Gaza: The Bigger Picture
Rizwan Ghani
December 31, 2008
Israeli attacks against blockaded Gazans resulting in hundreds of deaths and injured is unprecedented in the war torn history of ME. The unprecedented deaths and injuries reflect new low on part of western world preaching respect for human rights and international law. It is therefore the responsibility of advanced world to immediately end this crime against humanity by invoking international laws and conventions including International Court of Justice.
Asia and Europe as signatories of relevant international laws and convention of crimes against humanity, Geneva Convention and treaties of disproportionate use of force are legally bound to stop Israelis attacks on Gaza. They should issue arrest warrants of Israeli political and military leadership, and members of armed forces to bring the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Palestine (and rest of the world including Kashmir and FATA) to justice.
In this regard, China and Russia as permanent UNSC members need to act forthwith to stop Bush-Olmert nexus from protecting their regional and strategic interests by killing innocent Palestinians. The US Senate and Congress should hold Bush accountable for allowing use of American weapons for attacking Gaza that are given to Israel for defensive purposes only. President-elect Obama should at least have the courage to uphold law of America.
In strategic and regional terms, Israel has used the Bush-Obama transition period to permanently change the face of ME. The failure of Muslim leadership to out rightly condemn Israel´s Gaza attacks including Cairo´s refusal to open Raffa border lends credence to the opinion that Hamas is being punished for standing up for the rights of Palestine.
Allegedly, unlike western backed President Abbas, Hamas is unwilling to accept current borders of Palestine as permanent as part of two-state solution. It is a violation of relevant UN Resolution including restoration of pre-1967 borders in return for permanent peace in region. Israel has therefore opted to use brute force against democratically elected government in Gaze seeking legitimate rights which have since long been recognized by the world in form of UN Resolutions. Therefore, in this case according to international law it is Israel and its supporters that are acting as terrorists not the political leadership of Gaza-Hamas.
Muslim leadership should learn from history because Israel failed in Lebanon 1996 and 2006 to secure its interests. It will fail in Gaza also. Muslims should understand that Israel will never withdraw from the occupied land of Palestine. They should therefore unite and standup to protect rights of Palestinians in accordance to UN Resolutions. It is the failure of Muslim leadership that today Palestine is left with 16 percent of its original land. Israel is not even ready to allow Palestinians use it according to their wishes, which like rest of the world is their legitimate right.
In terms of election-politics, Israeli attack on Gaza may have boosted politicians´ ratings in Tel Aviv but has left President Abbas a political orphan. In other words, West has successfully compromised Palestine´s political system in a manner that will serve their interests in days to come- a divided Palestinian leadership will never be a threat to the occupation.
In terms of politics in Washington, Tel Aviv has created a situation that it expects will allow Clinton era aides surrounding Obama to recreate ´motion without substance´ show and will push aside Palestine from international politics. It would be a challenge for Obama to uphold his election promises of resolving Palestine and Kashmir issues for permanent peace in the regions. Tel Aviv following Delhi´s Kashmir policy is on its way to deprive 1.3 million Gazans caged in 328 square kilometers of their legitimate rights. However, history shows that like Bush-Olmert Georgia misadventure, Gaza will also fail because following Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir and FATA, world wants change. Gaza will liberate Palestine.
It is opined that Israel´s attempt to wipe out Hamas is a last ditch effort to create a strategic diplomatic opportunity where Abbas will move in to recognize Tel Aviv on the dictated terms and conditions. Abbas will act as liberator of Israel and ME. Because he by recognizing Israel will help: 1) Israel reap benefits of Oslo accord that allow cash starved Tel Aviv access to Gulf Markets. 2) Allow Arab leaders to tell their public that since Palestinians have accepted Israel therefore it is legitimate to ´openly´ do business with Israel and ´abandoned Gaza under Hamas will be a small price for greater good´.
It is argued that current global financial crisis offers a unique situation where united Muslim leadership under the Arab Plan spearheaded by Riyadh can ask global players including America to help implement UN Resolution on Palestine including restoration of pre-1967 borders in return for permanent peace and security in the region. Or else let friends continue sustaining Tel Aviv with 20-25 billion US dollars annual aid.
