An Israeli-Palestinian settlement is possible – but not unless the international community wills it

Many bear responsibility for the longstanding failure to conclude a peace deal, including Britain. And, as Donald Macintyre explains, the Palestinians cannot be expected to go on waiting forever

On most counts, the economic and humanitarian conditions in the Strip are much worse now than those which formed the background to the 2014 war (AP)

The World Bank’s most recent report on Gaza says its economy is in “free fall”; the conflicts at the border are heating up again, with seven Palestinians – including two children – killed by Israeli forces in a particularly violent day at the end of September. There is even talk about the possibility of another major military confrontation between Israel and Hamas.

During his distinguished career with The Independent Donald Macintyre was the paper’s Jerusalem correspondent for eight years. In the following extract from his book on Gaza, out in paperback next week, Donald traces the factors – including international neglect – that have driven the impoverished and besieged Gaza Strip to this point.

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