PALESTINE issue is neither a nascent nor too old in the Middle East. It has been sown in the soil of Palestine since the British seized the land after World War 1. The foreign secretary of the British government, James Arthur Balfour, made a declaration in 1917 that permitted the Jewish people to settle in Palestine with their own nationality. The declaration that was not wanted opened the door for Jews to live in Palestine with their own nationality, ultimately compromising and subsequently suppressing the rights of the Palestinians.
The panoramic view of the Arab-Israel history shows that the Balfour declaration carries a massive significance for Israel and a tipping point for the Palestinians to accomplish their freedom. James Arthur categorically favoured the Jewish nation in the land of Palestine. He declared, Majesty’s government view favours the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. Consequently, the declaration ignition the ire among the Palestinian people, which was seen after the world war two.
Things were going normal before the (WW2). The Palestinians were in the majority and had been able to tackle the contentious circumstances. But after the world war two, the influx of Jewish people stimulated the power of the Jewish people. Hitler’s blatant genocide, forced the Jewish people to nestle in Palestine, claiming it partially their own land under Balfour declaration. Jewish people invigorated their position by quoting the Balfour declaration. Resultantly, violence erupted between two giants of the Middle East, compelling the British government to propel issue in the UN to get it resolved. However, the ultimate decision of UN favoured the Jewish, bifurcating the land and resulting in the state of Israel. United Nations ignored the natives of Palestine, and gave 52% of land to the foreign residents, namely Jewish. However, The Arabs and the Palestinians refused to accept the UN partition decision. The fought a number of wars, albeit unsuccessful, resulting in the copious amount of casualties.
Moreover, the current state of affairs between Israel and Palestine are extremely horrendous and melancholic. Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group, has been governing the Gaza Strip since 2007. Its military wing, the Qasim Brigades, carried out attacks inside Israel on October 07, killing more than 1,400 people. Hence, Israel has since butchered more than 8,000 Palestinians in indiscriminate bombing.
Furthermore, the fact cannot be shunned that the Arab-Israel conflict did not begin with the Hamas recent raid. For decades, Palestinians have faced death, humiliation and the usurpation of their ancestral land on a daily basis. The military of Israel is carrying out regular land incursions in Gaza, leaving general masses pale. The humanity is mourning, the world is silent. Palestine is bearing unfathomable attacks of Israel, leaving people with no option but wait for any Messiah or to die. Fighter jets of Israel are continually hovering over the orbit of Palestine, obliterating houses, hospitals and other residential areas, killing nearly 8000 civilians.
Since Israel began its blatant genocide of occupied Gaza almost three weeks ago, Palestinians in Gaza have been deprived of food, water and medicine. Israel has announced a complete siege on the enclave, blocking the entry of all essential supplies. Reportedly, Gaza City residents receive threats by Israel on phones to leave home. Hence, it is apparent from scrutinizing the current situation of Palestine that people are under the felonious assaults on Israel. Undeniably, Israel’s Draconian approach and mentality have devoured spate of lives of Palestinians. Hence, it is the need of time to settle the issue with negotiation. The Arab countries and the west should not be fence-sitter in this genocide of Palestinians. There is a dire need of a ceasefire to mitigate the brewing relationships of Palestinian-led group Hamas and Israel. Nevertheless, such a blatant genocide is popping the question among the people about the efficiency and neutrality of the UN charter of human rights. It would not be an amiss to say that Israel’s ongoing massacre of Palestinians is a clear violation of international humanitarian laws.
In short, the world needs to revamp and look after the Balfour declaration and allot their due rights to Palestinians. The history shows that the Balfour declaration has usurped the natives of Palestine of their land, and has made them subordinate of the Jewish state. Moreover, there is also need of a mutual agreement to cease the ongoing devastation in the Middle East between the Arab countries and Israel so that peace and tranquillity may prevail.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Kandhkot, Sindh.
Email: [email protected]
views expressed are writer’s own.