It will be interesting to see how friends of Israel juggle joblessness and poverty in their own countries while they sustain corruption, opulence and sex scandals in Tel Aviv. Reportedly, some 40 percent Israelis are living below one dollar a day. It is opined that with deepening global recession and end of Capitalism like rest of the (western) countries Israel too will be faced with serious economic challenges. It is therefore hoped that Muslim leadership play their economic cards with Israel carefully. In this regard, to start with, Muslim Ummah should urge Cairo to ask Israel to stop attacks on Gaza immediately or face energy (virtually free supply of gas) blockade.
Reportedly, Tel Aviv was preparing for Gaza operation since June 08. It is opined that international players following so called war against terrorism, used Mumbai attacks to further ´neutralized´ Pakistan to give free hand to Israel in ME. It is argued that western leadership is using the mess created in the only Muslim nuclear state to intimidate Muslim leaders into accepting their unlawful demands in Palestine aimed to secure land, peace and security for Israel.
It is opined that Delhi privy to preparations for attack on Gaza supported Mumbai drama as quid pro quo for future status quo on illegal occupation of Kashmir and provision of strategic foothold for western forces including NATO in the region including future use of FATA in Pakistan as part of Washington´s alleged strategic China-Russia encirclement policy. It explains US backed west insistence of indefinite presence in South Asia (Afghanistan) and ME (Iraq) on the pretext of war against terrorism.
The world leaders should therefore push Israel to respect international law and immediately end war against Gaza. Israeli leadership including Olmert, Barak and FM should be declared war criminals. China, Russia and Muslim leaders should urge UN to implement UN Resolutions on Palestine for permanent peace in the region. Muslim ummah should help unite Palestinian political leadership so that they can stand with rest of the world to win their legitimate right to independence and self-rule. Muslim world should give a clear message from its platforms to Israel and its supporters that without respecting international law there is no future for Israel.
In conclusion, Tel Aviv will have to end the Gaza war and surrender its war criminals to revive talks in ME for its permanent security and peace. The unfolding political process across the world will force Israel and its supporters to honor international law sooner than later or stay isolated. Thus, blood of innocent Palestinian martyrs in Gaza who lost their lives while defending their legitimate rights will not go waste. Lastly, world is looking towards America as custodian of democracy, human rights and international laws for ending Israel´s war crimes against humanity. The world must not forget that it is the law that separates modern world from dark ages. The nations and the individuals who undermine law are not only a threat to their own countries but the future of this world.
Asia and Europe as signatories of relevant international laws and convention of crimes against humanity, Geneva Convention and treaties of disproportionate use of force are legally bound to stop Israelis attacks on Gaza. They should issue arrest warrants of Israeli political and military leadership, and members of armed forces to bring the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Palestine (and rest of the world including Kashmir and FATA) to justice.
In this regard, China and Russia as permanent UNSC members need to act forthwith to stop Bush-Olmert nexus from protecting their regional and strategic interests by killing innocent Palestinians. The US Senate and Congress should hold Bush accountable for allowing use of American weapons for attacking Gaza that are given to Israel for defensive purposes only. President-elect Obama should at least have the courage to uphold law of America.
In strategic and regional terms, Israel has used the Bush-Obama transition period to permanently change the face of ME. The failure of Muslim leadership to out rightly condemn Israel´s Gaza attacks including Cairo´s refusal to open Raffa border lends credence to the opinion that Hamas is being punished for standing up for the rights of Palestine.
Allegedly, unlike western backed President Abbas, Hamas is unwilling to accept current borders of Palestine as permanent as part of two-state solution. It is a violation of relevant UN Resolution including restoration of pre-1967 borders in return for permanent peace in region. Israel has therefore opted to use brute force against democratically elected government in Gaze seeking legitimate rights which have since long been recognized by the world in form of UN Resolutions. Therefore, in this case according to international law it is Israel and its supporters that are acting as terrorists not the political leadership of Gaza-Hamas.
Muslim leadership should learn from history because Israel failed in Lebanon 1996 and 2006 to secure its interests. It will fail in Gaza also. Muslims should understand that Israel will never withdraw from the occupied land of Palestine. They should therefore unite and standup to protect rights of Palestinians in accordance to UN Resolutions. It is the failure of Muslim leadership that today Palestine is left with 16 percent of its original land. Israel is not even ready to allow Palestinians use it according to their wishes, which like rest of the world is their legitimate right.
