Israel-Palestine Conflict: Saga of Peacemaking, Equal Rights and Two States

PALESTINE - ISRAEL, 23 Oct 2023

Mahboob A. Khawaja, Ph.D. – TRANSCEND Media Service

History Offers Lessons for Change, Human Equality and Peacemaking

16 Oct 2023 – Ferocious conceptions of good and evil push mankind to a tragic abnormality of human suffering being witnessed in Gaza and between Israel and Palestine. US and Western European leaders use violent assumptions and vivid language to reflect on catastrophic humanitarian cataclysm happening in Gaza, plagued with delusional ideas to spearhead a warmongering culture across the Middle East.

The US war economy strategy spells out the reasoning to propel a new war theater by dispatching two Aircraft Carrier ships to the Mediterranean region. Does the US stands for peace or war in the global theater? The Israel-Palestine conflict saga is diluted with a mixture of political contradictions, denial of equal rights to fellow human beings and distortion of claims and counter-claims of historic facts and unthinkable perversion of prevalent reality.

The blame games are enlarged in scope and intensity to sheer inhumanity living in agony and pains of displacements on this earth. Watching the massive military hardware being mobilized to support a mythological criteria that those enriched with wisdom have turned out to be foolish in thoughts and actions. The focal issue of Israel and Palestine – Two independent States existing in the highly volatile and unpredictable Middle East landscape.

The emerging crisis shatters the invincibility of the Israeli military power and embodies critical issues of Hamas challenging the intelligence superiority and killing of 1300 Israeli citizens (265 soldiers and 51 policemen) and some 2600 or more wounded in a surprise attack a week earlier. Continued firing of rockets by Hamas and other splinter groups have further wounded, displaced and killed Israeli civilians. Latest Israeli media reports of 199 hostages kept by Hamas.

The emerging conflict signals the failure of monumental Israeli intelligence apparatus to have imagined such a catastrophic casualties at one time by a small splinter group of Palestine freedom movement. It reinforced the Israeli military resolve to punish Hamas and other groups in Gaza, PM Netanyahu Government moved massive military personnel at the frontiers between Israel and Gaza – a landlocked open prison of some 2.2 million Palestinian refugees occupied by Israel by 16 years ago. According to the media reports some 2,600 civilians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombardment and more than 5,000 wounded.

The war scenario emboldens Netanyahu‘s political absolutism – a politician already in troubled waters on corruption charges and wanting to change the law and justice system in Israel against the continued citizens protests. An egoistic leader with controversial profile will do utmost to regain unbridled ambition either by manipulation, violence or new conflicts. Historically, truth is unchanging and is the same as it was 75 years ago that Jews and Palestinian should be entitled to equal national rights and identity in formulation of national freedom and separate homeland. That truth was denied and was subjected to misinterpretation for a long time bringing into focus the current wave of unthinkable strategic and political paradoxes.

Late Professor Edward Said (“The Idea of Palestine Hounds Zionists” Global Research : 9/13/23), clarified: “What matters about Palestine is what has always prevented Israel from converting its military superiority into lasting political gains: that invincible Palestinian desire to keep hold of what is right and to reject what is wrong.” https://www.globalresearch.ca/theidea-palestine-hounds-zionists-edward-said/5833239

“It’s Not The ‘Israel-Hamas War’, It’s The Israel-Gaza Massacre” (Information Clearing House: 10/15/23), Caitlin Johnstone spells out the current catastrophe: Stop calling it the “Israel-Hamas war”. It’s the Israel-Gaza massacre. Calling it the Israel-Hamas war creates the false impression that this is a war that is directed exclusively at Hamas when it’s really an ethnic purge that’s directed at all Palestinians in Gaza. https://informationclearinghouse.blog/2023/10/15/its-not-the-israel-hamas-war-its-the-israel-gaza-massacre/

Professor Michel Chossudvosky (Global Research: 10/13/23) outlines “Netanyahu’s “False Flag” Is a “Copy and Paste”: The Pentagon’s Secret “Operation Northwoods”(1962) Directed Against Cuba. “Casualty Lists Would Cause a Helpful Wave of Indignation” The Northwoods 1962 document was titled “Justification for US Military Intervention in Cuba.” Please see by this author: “Al-Aqsa Mosque Waiting for the Arab Leaders” http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/57491.htm

Was it a preplanned strategy to allow Hamas to infiltrate into Southern Israel and to end the futuristic concept of freedom for Palestine? General Herzi Halvevi and Dr. Paul Craig Roberts (“Section Commander of the Gaza Fence: “The obstacle is built so that even a fox cannot pass it.” They Let It Happen. The Hamas Attack Was Allowed to Close the Book on Palestine.” Global Research: 10/13/23), explains that according to the commander of the Kerem Shalom Battalion, it was a planned Israeli move to have finished answer on the future of Palestine.

The current paradigm links directly to PM Netanyahu affiliated with extreme Jewish Ultra Nationalists to deny the Palestinian people their rights of existence as an independent State. Both sides have emotional outburst for their claims and blames. The Defense Minister Gallant labels the Gaza people as “human animals” aggravating a confused and frustrating mental microscope.

To falsify the prospects for a reasoned dialogue for peace and harmony between the incumbents, US and West European leadership seem to intensify the gravity of situation by calling for one-sided political and military support to Israel : “Israel has the right to self-defense.” What about the Palestinians, don’t they have the same right under international law? Cynical as they appear to be, the Western leadership are heavily influenced and dictated by the lobbyists propaganda and financial contributions to change the facts of history.

