Daily Times

Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinians territory symbolizes a mocker on the dichotomy of the Western World, the so called champions of human rights, a stair on the impartiality of the UN Security Council and irony on the plight of Muslim Ummah. The ‘peace processes’ initiated in Madrid in 1991 and Oslo in 1993 has come to an end, leaving sensible international observers despondent. The US secretary of State Pompeo’s visit to Israel on May 13 – coming in the midst of a pandemic – was seen as an endorsement of Israel’s plan to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank that Palestinians claim as their homeland. Israel with the new Likud-led fledgling coalition government is finalizing its plans for the annexation of Jewish settlements with unwavering support from the Trump administration in the White House. The annexation will merely be a formality, because the Jewish colonies have been there for decades in violation of several UN resolutions and several international treaties to which Israel and its ally, America is a party.

International legal code reveals that what the Israeli state, under the patronage of the USA, is doing in Palestinians territories is a flagrant violation of the law and several UNO resolutions on Israel- Palestine territorial dispute

The Trump administration has not only lent support to the new coalition government in Israel but also has strategized over a range of mutual interests, including Iran and Chinese influence in the region, the COVID-19 outbreak and President Trump’s widely panned proposal to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians . Trump’s deal of the century is a plan for total Palestinian capitulation as it calls on Palestinians to recognize Israel a Jewish state with all of the Jerusalem as its capital, to give up the rights of returns that would allow Palestinian refugees to live in Israel, to accept the annexation of Jordan Valley and the illegal Israeli settlements there. The division of the West Bank into Areas A, B, C and limited autonomy of Palestine under the so called ‘deal of the century’ facilitate the total capitulation of the West Bank and the Isolation of Gaza at one point and flagrantly tramples on Palestinian rights and freedoms on the other side.

Whatever Trump has revealed in his deal of the century cannot be called a deal, or a peace proposal, or an accord under international law; it is an endorsement of Israel’s extremist position that aims at eradicating the Palestinians from their homeland once and for all. Under President Trump’s newly unveiled peace plan, the Palestinians will be granted limited autonomy consisting of non- contiguous territories scattered throughout the West Bank and Gaza. The security control over Palestinians enclaves will be retained by the Israeli government, which will continue to control Palestinians borders, airspace, aquifer and maritime waters. The deal further stated that Israel will be allowed to annex Jordan Valley and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, while Palestinians will be permitted to elect their leaders in their new homeland with no political rights in Israel. It grants civil matters like education, healthcare etc. to Palestine and critical areas such as trade, immigration, and security under the control of Israel. Netanyahu said he would proceed with the understandings he reached with Trump in Washington. Never has a US government been so keen to fulfill Israel demands as the current Republican Administration.

International legal code reveals that what the Israeli state, under the patronage of the USA, is doing in Palestinians territories is a flagrant violation of the law and several UNO resolutions on the Israel- Palestine territorial dispute. An analysis of the UN General Assembly and its Security Council resolutions adopted since 1947 paints an interesting picture. Following Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, the UNGA pointed out that Israel’s actions concerning Jerusalem that could alter the city’s legal status are void ab initio. Passage of resolution no 248 by the UN Security Council also called for the withdrawal of Israel to pre- 1967 position and evacuation of the West Bank , Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, Golan Heights etc. Contrary to this, Israel is reluctant towards the implementation of the UN resolution and deliberately gives self- interpretation of the resolution. The violation of international law is unacceptable not only for the Palestinians but for other similar disputes around the world including Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, the crisis caused by the ‘Deal of the Century’ is not a regional or a political issue anymore but a test for international law to pass. However, no matter how much diplomatic and military power the US arms with Israel, it will not be easy to defeat an occupied people who feel they have nothing left to lose. Arab world steps in on the Palestinian side to Trump a counter- offer. It is also a test case for the Muslim Ummah how it responds to the Israel’s annexation of Jewish settlements in Palestinians territories. Muslim Ummah should not let fade away the enthusiasms for Palestinian cause of the 1960s and 70s.

The writer is a legal practitioner and columnist. He can be reached at mianrauf2172@gmail.com