The resumption of air strikes in Gaza by Israel after Hamas fired rockets following the end of a three-day truce on Friday morning is very unfortunate and dashed hopes of some type of permanent truce between the two sides.
It was hoped that the three-day ceasefire, a welcome development after a month of war which claimed 1,890 Palestinian lives – most of them civilians including many children – as well as 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, would be followed by efforts to give peace a chance.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, rejected any extension of the truce during Egyptian-brokered talks, saying Israel had failed to meet its demands, principally over the ending of its blockade of the territory.
Some sort of permanent truce between Israel and Hamas will always to difficult to reach: the two sides mistrust each other immensely, Hamas does not recognise Israel’s right to exist and Israel regards Hamas as a terrorist organisation which it will never speak to.
Furthermore, Israel’s shocking behaviour in this month-long conflict, when it reacted to rocket attacks in a disproportionate manner, showed little regard for civilian casualties and committed what many people believe to be war crimes, making any type of ‘reconciliation’ between the two sides (if this is at all possible) extremely difficult.
US Secretary of State John Kerry had rightly urged the two sides to use the truce as a stepping stone towards wider negotiations aimed at a two-state solution. Unfortunately, this has not happened, but it does not mean that the two sides should not be pressured into making compromises and giving peace a chance.
However, I believe the US, which has a special role to play in this whole process because of its links to Israel, did not exert enough pressure on Israel to modify its behaviour during the Gaza war, and has lost some international credibility over this, especially in the eyes of the Palestinians.
Although the US did sharpen its criticism of Israel – US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power called last Sunday’s missile strike near a UN school in Rafah that killed at least 10 civilians “horrifying” and urged Israel to “conduct a full and prompt investigation of this incident as well as the recent strikes that hit other UNRWA schools” – many observers believe the US should have taken a stronger stand against Israel’s deplorable behaviour.
There is no doubt, however, that on the whole, world public opinion has shifted against Israel as a result of this war in Gaza, so Israel’s behaviour was without doubt self-defeating and not in its long-term interest.
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, for example, described the Rafah missile strike near the UN school as “a moral outrage and a criminal act”, Spain suspended its arms sales to Israel, French President François Hollande called for action to end the “massacre” in Gaza and UK Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi resigned from the government, saying its policy on the crisis in Gaza is “morally indefensible”.
Israel often tends to be its own worst enemy and makes a habit of allowing itself to be provoked into a war which almost inevitably creates sympathy for its enemies. Everyone knows that Hamas is a provocative organisation that fires rockets into Israel, which it knows will be met by an overwhelming Israeli response, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian civilians.
I have no sympathy at all for Hamas, but feel the way Israel deals with them only makes them heroes among the Gaza population and the wider Muslim world. I hope a new truce can be agreed to and that both sides show a willingness to make compromises. To start with, Israel (and Egypt) must end the cruel blockade of Gaza, which has caused so much hardship for the Palestinians, and allow the rebuilding of the enclave. Israel should also take a bold courageous step and attempt to talk directly to Hamas. In return, Hamas must promise to end the rocket attacks against Israel and indicate a willingness to talk to Israel if such an offer is made.
Israel should take a bold courageous step and attempt to talk directly to Hamas
The international community, particularly the UN, US, EU, Arab League, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar – the latter two have influence over Hamas – must intensify efforts at trying to help broker a comprehensive agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, which includes, of course, the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza with guaranteed security for Israel.
However, unless Israel shows a genuine willingness to stop building its illegal settlements in the West Bank – this is something US President Barack Obama must really insist on – the peace process will never get back on track.
With the turmoil that is going on in the Arab world, a permanent war between Israel and the Palestinians with no hope whatsoever of a resumption of the peace process only complicates matters further.
• President Obama’s authorisation of air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq to prevent the slaughter of religious minorities is the correct – and brave – thing to do.
Obama said the Iraqi government had requested assistance and the US would act “carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide”.
Last week as many as 100,000 Christians fled Qaraqosh, considered Iraq’s Christian capital, after IS jihadists overran this town where they took down crosses in churches and burnt religious manuscripts. This happened after Mosul’s Christians were forced to flee their ancient home in Iraq when IS took control of the city a few weeks ago.
In addition, thousands of Yazidis, another minority religion in Iraq, have also have been displaced as IS makes further advances in the area. US military aircraft have already dropped food and water to many of them who are trapped on Mount Sinjar by IS fighters.
The US deserves praise for taking action against this ethnic cleansing in Iraq and Obama has shown leadership and courage in dealing with this situation.
Last Thursday Pope Francis made a strong plea for action to be taken to protect Christians and other minorities in Iraq, and Obama seems to have taken note of this appeal.
More action is needed, however, by the international community as a whole in the face of these terrible crimes against humanity taking place. Why, for example, has the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation remained silent?
Also, with the exception of France, which has offered Iraqi Christians asylum, the EU has not come up with any tangible help for these minorities.
Questions also need to be asked why thousands of Iraqi troops have time and time again abandoned their posts as IS militants approach, leaving defenceless civilians at the mercy of these jihadists.