Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Imane Kendili
Published on 2024-03-05 09:53:32
Sirius Editions has just published a book on the burning issue of Palestine. The book, written by writer and journalist Abdelhak Najib, focuses on the period from October 7, 2023, to the present day. It is a work of remembrance against forgetfulness.
What is happening in Palestine today? Why has this conflict lasted for so many decades without any hope of resolution? Why is it important for the balance of power in the world that the conflict in the Middle East persists? Who benefits from the repeated crimes, in the eyes of an international community that stands by making laughable comments, allowing the entire region to sink into violence and barbarism? Why have the world’s major powers not been able to solve the problem of Palestine? What lies behind the inaction of the United States, the European Union, Russia, China, and Japan? Why do Arab states stand idly by, unable to agree on a fair and just settlement for the oldest conflict in the modern world? Does the war in Palestine serve the interests of the wealthy countries of the Arabian Peninsula? What game are the United Nations playing, reacting weakly to their function by giving commentary and threats that have no effect? Who truly has the power to find a real solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine?
Does Palestine really exist or is it simply a failed state project? Who governs Palestine? Is it the PLO or Hamas? Why, despite all the international aid and constant support from Morocco, do Palestinian territories remain underdeveloped, resembling more slums than cities, with a glaring lack of infrastructure leading to poverty and precariousness? Where does international aid go? Who manages the money from international aid? Why does it not translate into realities on the ground, as Palestinians are deprived of everything and survive with the bare minimum? What is the status of Israeli Arabs in Israel today? Why do settlements continue to multiply despite supposed sanctions from the international community? Why do the USA support Israel against all odds? Why does the right have a say in Israel, relegating pacifist voices to the background as if the entire Israeli community agrees with Tel Aviv’s actions? Who remembers today how this conflict began?
To answer all these questions, one must go back to the source of the conflict and all its ramifications that have taken place over more than 70 years. Today, no one mentions the great responsibility of Great Britain and France in the birth and establishment of this war. After the Ottoman Empire, it was the British who designated this land to establish the new state of Israel. Israel claims this land, considered holy, citing historical evidence that mirrors those put forward by the Palestinians who claim to be the original inhabitants of the Levant. Is it really impossible to establish cohabitation between Palestinians and Israelis without bloodshed, killings, bombings, incarcerations, military offensives, and serious collateral damage? This armed conflict causes the greatest number of civilian casualties, with women, the elderly, and many children falling victim to Israeli bullets and bombings.
Can one kill with such impunity without being held accountable and ostracized by the international community, with blockades and strong economic sanctions as in the case of the false weapons of mass destruction of Saddam Hussein, as in the case of Tehran and its uranium enrichment program, as in the case of Syria when it was a state, before the chaos that reigns there today in the name of an invention called ISIS, Daesh, or whatever you want? Why are the same measures not taken against Israel as they were taken against Slobodan Milosevic, the former leader of a decaying Yugoslavia, who ended up in prison at the International Criminal Tribunal before dying, while the former Yugoslavia breathed its last breath before final disintegration? Looking closer, it’s the same case as Kosovo, occupied by Serbia, becoming a sovereign state after bombings in Belgrade giving rise to other national entities like Montenegro. Why is it seem straightforward to resolve ethnic wars in the Balkans between Croats, Serbs, Kosovars, and Bosnians and impossible in the case of Palestine? All similar conflicts around the world eventually find a solution, except in the Middle East.
It is known that this simmering war, lasting for several decades, is geostrategic for the balance of power in the region. To this day, the entire region is under American control, with unconditional support for the state of Israel, which has even been armed with nuclear weapons, a massive deterrent. Who would dare to attack a nuclear state? No state in the region is capable of doing so. So what threats does Tel Aviv face from neighboring countries? Logically, with unwavering support from Washington, with the helplessness of Arab states occupied by internal conflict today, with the sword of Damocles hanging over the Gulf countries enjoying American protection, with non-aggression pacts signed with Turkey, and the fragility of Tehran, Cairo, Beirut, and Amman, who truly threatens Tel Aviv? No state has the military or economic power. Furthermore, Israel is a major military power in the region, far more powerful than all the Arab states combined. Economically, Israel is a success story in the region.
Yet, pro-Israeli lobbies, influential in the USA, make non-existent threats and multiply aid and support to an increasingly powerful and protected state. This protection extends to building an impassable wall with Palestinian populations, like the one along the Mexican border in southwestern USA. Ghettoized, with checkpoints everywhere between the two territories, Palestinians are prisoners in open air. They are a hostage population. They survive in reserves threatened by Israeli settlements, which are contrary to international laws and violate all measures taken by the United Nations and the European Union. Yet, Jewish settlements continue to grow, encroaching on territories in Gaza and the West Bank. Why do we let this happen? Because Israel has the freedom to do so without consequences…
Read the original article(French) on Aujourdhui.ma
