Thousands of people gathered today in Jerusalem for a rare mobilization in favor of peace, while the Gaza war comes in the 20th month and the humanitarian situation in the enclave is considered critical by the UN and dozens of Israelis still remain hostage by Hamas.

Israel, which resumed its operations in Gaza on March 18, after a two -month truce, announced on Monday a plan to “conquer” the Palestinian territory involving the massive movement of the population. This plan was severely criticized around the world.

“Gaza will be completely destroyed,” the far -right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday.

“We cannot allow the extremists on both sides, who are fed by revenge, fear and hatred, to decide our future,” Mazon Inon, a 50 -year -old Israeli businessman and an activist for Peace, told the French Agency. “Even if they control our present, we have to choose an alternative and forge a different future,” he insisted.

The event was organized by a coalition of about 60 local organizations seeking a political solution to the Israeli -Palestinian conflict.

On this occasion, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian diplomat chief Nasser al -Kidua presented the peace plan they had proposed last year. Kidua, nephew of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, spoke through a video from the occupied West Bank.

“Only one solution of the two states can allow a radical change for our country and the whole region,” said Olmert, the central predecessor of Benjamin Netanyahu. “We have to put an end to the war and retire from Gaza. Gaza is a Palestinian (…) and must be part of a Palestinian state, “he said, calling for a” internal security force “that will be subject to the Palestinian Authority and aim to rebuild the Gaza Strip,” without Hamas’s participation “.

Kidua said the peace proposal was based on the solution of the two states and includes an exchange of territories (4.4%) between Israel and the future Palestinian state. According to this plan, Israel will annex the main Jewish settlements on the West Bank, and especially some zones around Jerusalem. In return, an equal extent of Israeli territory will be granted to the future Palestinian state.

The Olmert-Cindua plan also foresees the joint sovereignty in the old city of Jerusalem, under the protection of both Israel and the Palestinian state.