From Gaza to the Knesset: Could the impossible become a shared future? - opinion

Palestinian peace activist Mohammed Altooll writes an opinion piece comparing Israel's democratic process to the lack of elections in Gaza since 2007. He argues Gaza residents must have the freedom to choose their leaders and raises the question of a future shared political framework including Knesset representation, while emphasizing that any arrangement requires genuine consent and equality.

Palestinian peace activist Mohammed Altooll writes an opinion piece reflecting on the contrast between Israel's democratic process and the absence of general elections in Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007. He argues that Gaza's future must be determined by its own residents, not by external actors or political movements claiming to speak for them. The article calls for the freedom to choose representatives, express disagreement, and hold leaders accountable, while acknowledging that elections alone are insufficient without independent institutions, political pluralism, and freedom of expression. Altooll examines Israel's parliamentary system as a perspective worth studying, noting that political competition and opposition channels allow citizens to influence political life, without endorsing all Israeli policies. He raises the question of whether Palestinians from Gaza, Arab citizens of Israel, and Jewish Israelis could one day participate in a shared political framework with equal rights and representation, potentially including Knesset representation, if freely chosen. The piece emphasizes that any such arrangement requires genuine consent, equality before the law, and protection of collective and individual rights. Altooll concludes that before discussing distant political arrangements, Gaza needs security, dignity, functioning civilian institutions, and the freedom for its people to determine their own future.