The latest Israeli assault on Gaza and its massacre of thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children, has once again turned world attention on the intractable Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Both sides have taken hard positions. Hamas will not stop firing rockets and waging its struggle until the strangulating blockade of Gaza is lifted. On the other hand, Israel maintains that it would continue the blockade until the tunnels are dismantled and Hamas’s ability to smuggle weapons is diminished. Such is the level of hatred and distrust that the fragile truce worked out under international pressure has repeatedly collapsed. Meanwhile, with the death toll having exceeded 2,000 and over 20,000 injured, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deepening.
The motive for Israel’s aggression goes beyond its stated public position. It is strongly opposed to the unity government that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have formed, for it considers the unification, however fragile it may be, a sort of victory for Hamas and the beginning of the process that could strengthen the Palestinians in the long term. All these years, Israel has benefited from their internal divisions, the age-old principle of divide and rule. More importantly, Hamas being the only organisation, which is forcefully resisting Israeli aggression, serves as a role model for the youth of the West Bank and an embarrassment to its leadership. Israelis see in Hamas an organisation that has the courage to fight back against a regional superpower that has the full support of the US. One could fault Hamas for its use of rockets, but its demands for ending the occupation and allowing Palestinians to lead lives of dignity and freedom are fully justified. It is possible that Hamas would agree to stop firing rockets provided the siege is lifted. Hamas has been forced to develop the tunnels to break the blockade, for these are its only source of access to the outside world. If Israeli aggression continues, it will further breed extremism and make peace harder to achieve.
The opposition of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan to Hamas and tacit support for Israeli action shows the irony and complexities of the region. These countries oppose Hamas for two reasons. First, Hamas is supported by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, their bitter political rivals in the region, and their success would trigger a chain reaction in the Middle East and strengthen forces of democracy and resistance against repressive and authoritarian regimes. Similar divisions prevent the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) — a toothless organisation — from taking even a symbolic, unified position. Not surprising, but regrettable that some of these Muslim countries are colluding with Israel to keep the people of Gaza locked up in an open prison! Pakistan is so weak and embroiled in its own problems that its voice carries hardly any weight.
The role of the US is crucial in bringing peace and justice to the region. At the moment, there is nothing to suggest that there is any rethinking taking place in Washington on its Middle East policy. President Barack Obama has been a disappointment, and like his predecessors, has gone along with the American establishment in courting the powerful Jewish lobby and heavily influenced by geo-strategic imperatives rather than moral principles. In sharp contrast,the recent US and EU response to Russia’s support of insurgents in Ukraine was swift and substantive.
It will be a misreading of events if the present Palestinian-Israeli confrontation is lumped together as part of a broader conflict that is raging across Muslim countries in general and the Middle East in particular, as some think tanks in the US are alluding. On the contrary, the brutal Israeli aggression could further fuel these conflicts. I doubt if the world needs to be reminded that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is as old as the birth of Israel. The injustice done to the people of Palestine will not go away by continuing to suppress them, but in finding an equitable solution to the dispute. It has become the norm after 9/11, for countries that suppress freedom movements to equate them with terrorist activity. For Israel to also brand Hamas as a terrorist organisation is to mask its naked aggression. Palestinians in Gaza have seen that sincere efforts of Palestinian leaders in the West Bank to find a peaceful solution with Israel have proved to be utterly futile. In fact, Israel has taken these gestures of peace as a sign of weakness on the part of Palestinians and continues to expand its settlements and is unwilling to give up its occupation. That leaves no other choice for the Palestinians, but to offer both peaceful and violent resistance. A more thoughtful approach on the part of Israel would have been to work towards a peaceful solution instead of relying heavily on its military superiority and unqualified support of the US.