In terms of election-politics, Israeli attack on Gaza may have boosted politicians´ ratings in Tel Aviv but has left President Abbas a political orphan. In other words, West has successfully compromised Palestine´s political system in a manner that will serve their interests in days to come- a divided Palestinian leadership will never be a threat to the occupation.
In terms of politics in Washington, Tel Aviv has created a situation that it expects will allow Clinton era aides surrounding Obama to recreate ´motion without substance´ show and will push aside Palestine from international politics. It would be a challenge for Obama to uphold his election promises of resolving Palestine and Kashmir issues for permanent peace in the regions. Tel Aviv following Delhi´s Kashmir policy is on its way to deprive 1.3 million Gazans caged in 328 square kilometers of their legitimate rights. However, history shows that like Bush-Olmert Georgia misadventure, Gaza will also fail because following Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir and FATA, world wants change. Gaza will liberate Palestine.
It is opined that Israel´s attempt to wipe out Hamas is a last ditch effort to create a strategic diplomatic opportunity where Abbas will move in to recognize Tel Aviv on the dictated terms and conditions. Abbas will act as liberator of Israel and ME. Because he by recognizing Israel will help: 1) Israel reap benefits of Oslo accord that allow cash starved Tel Aviv access to Gulf Markets. 2) Allow Arab leaders to tell their public that since Palestinians have accepted Israel therefore it is legitimate to ´openly´ do business with Israel and ´abandoned Gaza under Hamas will be a small price for greater good´.
It is argued that current global financial crisis offers a unique situation where united Muslim leadership under the Arab Plan spearheaded by Riyadh can ask global players including America to help implement UN Resolution on Palestine including restoration of pre-1967 borders in return for permanent peace and security in the region. Or else let friends continue sustaining Tel Aviv with 20-25 billion US dollars annual aid.
It will be interesting to see how friends of Israel juggle joblessness and poverty in their own countries while they sustain corruption, opulence and sex scandals in Tel Aviv. Reportedly, some 40 percent Israelis are living below one dollar a day. It is opined that with deepening global recession and end of Capitalism like rest of the (western) countries Israel too will be faced with serious economic challenges. It is therefore hoped that Muslim leadership play their economic cards with Israel carefully. In this regard, to start with, Muslim Ummah should urge Cairo to ask Israel to stop attacks on Gaza immediately or face energy (virtually free supply of gas) blockade.
Reportedly, Tel Aviv was preparing for Gaza operation since June 08. It is opined that international players following so called war against terrorism, used Mumbai attacks to further ´neutralized´ Pakistan to give free hand to Israel in ME. It is argued that western leadership is using the mess created in the only Muslim nuclear state to intimidate Muslim leaders into accepting their unlawful demands in Palestine aimed to secure land, peace and security for Israel.
It is opined that Delhi privy to preparations for attack on Gaza supported Mumbai drama as quid pro quo for future status quo on illegal occupation of Kashmir and provision of strategic foothold for western forces including NATO in the region including future use of FATA in Pakistan as part of Washington´s alleged strategic China-Russia encirclement policy. It explains US backed west insistence of indefinite presence in South Asia (Afghanistan) and ME (Iraq) on the pretext of war against terrorism.
The world leaders should therefore push Israel to respect international law and immediately end war against Gaza. Israeli leadership including Olmert, Barak and FM should be declared war criminals. China, Russia and Muslim leaders should urge UN to implement UN Resolutions on Palestine for permanent peace in the region. Muslim ummah should help unite Palestinian political leadership so that they can stand with rest of the world to win their legitimate right to independence and self-rule. Muslim world should give a clear message from its platforms to Israel and its supporters that without respecting international law there is no future for Israel.
In conclusion, Tel Aviv will have to end the Gaza war and surrender its war criminals to revive talks in ME for its permanent security and peace. The unfolding political process across the world will force Israel and its supporters to honor international law sooner than later or stay isolated. Thus, blood of innocent Palestinian martyrs in Gaza who lost their lives while defending their legitimate rights will not go waste. Lastly, world is looking towards America as custodian of democracy, human rights and international laws for ending Israel´s war crimes against humanity. The world must not forget that it is the law that separates modern world from dark ages. The nations and the individuals who undermine law are not only a threat to their own countries but the future of this world.
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