The Alliance to Stabilize Canaan: A New Post-October 7th Order
Ending the Cycle of Genocidal Violence is the Moral Imperative for the Middle East
We stand amid a new Middle Eastern order in the making. The Israel-Hamas War endgame still lacks a cohesive future, currently reduced to disjointed bullet points circulating through diplomatic channels and occasionally leaked to Israeli and Arab news outlets. We're seeing fragmented solutions bundled into oversized deals, but we must be clear: a civilizational crisis like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict won't be solved by a 'Big Beautiful Bill’ for the Holy Land.
The crisis of the Israel-Hamas war nevertheless presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-architect the Middle East for greater peace and stability. We can't afford to rely on piecemeal normalization deals and vague assurances of a future political process without confronting the underlying civilizational issues driving this conflict. This is precisely why I've dedicated myself to imagining a fresh, comprehensive framework that bridges these deep fault lines.
Any post-war order must address the profound moral crisis underpinning Israeli-Palestinian relations. This means acknowledging the power imbalance, mutual fears, entrenched militarism, and dehumanizing narratives that have led both peoples toward a cycle of genocide as seen in the Israel-Hamas War.
My core proposal is the Alliance for the Stability of Canaan1. This coalition has a singular, morally just goal: to end the cycle of genocidal violence that has plagued Israelis and Palestinians for generations.
This is an intentionally broad goal, demanding an ambition capable of bearing its moral and strategic weight. The deep civilizational divides necessitate a durable, long-term framework—one that not only stops bloodshed but also builds something worthy of the suffering caused and endured by these nations. Without openly addressing this underlying reality, peace agreements are doomed to fail.
A Two-Phase Approach: From Alliance to Confederation
This framework envisions at least two critical phases over a generational (20-30 year) timeline:
Immediate Stabilization (The Alliance) Year (1-10) : The urgent first step is to form a pragmatic, voluntary coalition to address Gaza's humanitarian disaster and restore basic stability. This involves mobilizing international support for aid, infrastructure rebuilding, and security guarantees. A neutral Secretariat would coordinate working groups focused on Security, Reconstruction, Diplomacy, Economic Cooperation, and Educational and Religious Reconciliation. This initial alliance, achievable without surrendering national sovereignty, offers a tangible path forward from the abyss. Key members would include Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Members of the European Union.
Phase 2: Long-Term Reconciliation (Years 11-20): Stabilization alone will not prevent future conflict or fully heal the region's deep divides. After establishing initial trust, the Alliance would evolve into a proper Confederation with binding commitments. Unlike a temporary pact, this Confederation represents a lasting covenant among Middle Eastern nations, rooted in mutual accountability, moral clarity, shared interests in peace and stability, and historical reconciliation. This evolution draws inspiration from David Ben-Gurion's early vision for an inclusive regional federation, which sought to ensure both Palestinian rights and Israel’s full economic, security, and cultural integration in the Middle East.
Neither a supranational government nor a replacement for existing states, the Alliance and subsequent Confederation would function as an integrated institutional framework designed to anchor regional stability. Its resilience lies in its flexibility: it can dissolve if sufficient progress is achieved, continue as is, or evolve into a more binding structure if trust flourishes and interests align.
The ultimate aim is for this framework to become a permanent institution: a standing peace and negotiation table for the Middle East. This body would serve as a central forum for collective crisis resolution, mediating disputes, and facilitating diplomatic and religious reconciliation. Crucially, it would continuously support Palestinian self-governance and Israeli disengagement, while establishing Israel as a normalizing and stabilizing force in the region. Its primary task would be to assist, mediate, and provide essential services to the Israeli and Palestinian states, as well as the broader Middle East, fostering intergenerational stability. Given the region's rich tapestry of religious and ethnic diversity, the complexities surrounding shared holy sites (such as the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Temple Mount), the large Palestinian diaspora, and other unresolved Final Status issues, such a permanent structure is essential to continuously nurture reconciliation and ensure lasting transformation.
Confronting the Moral Crisis and Building a Shared Future
The Alliance and Confederation also offer conditional normalization with Israel, inviting Arab states to engage with Israel based on measurable progress toward Palestinian statehood. This transforms normalization from a reward for the status quo into a strategic incentive for substantive progress, integrating Israel into the region as it advances justice and security for Palestinians.
The Alliance to Stabilize Canaan will also lay the first stones in the construction of the Virtuous City of Gaza, transforming the Strip from a symbol of endless war into a sanctuary of intellectual, spiritual, and moral perfection.
In essence, this is a mega deal for mega deals. The very concept of forming this alliance, and eventually a confederation, is monumental in itself. But the real impact lies in the series of agreements and collaborative efforts that will flow from it, all requiring international oversight, diplomatic pressure, and steadfast commitment. This is the deal that begets other deals, creating a cascade of progress that will solidify anyone who champions it as a true peacemaker in the annals of Middle Eastern history. It’s not just about a single agreement, but about laying down the groundwork for a future in which peace, stability, and cooperation become institutionalized.
The name "Canaan" is intentional, harking back to a shared historical land, free from the modern political burdens of "Israel" or "Palestine." It represents a unifying identity that predates current divisions, fostering a sense of collective belonging and reconciliation.