In the Middle East, there is the larger picture that is emerging with long-term consequences for both Israel and Palestine. Syria and Iraq were always considered potential threats to Israel. Nothing suits Israel better than the continuing civil war and disintegration of these countries. Binyamin Netanyahu has been categorical that it is in the strategic interest of Israel that Syria (and Iraq) remains in perpetual state of civil strife. Initially, the US and Israel were supporting the forces opposed to Bashar alAssad, but now that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has become the dominant force opposed to the Assad regime, they are in a dilemma. Similarly, the situation in Iraq is extremely chaotic. With a deep split within the Shia faction and ISIS forces in control of Mosul and making serious advances in the north of Iraq, the situation looks ominous. The civil strife has energised radical forces throughout the region and what will emerge from the ruins of this civil war is hard to predict. One thing, however, is amply clear that these convulsions will not stop, but will engulf many other countries, particularly of the Middle East and the Muslim world for better or for worse.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2014.
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Unfortunately for civilians of Palestine, Hamas values their dead more than living ones for propaganda. The recent conflict was triggered by killing of three innocent Israeli teenagers.Sooner Palestinians get rid of this terrorist organization, safer they would be.
I know I am getting somewhat off-track, and I hope ET print this. I noticed that Mr Abbott, the Prime Minister of Australia, has just said that Scotland should stay with the United Kingdom, because Britain was a great supporter of freedom and justice. All this from a man who supported the UK/US as they bombed Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya into the stone-age during the last few years, and of course Britain with US help setup the current mess in Palestine many years ago. If Britain and the US are recognized as prime examples of freedom and justice, as they go around the world being complicit in creating disasters such as Palestine, is it any wonder that the world is in such turmoil. Getting off-track even further the Palestine situation, as bad as it is, is penny-ante stuff. I see the Western big guys are trying to reopen the Iraq disaster, and they have just got a big one going in Ukraine. Why do I have a feeling that our brave Western leaders, putting our young soldiers into multiple conflict situations, will keep the Palestinian fire and others smouldering away into the indefinite future as they try to fool us that they are merely trying to maintain freedom and justice for all. It is obvious from some of the missives coming in that they are fooling people magnificently.
@Genius:
Who do you mean by Asians and Europens? Two people, the Israeli jews and the Palestinian arabs, both vying to be recognised as independent Nations in the region, and have not come nearer to an acceptable resolution because of the unrelented support of the American jewish lobby for Israel and reluctant diplomatic or military support for the Palestinans from its muslim majority neighbours. Then comes Hamas, the silver lining across the distant twilight zone and the balance of power gets tilted. Iran comes into play and threatens Israel with their at distant yet with their little boys and the fat ones too. The Palestinian authorites stayed put bankon on further negotiations, Hamas starts assembling little rockets which we use to celebrate new years eve, simply to frighten, to create fear among Israeli civilians, but inviting military responses from the Israeli army. This is how the Germanic tribes overcame the mighty Romans cavalry. Turkey moves away from Israel and so does Egypt and Jordan and Qatar too. Hamas rockets are improved and can now reach the Tel Aviv airport and all other sensitive military installations. Is it technicaly difficult to improve their.accuracy?la The qulaified Engineer General has not told us? A catastrophy awaits in the region if peace does not come very soon, the new David Hamas is ready to strike the Goliath Rex Minor
@Cool Henry: Dear Cool Henry, By your logic, the sub-continent should have been given to a small group ,of people in 1948, and Britain should have supplied them with all the weaponry required to control Indians. Additionally, and like in Palestine, Britain should be giving the infiltrators 3.5 billion dollars plus per year to help pay for their brutal activities.
Hello everybody. How are you gonna rock? How are you gonna rock? Thank you all for giving us an insight through the debate trying to prove rights and wrongs concerning this unfortunate land and its unfortunate people. Let us all for a while try to use Wisdom. Let us all look back into its history. Shall we?
The sort of terror, massacres, deaths and destructions the Palestinians are experiencing today at the hands of European invaders, colonisers, their forefathers experienced exactly similar tragedies some 2000 years ago. The forefathers of the Palestinian people also resisted those European terrorists exactly as they do today and failed many a times as do the Palestinians today. Then we look further into history that eventually, somehow the forefathers of the Palestinian people managed to throw the European terrorists out of their land and peace reigned ever since then until. Until the European terrorists invaded this land again after Palestinian people had enjoyed nearly 800 years of peace. The local Asian people experienced terror again for nearly 200 years when they were able to throw the European terrorists out again. Now we see the same happening again today. Do we not? Do we see the future in the light of the history of this land and its rightful Asian owners? Do we or do we not? Thanks for learning the Truth about this land.
