Who is Responsible for the Sufferings of the Palestinians?

           Who is Responsible for the Sufferings of the Palestinians?                    

            By Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi

        The Palestinian issue is back in news as Israel, once again, launched a major military operation against the civilian population of the Gaza Area. Israel resorts to violent military action against Gaza after every few years. At times, military action is also undertaken against the Palestinian of the West Bank Area.    The United States and other western countries stay quiet and let Israel use military force against the Gaza Area for few days and then they work towards arranging a cease fire between the two sides. There is no regret on their part on the losses suffered by the Palestinians nor they make any effort to solve the Palestinian problem.

    This year the violence erupted when, in the last week of Ramzan, Israel’s security forces engaged in evicting the Arabs from East Jerusalem for accommodating Jews there. There were violent clashes between Israeli security and the Palestinians that had gathered for the prayers of the last Friday of Ramzan at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. This set-in motion the old pattern of conflict in which Israel used excessive force. There were clashes between the Jews backed by Israel security forces and Palestinians in East Jerusalem.  This was followed by eruption of violence between the Palestinians of Gaza and the Israeli military. The Palestinians in Gaza have old fashioned rockets which they fired into Israel. Though Israel has a missile protection shield for Israeli territory, some missiles from Gaza succeed in penetrating the Shield. In the first week of violence eight Israelis were killed by these missiles. Right from the first day Israel used its air force, especially its sophisticated missiles, to target government installations, civilian property and water and electricity resources in Gaza. In the first week of violence over 140 Palestinians were killed by Israeli air raids in Gaza.

  How do you explain the ability of Israel to get away with its aggressive and violent policies against the Palestinian and how it refuses to abide by the UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions?  At one time the two-state solution was viewed at the international level as a credible option for resolving the Palestinian problem. Now, the prospects of such a solution have been reduced to almost zero. Neither Israel nor the U.S. are serious about it beyond making statements from time to time. Israel has virtually taken over parts of West Bank for settling Jews there. Consequently, the West Bank is no longer an integrated territorial entity.

   If you look at the map of the Gulf region and the Middle East, including Pakistan and Afghanistan and Central Asia as well as the Arabic Speaking Muslim states of Africa, Israel appears to be a small dot surrounded by these Muslim states. However, in terms of military power and science and technology, Israel is more powerful than these Islamic states at the operational level. It also enjoys full support of the United States and Western European states. The unified and single-minded approach of Israel and its allies backed by knowledge and technology makes it possible for Israel to pursue aggressive and violent policy towards the Palestinians.

  On the other hand, the Arab and Muslim states are divided on the Israel-Palestine issue and lack a unified and determined approach beyond making speeches and issuing statements. At the operational level, the Muslims, including the Palestinians, lack unity of command and direction on the Palestinian issue.   

   The Palestinians have been divided into two groups since 2007 in their approach towards Israel. The Al-Fateh organization controls West Bank area which is recognized as the Palestinian government. It has now adopted the policy of moderation for settling the problems with Israel, but it stands for an independent Palestinian state. The Gaza area is controlled by the Hamas organization which pursues a radical and confrontational approach towards Israel. The Gaza area and West Bank area have no territorial link. They are separated by Israeli territory. Israel also controls land and sea routes of Gaza from three sides. On one side there is a territorial link of Gaza with Egypt, which is closed by Egypt from time to time. At times, Palestinian use secret underground routes to smuggle food and weapons from Egypt. Gaza’s dependence on Israel for getting supplies and travel to West Bank is a serious handicap for the Palestinians. Various attempts were made to bring together the Hamas and the Al-Fateh on a shared agenda, but their differences persist.      The differences between weaken the Palestinians and both face internal economic and administrative problems.

  The Arab world is divided on how to deal with Israel. Egypt was the first Arab country to opt for peace with Israel in 1978-79, followed by Jordan. Recently, the UAE and Bahrain and Sudan have normalized their relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia does not support the policy or confrontation with Israel, although it stands for a Palestinian State. Iran supports the Hamas and the Hezbollah (Lebanon) movement for a hardline approach towards Israel. As a result, the Arab states cannot pool their resources and policies to back up the Palestinians with as much determination as the U.S. backs Israel.  The Arab states are more categorical in issuing statements in favour of the Palestinians, but they differ on how to achieve this goal and how to deal with Israel. The Gulf states that recognized Israel some months ago appear helpless in moderating the brutal policies of Israel The Arab states are also unable and unwilling to challenge American and western economic interest in the Middle East on the question of equitable and just settlement of the Palestinians questions. The Hamas and the Hezbollah can keep the Palestinian issue alive by their struggle, but the chances of their success are undermined mainly because of the differences in the Arab world on the strategy to deal with Israel.    

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