Gaza Blockade by Israel a Collective Punishment or Violations of the Geneva Conventions

“Fear God” and ‘do not violate the covenants of peace and trust on earth’, the Divine reminders echoed by Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad – Prophets of God to humanity for peace and global brotherhood. The Jews and Arabs have lot more in common than adversity if to rethink of peace and brotherhood. Given the on-going daily bombardments and counter attacks between Israel and Hamas, the people of Gaza are fast becoming a victim of this inhuman tragedy in all spheres of life for survival. The Israel military command has ordered the Gaza’s civilians to move from North to the South and and hospitals to be relocated. Under the International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions this ultimatum could be interpreted as a “crime against humanity.”

Israel appears to have blocked the entrance to North Gaza and all essential human necessities – water, foods, electricity and medical supplies are halted, thus a new humanitarian crisis is evolving of unthinkable proportion and intensity for 2.2 million civilian living in that colony. The UN calls it an “Unprecedented Human Catastrophe” in the making. Why would Israel assemble 100,000 troops and several hundreds of tanks and artillery to invade Gaza? Is it the beginning of a Third World War? There is no state actor and known powerful entity challenging the security and freedom of Israel. The PLO led by Mahmood Abbas continues to have some agreement with Israel for peaceful co-existence and nationhood. Does Israel needs new enemies to ensure its progress and military future?

The mankind is fraught with sorrows and fear of unknown animosities between Israelis and Palestinians – a nation no matter how normal claims to be, cannot function as normal beings to co-exist with their own self, the surroundings – in human culture and make any positive contributions to sustainable change and progress. Israel has nuclear arsenals and ironically, desperation could aggravate Israel to use weapons of mass destruction unilaterally with global catastrophic consequences.

US and West European and so do many oil exporting Arab states need to think critical and humanely how to stop the current warfare and find a rational agenda for peace and reconciliation between the warring parties. We, the People live in a splendid Universe in which planet Earth floats ordained by the commands of God. There is a moral sense of spirituality and humanity to co-exist in harmony with the rest of all creations on this Earth. This TRUST is explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an, Chapter 33: 72: “We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth; And the mountains but they refused; To undertake it, being afraid thereof: But man undertook it; He was indeed unjust and foolish.”

Are There Any Arab Leaders Capable of Finding a Workable Solution for the Crisis?

Why would Israel plan a major ground assault on Gaza when a small non-state group was responsible for the surprise attack? The Israeli citizens protesting against the Netanyahu government in Tel Aviv’s military defense complex call for an immediate exchange of hostages between Israel and Hamas, a ceasefire and then peace talks to resolve the current problems. PM Netanyahu appears fearful of people’s reaction if failed to bring hostage alive back to Israel. Avigail Abanenail, a Jewish Peace Activist spells out the problem and looks at peaceful means to a better future. Jews for Peace (USA) organization questions the Israel motives for war against Gaza and calls for an immediate ceasefire and recognition of equal rights of Palestinians to an independent State.

Most media narratives are skeptical about the role of Arab leadership in forging a durable peace and reconciliation between Israel and Palestine. Surprisingly enough, there are no Arab leaders equipped with knowledge-based courage, wisdom and intellectual capacity to discuss the current conflict at a global platform. What is the real problem? Most Arab leaders across the oil exporting countries are authoritarian dictators, former tribal agents turned into royals, princes, kings and presidents by the Western imperial forces and they simply act as thumb licker agents, puppets and subservient to the US, British and French colonial policies and practices in the region. They could never think outside of the box and see the light of Islamic knowledge and values to represent the interests of the Arab masses for peace, equal rights and co-existence.

Towards Rethinking of Peace, Co-existence and Two States

We, the People of knowledge speak logically about the Nature of Things affecting lives and our hopes for future, and we echo inspiration from the Divine Revelations – the truth and nothing but truth – the Qur’an, the Bible and Torah reveal similar narrative as a stern reminder: The Earth is a living entity and is meant for us – the human beings. The Divine warning (Chapter 7: 56: The Qur’an), is self-explanatory: Do no mischief on the Earth after it hath been set in order, but call on God with fear and longing in hearts; For the Mercy of God is always near to those who do good.

What is the end game of current military assault on Gaza? Ironically, unpredictable as there are 199 Israeli hostages in captivity and consequences of the war engulfing other state actors could not be ignored and continued devastation of Gaza humanitarian exodus, bombing and long-term Israeli- Arab accords are all on critical stake.

Logically, peace and harmony will enrich Israel’s capacity to deal with neighboring Arabs; whereas, denial of equal rights and statehood to Palestinian will block all futuristic opportunities for political change, reconciliation and friendship. We, the Conscientious People of the world call for an immediate formulation of an International Crisis Management Team comprising of the US, EU, Russia, China, Israel and Palestine to avert the war and organize a dialogue for a ceasefire and peacemaking.

More so, the US and West European politicians to exert their influence on Israel leaders and stop the invasion of Gaza and have the civilian population return to their homes. There are 20 or so hospitals including the International Red Cross hospital under Israeli ultimatum to be evacuated and moved out of the Gaza strip.

We, the People of globe ask the global conscientious leaders to avoid the upcoming epicenter of cataclysm and listen to voices of reason for an immediate ceasefire in the region and stop acceleration of military confrontations between Israel, PLO and Hamas. At the edge of reason, war is anti-human and its regional and international consequences could lead to global catastrophic annihilation of human cultures and civilizations.

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Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international relations-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest book: Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution: Approaches to Understand the Current Issues and Future-Making, Lambert Academic Publications, Germany, 2017.

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This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 23 Oct 2023.

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