By Dr. D.K. Giri
(Prof of Practice, NIIS Group of Institutions)
The war in Palestine has reached the point of a colossal human tragedy marked by deaths, devastation, and hunger amounting to famine. Several diseases stalk the innocent civilians of Gaza. What is worse, there is no end in sight to their miseries. Why is the pogrom in Gaza continuing unabated? Is there no political will, nor diplomatic deft in world leaders to stop the war on Gaza?
In a closed door meeting on 11 August, at Delhi, in line with the Chatham House Rules, a presentation was made on insights and perspectives to a group comprising former ambassadors, defence officials, journalists and academics. The focus of his presentation consisted of two aspects of the war, the disinformation campaign by Israel and its Western allies, and the lack of authentic and adequate information on the degree of devastation caused by the war. In passing, it was also ruefully remarked that Indian media was giving little space to the Palestine voice whereas the Israeli diplomats were all over the media in Delhi.
To start with disinformation, the day he was speaking, five journalists were killed by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). The Qatari owned Pan-Arab Al Jazeera reported that two journalists Al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreigh and three camera operators, Ibrahim Laher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa were killed in a targeted Israeli strike on a tent that was housing journalist in Gaza city. The Israel media machinery claimed that one of the journalists al-Sharif was a Hamas leader, a terrorist masquerading as a journalist.
It was claimed that such disinformation by IDF and much of the Western media is bombarded across the world. Even the 7 October abominable act of violence which brought this mayhem in Palestine was cluttered by disinformation. While condemning the 7 October violence and kidnapping of Israeli civilians by Hamas, it was also asserted that some of the videos were manipulated. The question was who has seen the videos made by independent observers or even Hamas. Who made those videos that were aired repeatedly across the world media?
Is it not the case that Hamas were initially supported by Benjamin Netanyahu to weaken Palestine Liberation Organisation? It may be conceivable that the current leadership of Israel has engineered the 7 October attack. Politics is the art of possible. Palestine asks for a thorough investigation into the event of 7 October.
Talking of the political will, it was recalled that a phone call on 7 November 1956 from American President Dwigt D. Eisenhower to Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion made the latter withdraw his forces from Egyptian territory. Eisenhower advised Ben-Gurion to abide by the United Nations resolutions. Ben-Gurion instantly acquiesced in the US President’s advice.
Another phone call was made on 12 August 1982 by Ronald Reagan while he was chairing a cabinet meeting. Reagan phoned Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin expressing outrage over the bombing of Beirut. He said that the attacks had resulted in “needless destruction and bloodshed”. It must immediately be stopped. After 10 minutes, Begin called President Reagan to say that a complete ceasefire had been ordered.
Could such a call not be made by the current President of US who is a committed supporter of Israel? Thankfully, he is not a war-monger, claims to be a peace-broker and is known for advocating creation of wealth through trade and commerce, not conflicts. Also, it was revealed that there were about 1,500 types of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. There is zero sanction against Israel.
The third point, a statement of grievance, was made on drowning the Palestine voice. It was regretted that Palestine was not getting an opportunity even in India to explain the situation in Gaza in historical terms. He said that the problem did not start on 7 October 2023. There were several United Nations’ Resolutions which were flouted by Israel. Resolution 181 which was called the Partition Plan divided Palestine into two states. Resolution 194 adopted at the end of 1947-49 Palestine war defined the principles of reaching a final settlement and returning Palestine refugees to their homes. Article 11 of the Resolution resolved that refugees wishing to return to their homes and to live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so. This was again dishonoured by Israel.
The third Resolution 242 called for Israel’s withdrawal from the territories it had captured in the war in exchange for lasting peace. Palestinians are dismayed and hopeless that genocide will not stop until Israel takes over Gaza. What has been the purpose of the war by Israel? It claimed that the military attack was retaliation to the 7 October terrorist attack by Hamas. Israel vows that the war will not stop until IDF completely dismantles the terror infrastructure of Hamas and takes back the last Israel hostage.
The war has crossed 675 days (on the day of diplomatic meet), killed over 55,104 Palestines, displaced 664,800 and injured 127394. Eighty Four per cent of health facilities has been damaged or destroyed. There are reports of starvation with people eating one meal every day, and over 1 million people in Southern Gaza not receiving any food rations.
What is unacceptable is that 463 aid-workers have been killed, 319 UN staff members, 137 Palestinian journalists and media workers including the 5 Al-Jazeera journalists were shot dead. All these are claimed by IDF to be the collateral damage. Hamas have been using civilians as the human shield. Is there no principle of proportionality of retaliation?
On my intervention for the sake of resolution of the war, a ceasefire, I raised the question on the assertion that the current conflict did not begin on 7 October 2023. That is a mistaken position. The 7 October gave Israel an excuse to come down heavily militarily on Gaza. The rational and acceptable position is to condemn the terrorist act of 7 October and renounce any violent provocation to IDF. There is no point going back in history on the origin of violence and counter-violence. Violence begets violence. Mahatma Gandhi had said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”. Palestinians could not achieve their political purpose by resorting to violence. They should avoid falling a prey to the instigation by the fundamentalist forces in Iran and elsewhere.
That said, Palestine should demand a negotiated resolution commensurate with the two-state formula. Yes, Israel has overreacted in retaliation. That can be questioned and tried after the ceasefire and a peace deal. In the meantime, Hamas, who have been financed to conduct terrorist acts and are against the existence of Israel, must be denounced. In ending the war, all countries including India advocating peace through diplomacy and dialogue, should prevail upon Israel to negotiate a solution. That is the way out. —INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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