IN the first week of July 2023, Israel killed over one dozen innocent Palestinians in the densely populated Jenin Refugee Camp. Besides, over 100 people have been injured during this Israeli aggression. Israeli forces attacked the camp through aircraft, rockets and by using ground forces. Indeed, Jenin has been converted into a war zone with Israeli forces killing Palestinians with complete impunity. Mr Sbaghi, a Palestinian resident of Jenin, described the situation there as, “The occupation army is vindictively targeting us and people are terrified.” There are over 1000 Israeli ground troops involved in this aggression against Palestinians in Jenin.
UN Secretary General Mr. Guterres has shown his concern over the massive human losses of the innocent Palestinians. Israeli brutalities against Palestinians have been a continuing process for decades. Earlier on 19 June 2023, Israeli security forces killed four and injured 91 Palestinians. In January 2023, following the controversial visit of the Israeli Minister to Al Aqsa Mosque Compound, Israeli security forces attacked and killed three young Palestinians in the West Bank area in the vicinity of flashpoint town. The Zionist state of Israel is continuously killing the Palestinians, who dare to question the illegal Israeli occupation of their motherland. This all is being done through a well-planned strategy for ultimate wiping the Palestinian state forever.
Israel doesn’t accept the two-state solution (Palestine and Israel). Earlier on 2 January 2023, Israeli firebrand Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound against the agreed rules. He took charge as Minister of Security just a week before and resorted to this controversial visit to provoke the Palestinians. Despite his illegal act, he said, “The Temple Mount is open to all” which is factually incorrect. This is indeed a gradual consolidation of the Israeli gains in the occupied territory. After taking over as Prime Minister of Israel, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu in December 2022, the Israeli military stepped up the state-sponsored terrorism against Palestinians and desired to complete the remaining agenda as soon as possible.
Recalling the Israeli aggression and state-sponsored terrorism on Palestinians, in August 2022; Israeli military killed 44 Palestinians and injured more than 400 in Gaza. Israel massively attacked Gaza through missiles and aircraft and destroyed houses and other civic facilities besides brutal killing of the innocent people of Gaza. This massive killing of the Palestinians took place after Israeli settlers intruded into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and there were massive protests against the incursion. The Palestinian protests were peaceful but Israel responded with full force and killed and injured hundreds of Palestinians. Unfortunately, the world, including nearly two billion Muslims, has been insensitive to these brutalities.
Earlier in May 2021, the Israeli security forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem while the Muslims were offering prayers in the Mosque. There were no protests or signs of violence from the worshippers while they offered special prayers in the Mosque. The Israeli snipers had already taken positions (at covert locations) to target the Palestinian Muslims. It was a simultaneous firing with small arms, stun grenades, tear gas and rubber-coated metal rounds from all entrances and from rooftops. The Israeli security forces also set ablaze the compound of the Mosque. Attacks continued even during Eid days, killing over 200 innocent Palestinians which included 40 children and 30 women. Besides, over 2500 innocent Palestinians were injured in these incessant brutal Israeli attacks. The houses and buildings in Gaza were destroyed, ruined and converted into debris.
During the Trump era, the US officially announced recognition of the Golan Heights as a sovereign part of the state of Israel in March 2019. Golan Heights, the Syrian territory, has been under occupation of Israel since 1967, occupied during a six-day war. In December 2017 President Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and stated that the American embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This move was practically implemented by the US and until now many more states have moved their embassies to Jerusalem.
In recent years, most of the Arab states have overtly and covertly recognized the state of Israel which goes against their traditional stance as well as the illegal occupation of Palestinian land by Israel. It appears that most of the ruling elite are in hurry to get closer to Israel. While analysing the never-ending Israeli brutalities against Palestinians, it is concluded that Israel could not have dared to attack the Palestinians had there been an unyielding and uncompromised Arab support for the cause of Palestine. The recurring massacres of Palestinians at the hands of ruthless Israeli military has been made possible only because of indolent Arabs and Muslims who fight among themselves on petty issues and ignore the larger cause of Palestine.
A critical analysis of the entire happenings in the Middle East indicates that Israel is heading towards a total control over the Palestinian land, leaving no chance for a two-state solution (Israel and Palestine) as mandated by the UN in 1948 through its famous resolution 181. Besides, it is also viewed that the United States and India are in direct support of the Israeli state in this final round of gaining control over Palestinian areas. Major powers are mysteriously silent over the violation of human rights and killing of innocent Palestinians. The unfortunate part is that, Muslim world is criminally quiet over the Israeli brutalities and consolidation process of the Israeli state. The United States has been constantly supporting the brutal acts of Israeli forces while blocking the UN resolutions over Palestine. A realistic analysis of political developments in the Middle East indicates that Zionist State of Israel is well on its way to completely wipe-out the possibility of a Palestinian State through military aggression.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
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