Daily Times

The surge of deadly violence sweeping across a land regarded as the holiest by all major religions does not appear to slow down soon. On Friday, the Israeli forces shot a Palestinian in the head as thick black smoke billowed out of a house pinpointed during a military raid. As of now, not much can be said about what drove the soldiers to leave a gaping hole in the wall of an ordinary-looking house and be the end of a 36-year-old man other than vague accounts regarding his involvement in a shooting attack last month. However, not much is usually required for the marching men to open fire on people standing by, children walking on the road and men and women going about their own business. In most cases, their religion and nationality are enough of a crime. The UN humanitarian agency decried the ongoing year as the deadliest for the Palestinians living in the West Bank and Israel since 2005. The soaring episodes of violence are now said to be driven by a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israeli installations. But what constitution and framework of human rights of any functional, sovereign country allows its law enforcement agencies to stomp around entire villages, throw bombs here, and shoot bullets there in their pursuit of “suspects” is a discomforting question that hangs heavy in the air.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a tragedy that has inflicted immense suffering on Palestinians, who have, for decades, endured a multitude of human rights violations, including land confiscation, home demolitions, restrictions on movement, and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. Resulting in the displacement and dispossession of countless Palestinian families, the already dire humanitarian situation has now reached a point that screams for attention from the international community. Condemnations on media or moving prayer beads are not enough. Holding all parties accountable for their actions is essential for building trust and creating an environment conducive to negotiations. Only by addressing the root causes and encouraging committed dialogue, we can aspire to a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and with dignity. *