@Anonymous: Why speculate about rockets that illuminate in the skies over Israel? Ask the resistance who sent them over. According to a spokeperson the rockets from Gaza is a cry of the woman who is being raped? you have a question for the Palesinians or Israelis
Rex Minor
@Siddharth Pandey:
Using your own argument of India paying Israel for weapons. India also pays hard cash to the Saudis and others for the Oil. The Saudis on the other hand literally hand oil free to Pakistan - with huge lines of credit - basically using our prompt payments - if you understand any basic of 'working capital'. The Indians in middle east are providing services - they are not there as a great free offer by the Arabs. Indian workers are preferred as they are hard working and do not create trouble. That because Indian workers get jobs in Middle East is the reason we should support terrorists -- is an ingenuous argument - pathetic really - and tells of your servile mindset that we must jettison first to make India Great.
A very good analysis.
@Gratgy: Dude, are you blind or stupid?? Or both?? Please read what I have written. Clearly stating "I do not support Hamas" but fully endorse the stand taken by the Govt of India showing solidarity with the people of Palestine!! If you do not understand the difference between the two positions, one can only imagine how well you have understood the conflict!! So please stop drawing your own faulty inferences which I have nothing to do with!!
@GP65, Brute Force : I did not say I represent all Indians, no idea why people are drawing their own conclusions!! Also, I am 100% okay with people not agreeing with me. What I stated was the position of the Govt of India and the continuity of that position by the new Govt. While you have been kind enough to enlighten us on how Israel helped us during Kargil, please look up all the times it refused under orders from Uncle Sam who was before Kargil in bed with Pakistan who were in turn worried India would get an unassailable strategic edge with Israeli systems. So please, stop spreading half truths!! Since then it has been a seller buyer relationship with Israel doing us no favours and India paying for its defence purchases. Unlike Russia with whom we are developing systems like BRAHMOS and the Fifth Gen Fighter Aircraft. India's interests!! What a joke!! The Middle East employs lakhs of Indians who account for more than half the remittances received by India annually. It is the source of 80% of our Oil and a huge market for our exports. Just a glimpse into our interest in the region. Brute Force : Today there is Hamas and its rockets, yesterday it was the PLO and its resistance and before that Black September and its hijackings. The point being, unless Israel goes back to the pre 1968 2 state formula(itself a compromise) and in the short term lifts the blockade, ends the siege and stop building illegal settlements(all demands supported by Govt of India) the Palestinians will continue to resist, fight back against a Gargantuan Military Apparatus in any way it can.
@Siddharth Pandey: The govt of India supported Saddam Hussein during Iraq War I (in 1991) and in 2003. It supported the Communist Party of erstwhile Soviet Union even though it killed several of it's own masses. I do not look to the Govt to form my opinions. Rather I read, watch and listen to as many opinion and use my own intellect to come to my own conclusions.
That concept may be foreign to you - and that's OK. You can continue to follow whoever you feel comfortable with.
@Sexton Blake: By your logic, Indians and Pakistanis uprooted from their homes during partition should get their properties back. If not, then they get to launch rockets generally in the direction of their old homes? And the current govt should not respond at all.
Through centuries, movement of people and uprooting of people has happened. Yes, what Brits did back in the days is stupid - they probably did whatever they did to somehow maintain relevance and hegemony...and further self-interest in the long run. But, they have left huge amount of mess.
The Palestinians have often come close to long term settlement with Israel, but, backed off in the last minute. Almost seems like the leadership wants the strife to fester.
My guess is that your opinion will change if you find that you, your family and friends find it unsafe to go eat pizza, or ice-cream or watch a movie because a rock may explode..
