ISRAEL considers the brazen attack by Hamas as another episode of 9/11. It was like nothing Israel had seen since the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The recent attacks are another turning point in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with far-reaching repercussions in time to come. According to Hamas, the attack was retribution for what it described as attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza. Hamas also claimed that it was prepared for all scenarios. With these attacks, Tel Aviv entered a phase of fear and the world looked at Israel with a question ‘How it has happened’ and ‘can we call it Israel’s intelligence failure?’ Here questions are raised across the world: who is guilty: Israel or Hamas?
The recent attacks highlighted that Israel’s arrogance was badly ruptured by Hamas when 7000 rockets were shot at once creating a state of panic among the Jewish community. The multi-pronged attack saw as many as 1,000 assailants infiltrate Israeli territory, kill hundreds of soldiers and civilians, and take dozens of hostages back into Gaza. In return, Israel pledged revenge, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing “mighty vengeance.” However, a large number of Jews being held hostage by Hamas ensures that this is not a short-lived military tit-for-tat that will die down and be forgotten, but that it has longer-term political implications.
Unfortunately, the recent attack has witnessed a large number of casualties on both sides. Israel demands all states to condemn Hamas. But the world is divided over who is going to decide punishment between the occupier and the occupied. Where history indicates that apartheid always procures violence no matter who is behind it. Any human being under apartheid will either die or rebel. In the case of Hamas, they rebelled and staged a well-coordinated attack against Israel.
What exactly is their idea of the cessation of hostilities that Palestinians are expected to lay down their arms and go back to the largest open-air prison in the world called Gaza where they constantly get suffocated by the apartheid state? Killing Palestinians is not an issue for the world but Hamas killing Israelis is a serious human rights violation in the world and is becoming a hot debate among security scholars across the world. Palestinian land is continuously seized and they are denied their due right to return. Here the problem is how do we stop this vicious cycle of violence is becoming a serious international law violation that needs to be addressed on a priority basis.
There are a couple of factors that will negatively affect Israel in times to come. Firstly, diplomatic ties are going to be badly affected. The first glimpse of diplomatic relations came up in the form of Saudi Arabia backing off from its negotiations with Israel. Many more states will refrain from establishing strong ties with Israel.
Secondly, the human cost of war is going to be too huge to handle as on one hand many innocent Jews died and many more innocent Jews are held hostage by Hamas. Among those hostage groups are dual nationals and foreign citizens. Their respective countries are demanding the Israeli government to work harder for their release. Israel cannot bombard Gaza openly due to the fear of its people dying in the process. On the other hand, many Palestinians are facing death due to heavy bombardment by Israel. Palestine demands the world community that we need to resolve this political conflict imposed against us for several decades. They also highlight that two million people are held hostage in Gaza’s open-air jail and need to be freed and Israel needs to stop its atrocities against Palestinians both in Gaza and the West Bank. Many people question whether there is any difference between humans being Arab or Jews!
Thirdly, biased media representation also unveils the dark side of Western media warfare. It questions the authenticity of the information shared on media forums and its worth where Arab lives do not matter but Jews do. The Palestinian claim that none of the media sources, particularly the Western media, consulted our views when we were dying but now reaching out to us and forcefully asking us to condemn the Hamas attacks shows the hypocrisy of the West. We want to be treated equally as human beings irrespective of being Jews or Arabs.
Fourthly, many Hamas group members entered Israel which will pose a serious security threat to the people and the overall state of Israel.
Firstly, the role of international law and international organizations is heavily questioned over their biased attitudes towards powerful states over weaker states. Palestinians wish international law and rule should be applied against Israel for violating human rights in the state of Palestine. Israel should be denied special status and treated like any other state that is penalized for violating international law and its norms.
—The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Government and Public Policy, National University of Sciences and Technology.
Email: farahnaz@s3h.nust.edu.pk
