The assault on the Muslim worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces with rubber bullets and tear gas shells which left scores injured followed by continuous airstrikes and missile attacks on Gaza strip which so far has killed more than 200 Palestinians including children, and wounded more than 1400 people besides causing destruction of scores of buildings, is yet another addition to the myriads of such acts of state terrorism by Israel, with impunity. The current Israeli blitzkrieg is a replication of similar acts of genocide perpetrated on the Palestinians in 2009 and 2014.
While there has been a world-wide condemnation of Israel at the level of the masses, regrettably the governments of USA and its Western allies remain oblivious to the human tragedy unfolding in Gaza. The resolution adopted by the OIC, as a result of hectic diplomatic efforts of Pakistan, condemning Israeli attacks on Gaza, appealing for cessation of attacks and call upon the global powers and the UN to stop the hostilities which have the potential to consign the region to perennial instability, have also not created the desired impact. The UNSC, in spite of its two informal sessions, and one formal, has failed to adopt a consensus statement on the issue.
The major stumbling block in this regard is the USA. By blocking the deliberations of the UNSC it probably wants to allow more time to the Israeli military establishment to completely defang Hamas, about which there is a permeating perception in the West that peace in the Middle East hinges on destroying the capability of that militant entity to strike against Israel. They remain totally blind to what Israel is doing and has been doing in spite of 80 UN General Assembly and UNSC resolutions expressing consensus on a two-state solution, with an independent state of Palestine comprising contiguous regions.
Who can forget the massacre of 3000 Palestinians at Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon in September 1982 which had all the trappings of a Holocaust? Shortly after Israel invaded Lebanon the right-wing Lebanese groups allied with the invaders stormed the camps, killing its inhabitants, raping mothers in front of their families and mutilating pregnant women.
Reportedly, before the massacre, Israel’s defense minister Ariel Sharon had ordered that the camp be surrounded in advance, effectively paving the way for one of the bloodiest massacres in modern history. In view of the resentment that it caused around the globe and the reaction in the Muslim World, the UN General Assembly condemned what had happened and declared it an act of genocide. However Israel was never penalized for that horrendous bloodshed.
It is the US support that really encourages Israel to continue with its state terrorism and annexation of the Palestinian territories through Jewish settlements on the Palestinian land in spite of UN resolutions forbidding any such action. In fact protection of the state of Israel is the cornerstone of US foreign policy. US Congress places considerable importance on the maintenance of a close and supportive relationship between the two countries.
Among the Muslim countries Pakistan has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and has invariably taken a hard position against Israeli actions. It has also stuck to its principled stand on the Kashmir dispute. That explains the reason behind the anti-Pakistan nexus between Israel and India. I am afraid I do not see any solution of both these issues in the foreseeable future in view of the developing global situation.
Since 1985, the USA has provided nearly $3 billion in grants annually to Israel, with Israel being the largest annual recipient of American aid from 1976 to 2004 and the largest cumulative recipient of aid amounting to $146 billion since World War II. More recently, in fiscal year 2019, the USA provided $3.8 billion in foreign military aid to Israel. The Zionist state also benefits from about $8 billion of loan guarantees. Strong congressional support for Israel has resulted in Israel receiving benefits not available to other countries.
In addition to financial and military aid, the USA also has been providing political support to Israel by having used its veto power 42 times on resolutions relating to Israel, out of a total 83 times in which its veto has ever been used. Between 1991 and 2011, the USA used its veto power 15 times to protect Israel out of the 24 vetos in total that it cast in the Security Council deliberations on different global issues.
The Late Republican Senator Jesse Helms used to call Israel “America’s aircraft carrier in the Middle East”, when explaining why the USA viewed Israel as a strategic ally, saying that the military foothold in the region offered by the Jewish state alone justified the military aid that the USA grants Israel every year. That also is the explanation for the USA keeping mum on Israel becoming a clandestine nuclear power while it maintains a very hostile posture towards states trying to acquire nuclear capability. Iran’s case is a classic example of this hypocrisy dictated by its strategic global interests. Opposition to Pakistan’s nuclear programme and clamping of sanctions to stop it also unraveled the double standards employed by the USA.
Unfortunately OIC which was formed in the backdrop of burning of the Al-Aqsa mosque in September 1969 has also proved ineffective in regards to finding a two-state solution to resolve the conflict, and dissuading the USA and its allies from extending unqualified support to Israel in its acts of terrorism and massacre of the Palestinians. The reason for this failure is the lack of political solidarity among the Muslim countries.
Saudi Arabia did use the oil weapon in 1973 against USA and other Western countries but the move failed to create the desired impact. Other than that no substantive effort has been launched by the OIC for supporting the Palestinian cause, except for ritualistic condemnation of Israel whenever it committed the indiscretion of venting its ire on the hapless Palestinians.
The USA has in the meantime also succeeded in denting whatever unity existed in the Muslim world for the Palestinian cause by luring Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively. US efforts for prompting Saudi Arabia to follow the suit are also in the offing. In all probability the crescendo of condemnations would die down like the previous incidents and the people of Palestine will continue suffering like the people of Kashmir who are also the victims of global politics. Much, however, depends on change in the attitude of the big powers, including the USA, who are currently managing the world affairs. Their current conduct and policies reaffirm the old adage that Might is Right. Principles and humanitarian causes have no place in such a scenario.
It is however noteworthy that among the Muslim countries Pakistan has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and has invariably taken a hard position against Israeli actions. It has also stuck to its principled stand on the Kashmir dispute. That explains the reason behind the anti-Pakistan nexus between Israel and India. I am afraid I do not see any solution of both these issues in the foreseeable future in view of the developing global situation.