The General has laid out the details of the Israel-Palestine conflict and its geo-political influence in the middle east as well but not quite the current outrage of the world communities on the pin point Israeli bombing (John Kerry's words) killing Palestinians women and children reminding the world of Ibrahimic times when the killing of women and children was considered legitimate against the enemy!! Two people, the Israeli jews and the Palestinian arabs, both vying to be recognised as independent Nations in the region, and have not come nearer to an acceptable resolution because of the unrelented support of the American jewish lobby for Israel and reluctant diplomatic or military support for the Palestinans from its muslim majority neighbours. Then comes Hamas, the silver lining across the distant twilight zone and the balance of power gets tilted. Iran comes into play and threatens Israel with their at distant yet with their little boys and the fat ones too. The Palestinian authorites stay put and bank on further negotiations, Hamas starts assembling little rockets which we use to celebrate new years eve, simply to frighten, to create fear among Israeli civilians, but inviting military responses from the Israeli army. This is how the Germanic tribes overcame the mighty Romans cavalry. Turkey moves away from Israel and so does Egypt and Jordan and Qatar too. Hamas rockets are improved and can now reach the Tel Aviv airport and all other sensitive military installations. Is it technicaly difficult to improve their.accuracy?la The qulaified Engineer General has not told us? A catastrophy awaits in the region if peace does not come very soon, the new David Hamas is ready to strike the Goliath!
Rex Minor.
@Siddharth Pandey: When you infer that Government of India stands with Hamas, you are just embarrassing yourself.
@BruteForce: Dear Brute Force, Why do you keep getting it wrong? The Jews are an illegal invading force whilst Hamas is a democratically elected body.
@Siddharth Pandey: Dear Siddharth Pandey, You and Aussie both wrote good articles. In regard to yours I liked it because it was written from an Indian point-of-view. As you know Britain, a colonizing power, illegally handed Palestine over to the Jews. There can be no distinct parallel, but this would have been similar to the British Raj handing India over to the Jews in 1948, and the Indians being forced into a relatively small section south of Madras, whilst the Jewish people lived in relative luxury in the rest of the country.
@Siddharth Pandey:
All I said was Hamas is a Terror group. No need to give it a different direction.
Islamic Militancy is affecting all nations including us. We fight LeT and ask Israel to not fight Hamas? How unfair is that?
@Siddharth Pandey: You have a right to your opinion, as do others. Neither @BruteForce nor @Cool Henry have said something that is factually incorrect. Yes their opinion does not match yours and that is okay. You do not represent all Indians.
Since you speak of history let me remind you that neither Palestine nor Arabs have ever supported India on the KAshmir issue. Israel however has supported India during Kargill. If some people feel India should act in its self interest, there is nothing wrong n it.
Great article by Talat Masood. His analysis of the situation was spot on and he had the fortitude to write it. Unfortunately, we live in a strange world. Countries such as the US/UK/Israel can attack other countries with virtual impunity, and the corporate media, at worst, responds by giving them a limp slap on on the wrist. When people, in countries being attacked by the above trio, fight back they are almost certainly vilified and referred to as terrorists. Thus being classified as terrorists it becomes reasonable to brutally attack them. Strangely, many people appear to believe the nonsense emanating from Western propaganda.
@brute force, cool henry: my sincere request to my fellow Indians to stop embarrassing yourselves and the Republic of India. I have no clue what are the sources of your historical knowledge(seems to be social media) or are you suffering from selective amnesia?? I am proud to say the Govt of India has always as a matter of principle thrown its lot with the people of Palestine. As far back as 1938 Gandhi declared "Palestine belongs to the Arabs just like Germany belongs to the Germans or England to the English". To force the Jews upon them is criminal to say the least. India has just voted against Israel's actions along with the entire International community most of whom voted against Israel's actions or abstained with the singular exception of USA voting in favour of Israel predictably. Further, India was part of the Fortaleza Declaration during the recently held BRICS Sunmit where again Israel was severely criticised. This is the stand of the BJP Govt, which I am sure you are votaries of, not to mention the entire opposition has condemned Israel anyway. By supporting Israel on forums like these, you are making a mockery of the Govt of India and our Foreign Policy framed over decades. Israel is an Occupying Army that has laid siege to Gaza which has been turned into an open air prison with the Airport, Port and Border Crossings under Israeli Control. Just for the record I am not a Hamas supporter, but to kill 2000 people most of them women and children for the acts of a stupid few is the worst example of collective punishment seen time and again in the Palestinian Territories. Until a few years ago people like you took the common sense out of the argument in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it seems this time you have taken out the Soul!! Please get your facts right then your head!!
