Daily Times

This week, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Middle East for the ninth time since Israel launched an unprecedented armed offensive on Gaza but headed back home without any tangible progress in hand.

Repeated mentions of renewed optimism for a ceasefire deal did little to convince Israel to show any inclination towards a negotiated end to the fighting. Understandably so, the Secretary’s sombre comments stood in stark contrast to the upbeat tone of the Biden administration about peace and normalcy being nearer than ever. However, his shuttling to and from Tel Aviv has largely been described as validating Prime Minister Netanyahu’s self-defence argument.

Notwithstanding the assurances of a two-state solution and calls for an immediate truce, many see the constant demonisation of Hamas as the sole reason for the suffering of Palestinians as a reflection of hollow lip service. Why is it that American politicians are still reluctant to admit the horrors Israeli forces are inflicting upon the besieged strip? Parents of Israeli hostages, who addressed the Democratic Party’s convention in Chicago and the overwhelming outpour of support they received have rung hollow every pro-Palestine statement by presidential candidate Kamala Harris. There is minimal mention by these leaders about the continued airstrikes by Israel, mounting civilian casualties and the entire infrastructure reduced to rubble.

Aid groups fear the outbreak of polio and other diseases and humanitarian bodies lament that the number of unaccompanied children in the war-torn land has far exceeded all estimates yet these heart-wrenching stories hardly make it to the limelight. Although the international community keeps calling for an end to the violence and a return to negotiations, the fate of the Palestinian people continues to hang in the balance. Because the US has long been seen as a key player in the Middle East peace process, critics argue that the onus now lies on it to do more to hold Israel accountable for its actions and push for a meaningful dialogue with the Palestinian leadership. The future of the region will ultimately be shaped by what it desires to see as its legacy. *