A Win-Win Solution to the Flying Palace Problem
Applying Johan Galtung’s Transcend Method
On Wednesday, May 14, I was visiting Senate offices for my 6th time since January to beg for a ceasefire in Gaza, the resumption of humanitarian aid, and more. I have gone 5 times with Doctors Against Genocide, once with J Street, and this week with Code Pink.
We thanked Senators who supported Senator Peter Welch’s Senate Resolution 224: A resolution calling for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza, who are now are starving to death. We begged those who didn’t.
We showed pictures of formerly healthy starving children.
Later I joined Doctors Against Genocide for a press conference and march. Bread not bombs. Let the children eat!
The Flying Palace Controversy
TVs in the entrance areas to all offices were broadcasting CNN, showing Democrats opposing Qatar’s gift of a $400 million 747-8 “Palace in the Sky” for Trump to use as Air Force One. Morning screens showed Dems correctly calling out this gift as an unethical bribe and a violation of the constitution, wondering was expected in return.
These images alternated with Trump understandably saying anyone would be stupid to refuse this gift, which would save the US money on replacing the current 40-year-old Air Force One. It is hard to imagine a more appealing gift for Trump than this flying palace.
As a political psychologist and conflict analyst, I anticipated an ugly, boring, intense escalation of this seemingly irresolvable conflict, demonstrating our mindless national sport of compulsory mutual disparagement.
As usual, I was struck by the pervasive media attention to a sensational story of the day that distracts us from underreported stories. They don’t show parents watching their children starve, after months of moving, bombing, trauma, and death. Gaza has the world’s biggest population of amputees, performed without anesthesia in remnants of bombed out hospitals.
At the same time, Trump, through negotiators Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler, successfully negotiated with Hamas to release an American-Israeli hostage as a gesture of good faith. Most hostages were released through negotiations and ceasefires. Resumed bombing and starvation endanger the remaining hostages. They increase recruitment to Hamas and make Israel less secure and more hated and isolated.
A Win-Win Solution
While struggling with the flying palace drama and the urgency of mass starvation a solution came to me. It is derived from the work of my friend and mentor, Johan Galtung, considered the father of peace studies, who died last year at 93. He developed the Transcend Method of conflict transformation. Conflict transformation is superior to conflict resolution which is usually based on compromise to reach a solution that both parties are dissatisfied with.
By contrast, conflict transformation creates a new reality that addresses the interests of opposing parties. It is outside the box. The Transcend Method is solutions-oriented.
Conflict is about incompatible goals. It uses creativity to create a new reality capable of bridging incompatible goals. It is “mutually beneficial” – a term Johan preferred over “win-win.”
Here is my proposal to transform – not resolve – this conflict.
· Let Trump have his flying palace. Designate it as a “Peace Plane” or “Trump Flying Peace Palace” (there does exist a Peace Boat). This is an amazing opportunity for President Trump who claims that he wants to end wars.
· Raise an equivalent of $400 million for emergency aid to Gaza
· Load up the plane with doctors, nurses, trauma therapists (it can carry 89 passengers and 14 crew members) and medical supplies. Fly it to the nearest airport and open Gaza for relief.
· Continue to use the plane for peace missions. Fly negotiators, mediators, leaders, educators, and celebrities to hot spots to defuse tensions and address underlying root causes and work on lasting solutions.
· Adapt spaces in the plane for conferencing and caucusing, There are some book shelves. Make a peace library.
· After Trump’s presidency, use it as the first mobile presidential library that continues missions for reversing cycles of violence. Make it into a flying peace museum, showcasing successes of its missions.
· Allow Qatar and other countries to support a permanent end to violence, to restore humanitarian aid, to protect human rights, self-determination, mutual security, and freedom for all. Recognize that Jewish and Palestinian (all Arab) safety is intertwined.
· Change the paradigm to “Mutually Assured Survival.” War is obsolete. It is the worst resort. It is always possible to do something better.
Brilliant, Diane! And thank you for your relentless admonishment of congress members to stop the starvation and genocide of Palestinians..
Diane - great idea!!!