Aussie and others whom are really supporting the Palestinian cause:
I have been following the views on Hamas vs Israel. I can pretty much see that most of us do criticise the innocents killed in the conflict. Regardless of how much is criticised about the Zionist media, I have seen that it is the same media including BBC whom have openly criticised the innocents being killed. Same thing enabled by the social media, where even fake pictures which were graphically created were circulated to show people the exaggerated view of the killings. Now, can I request you folks to clarify and be unbiased:
a. Why are you continuously blaming that the media is supporting Zionists, when the same media has been continuously criticising the innocent killings and showing the same. I do follow BBC, CNBC, CNN, and many other channels very closely. Almost all of them have openly criticised Israel. And almost all the western nations have put sanctions against them.
b. When Hamas knows that the rockets it is building and firing are primitive and when compared Israel is powerful, why is it not resorting to peaceful protests, trying diplomatic options? Why do they fire even one single rocket for that matter?
One thing I don't understand is that why westbank is relatively peaceful and why Isreal is not killing civilian there?
Views of a typical Pakistani Armyman......the terrorist is always right!
Fully agree with the views expressed in this article.
Consider just one aspect: The rockets being made and fired by Hammas are extremely primitive devices, made in impossible conditions with the most basic of resources, powered by so-called candy propellant as it contains sugar, with no guidance, small warhead, no accuracy and no range. It is a most futile device. The casualties speak for them selves, 3 Israelis vs over 2000 Palestinians killed.
The great irony is that the Israelis can produce the same rocket in any high school workshop, and fire off a few on themselves to show that the Hammas barbarians have launched another barrage at the peace-loving civilians who would like nothing more than to be left alone to seize more of the occupied land.
The Iron Dome interceptor missile will be another great Israeli export success. It certainly helps to know well in advance from where the rocket is coming from, where it is headed, and at what precise time.
Finally, consider the unimaginably horrific response which is unleashed on the helpless civilians of Gaza in every single instance. Guided heavy rockets, 155mm artillery, main battle tanks, F-16 and F-15 with precision guided munitions all designed to defeat Warsaw Pact armour.
The most influential Islamic powers, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also openly supporting Israel in its just struggle against the imprisoned and powerless civilians of Gaza. The dark ages are upon us.
I am amazed at the author's viewpoint. But, not surprised. He belongs to the same military that thinks attacking enemy, looting and raping of unarmed civilians under the garb of militants is bravery. As was shown to be in 48 and 65. They ran helter skelter once the Indian military arrived. Same thing in Bangladesh. Poor civilians were raped, looted and murdered. And then quickly surrendered when Indian military arrived. The Hamas militants fire rockets - at the Israeli civilians - from areas where Palestinian civilians dwell - schools, hospitals, mosques, residential areas - 'coz their hope is that maximum number of innocent children and women get killed in Israeli retaliation. imagine that. Hamas militants choose sites to launch rockets so that Israeli retaliation will result in maximum civilian damage - of their own people. I would have expected some critical note of Hamas - but, true to his professional career (in Pakistani military) thinking he sees virtue and no fault in the tactics of Hamas which relies on ensuring maximum casualty of it's own women and children.
Blatantly supporting a Terror group.
I've seen this movie from Pakistan before. Only the Actors have changed, so have the villains.
After Taliban, LeJ, LeT, TTP, now Hamas. Will anybody be surprised?
The West, bastion of liberty and freedom of press, does not convey this truth to its' public. On the contrary, it creates a perception of violent and terrorist Hamas raining Rockets on the innocent Israelis.