum (↓)
- Netherlands Court Orders Amsterdam To Halt Delivery of Fighter Jet Parts to Israel (↓)
Collapsing Imperial System
- Mass Exodus of German Firms to Poland (↓)
- On Good Behavior, Argentine President Meets Pope Francis (↓)
Harley Schlanger Update
Watch The Daily Update with Harley Schlanger, a short video update available every weekday morning from The LaRouche Organization.
