Daily Times

The Middle East peace Quartet — the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations — released its report on Friday stating, “The Israeli policy is steadily eroding the viability of the two-state solution.” The report recommended that Israel should stop building settlements, denying Palestinian development and designating land for exclusive Israeli use that Palestinians seek for a future state. In the wake of rise in violence, the Quartet also criticised Palestinian leaders for “not consistently and clearly” condemning terrorist attacks, and added that the illicit arms build-up and militant activities in Gaza must stop. But equating Israel’s usurpation of Palestinian lands and stone-throwing of Palestinians is unfair, because it is more than four decades that Israel has been showing utter disregard to international covenants, and UN resolutions endorsing a separate state for the Palestinians. It is indeed a flashpoint, and instead of rhetoric it demands concrete measures.

The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem — areas Israel captured in 1967. The last round of peace talks broke down in April 2014, and Israeli-Palestinian violence surged in recent months. On 22 November 1974, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3236 recognised the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty in Palestine. Up to October 2014, 137 countries of the world had recognised the Palestinian state. Spanish lawmakers adopted a motion on 18 November 2014 that read: “The parliament urges the government to recognise Palestine as a state. This recognition should be the consequence of a process negotiated between the parties that guarantees peace and security for both, the respect of the rights of the citizens and regional stability.” Sweden also formally recognised the Palestinian state on 30 October 2014.

The realisation appears to have dawned on the international community that Palestinians have undergone the longest suffering and ordeal in the annals of history. Despite various UN resolutions and accords, there seemed to be no end in sight to the atrocities perpetrated on them. After 1967 Arab-Israel war, more than five American presidents promised to get the UN resolutions implemented, and that Palestinians would get their state, but they backtracked. Unfortunately, it is a dispute between one of world’s strongest military powers — Israel — and armless stone-throwing civilians of Palestine, who have been imprisoned in Gaza through Israel’s blockade. It has to be mentioned that life in Palestine under normal conditions is not comfortable, as scarcity of food, medicine and other necessities of life pose serious challenges to the people of Palestine.

Muslims throughout the world expressed concern over Israeli brutalities, but due to internal conflicts and sectarian divide, they could not forcefully raise their voice against cruel and brutal killings of innocent men, women and children in Gaza. Such indifference and apathy of the Muslim world encourage the anti-Muslim forces to resort to their violent acts of terrorism. In August 2014, Baroness Syeeda Warsi resigned from David Cameron’s cabinet in protest against the government’s policy on Gaza. She had demonstrated courage and commitment to follow higher ideals and a principled stance. She could not support the British policy of turning a blind eye to Israel’s atrocities on Gazans. Britain’s silence over Israel’s war crimes had frustrated her, as she thought it would have detrimental impact on Britain’s reputation internationally. She had the courage to stand up against Israel’s barbaric acts. One would not know whether her resignation was instrumental in changing Britain’s stance.

Despite various UN resolutions and accords, including the Oslo Accord for which America was a guarantor, there seems to be no end in sight to the atrocities perpetrated on the Palestinians. President Barack Obama’s statement that Israel had the right to defend was reflective of the fact that he could not distinguish between the aggressor and the victims of aggression. Having said that, the support for Israel is waning, as a new survey of the British Jewish community found that the majority fear Israel’s approach to the peace process is damaging to its standing in the world. Of 1173 those polled, 72 percent rejected the statement that “Palestinians have no legitimate claim to a land of their own,” and 65 percent said Israel should cede territory in the interests of peace, as violence cannot end without implementing the international covenants, UN resolutions and other agreements.

In fact, Israel wants to evict Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank so that it can merge those territories in Israel. But such a move is fraught with extreme dangers, and would draw other countries of the region, especially Hezbollah and Iran in the conflict, which could further destabilise the region. In July 2004, after 37 years of 1967 war, an international court had declared the occupation of Palestinian lands by Israel as illegal. Israel’s savagery is unpardonable; but what is even more unforgivable is the refusal of the Americans and their allies to take action to stop the Israeli crimes and punish those responsible for killing Palestinian civilians — men, woman and children. Unfortunately, the Security Council — UN’s highest body to decide issues of war and peace — demanded of Hamas to cease firing homemade missiles at Israel.

There was a surprise move in October 2014 when UK lawmakers voted in the House of Commons to recognise Palestine as a state. Last week, the US, UK, French and German governments condemned Israel’s decision to further expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. The US State Department Spokesman John Kirby said that the United States was “concerned” about Israel’s moves, noting it was a “significant increase” over two conversions in 2014: nearly 1,000 acres near Bethlehem in the Gush Etzion bloc and another 250 acres in the same area. “This decision is, in our view, the latest step in what appears to be an ongoing process of land expropriations, settlement expansions and legalisation of outposts that is fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution. As we have said before, we strongly oppose any steps that accelerate settlement expansion, which raise serious questions about Israel’s long-term intentions,” Kirby said.

The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at mjamil1938@hotmail.com