There are today two stormy centres of turbulence, crisis, and confrontation in the world today, Gaza and Pakistan.
As regards Gaza I have already written several articles and posted a video interview on the origin and nature of the events leading upto the events of 7th October, so I am not repeating the same.
In Pakistan, the situation has not yet reached the same level of insurrection as in Gaza, but the situation is potentially explosive, and may soon become a rebellion against the army, which has, after the events of 9th May, ( which many Pakistanis believe were stage managed ) imposed a reign of terror in Pakistan, arresting and imprisoning over 10,000 people, torturing many, and even ‘disappearing’ some, muzzling most of the media, and rendering the judiciary impotent.
The Pakistan army is now trying to foist on the Pakistani people the hated and corrupt former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a Pakistani court for massive corruption, as evidenced by the Panama Papers, but fled to England thereafter.
About 90% people of Pakistan solidly support former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been locked up in jail since early August, along with many of the leaders and supporters of his PTI party.
It is thus a Pakistani army versus the Pakistani people situation.
Presently many Pakistanis are lying low out of fear of being arrested ( though there have been massively attended meetings in KP and elsewhere in Imran Khan’s support ).
But this situation cannot last long. National parliamentary elections are scheduled for 8th February, and the Pakistan army will resort to every means of opposing Imran Khan’s coming to power ( which he certainly will if elections are free and fair, considering his popularity ), so the army will get the PTI banned, or resort to massive rigging.
This will not be tolerated by the Pakistani people, who will then devise means of combating the army, by Guerilla War or other ways.
In 1908 Indian revolutionaries launched a series of bomb attacks on British officials in Bengal, in which several Britishers were killed.
As a result, the great Indian freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who was critical of the moderate approach to the fight for independence from British rule, wrote in his newspaper ‘Kesari’ :
” Violence, however deplorable, becomes inevitable when the rulers, who have converted the entire nation into a prison, begin to overawe the people in an endeavour to create despondency among them by terrible oppression and unduly frightening them. Then the sound of the bomb is spontaneously produced to impart to the authorities the knowledge that the people have reached the limit of their tolerance of oppression ”.
This explains the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October and the continuing war since then.
Many people have condemned the Hamas attack, but they overlook the 75 year long history of atrocities and oppression of the Palestinian Arabs.
Before the state of Israel was created ( on the pretext that the persecuted Jews of Europe needed a homeland, but really to ensure safety of Middle East oil supplies for Western industries ), about 90% people living there were Palestinian Arabs. In 1948 Israeli attacks began on them, many of them including women and children were killed, and most of the remaining fled from their homeland out of fear ( an exodus known as the Nakba )
As a result, today only about 20% people living in Israel are Palestinian Arabs, the remaining 70% having been driven out of their homeland, and still living in horrible conditions in neighbouring Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, often without employment, food, water, electricity, and medicines.
After the Six Day War of 1967 Israel conquered the West Bank, the territory west of the Jordan river, which was part of Jordan, and is still occupying most of it, and building Jewish settlements there, thus driving out more Palestinians from their homes.
This was bound to create a reaction one day, for, as the adage goes, ‘wherever there is oppression there is resistance’, and the Hamas attack of 7th October must be understood in this context. It was an outburst of long existing grievances of Palestinians
Of course Hamas committed some atrocities ( the true extent of which is still unknown, since in war truth is the first casualty ), but the Israeli response was horrific, and totally disproportionate
Upto 20,000 Gazans have been killed in Israeli air strikes ( including many on apartment buildings, hospitals, etc ) and the Israeli army has occupied north Gaza, driving out the people there to the southern part of this congested strip of land.
Many Israeli leaders say they will destroy Hamas, but they forget that most Palestinians are supporting it, and have identified themselves with it. Even in the West Bank, part of which is under the administration of the PLO ( Palestine Liberation Organisation, headed by Mahmoud Abbas ), most Palestinians have shifted their support to Hamas, giving up their earlier support to the PLO, whose leaders are perceived as Western puppets.
If the Israelis thought that with the enormous fire power of their military they would easily and swiftly destroy Hamas and the Palestinian resistance, as in the Six Day War, by now they must be having second thoughts. It is not six days but six weeks since the hostilities began, with no sign of abatement. It is going to be a long haul, as the Americans found in Vietnam, or the Russians in Afghanistan, and there is no ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, as Gen Westmoreland, the US commander in Vietnam, proclaimed.
This time it will not be a short war. It will not be another 1948 war, the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur war, or the ‘intifadas’.
It will be a long drawn conflict with huge casualties, until justice is done to the long suffering Palestinians
‘Nakba‘ ( catastrophe ) is the name given to the exodus of about 700,000 Palestinian Arabs in 1948 from the present territory of Israel, who fled out of fear after many were massacred by Israelis, including women and children.
Before Israel was established as a state, about 90% people living there were Arabs. Due to the Nakba only about 20% were left. The remaining fled to Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, etc, and their descendants are still living there in horrible conditions.
Now after the events of 7th October, when Hamas attacked Israel, and the Israelis struck back, and the Israeli government’s announcement that people living in northern Gaza must move to the south within 24 hours as Israeli forces are going to move in there , a second Nakba has started, from north Gaza to the south.
Gaza is a tiny coastal strip of land, 25 miles long and 7 miles wide, heavily congested with about 2.2 million people.
Now half the population, i.e. over 1 million people living in northern Gaza, have been told to move to the south.
But where will they go ? Where is the housing, food, water, electricity etc for them ? And what will they do there ? Where are the jobs for them ? The Israeli order will convert the southern part of Gaza, which is already congested, into another Warsaw Ghetto during Nazi rule, deprived of essentials. And it will convert the majority of citizens of Gaza, who were hitherto peaceful, into militants, and make them join Hamas. As is said in Hindi ” Marta kya nahi karta ” ( A person facing death can do anything ). So far from solving any problems, this new step by the israelis will multiply them manifold.
The Israeli government claims that this step was necessary because Hamas launches missiles on Israel from northern Gaza, and since the missile sites are hidden in civilian buildings, it is impossible to destroy them without collateral; damage. So Israeli forces have started moving into northern Gaza, and the civilian population there has been told to move southwards.
But this Israeli step is likely to be counter productive, for the following reasons :
(1) It is an overkill to the Hamas attack of 7th October, and will revive another ‘intifada’ generally in the region.
Israeli planes have destroyed many apartment buildings containing civilians ( and allegedly even a huge hospital ), and killed over 10,000 people, many of them children.
I am reminded of an interview I saw of Bill Erhart, a Vietnam war veteran, who said ( see the full interview below) ” The notion I had in High School was that the Vietcong terrorised the Vietnamese population and forced them to fight against the Americans on pain of death. What I began to understand in Vietnam was that they did not need to do that. All they had to do was to let a marine patrol go through a village, and what was left of the village gave them all the recruits they needed ”.
(2) In Gaza specifically, it will increase militancy against Israel, as more and more people there will join Hamas out of desperation and vengeance for the thousands killed in the recent hostilities.
(3) Till now while Hamas had ruled only Gaza, the much larger West Bank, which had been conquered by the Israelis after the 1967 war, was ruled by the relatively moderate PLO ( Palestine Liberation Organisation ) headed by Mahmoud Abbas. Now more and more Palestinians living in the West Bank, who were fed up of being displaced by Israeli settlers, will switch their support to Hamas, and it will become the defacto ruler of the West Bank, instead of the PLO ( whose leaders are perceived by many Palestinians as being hand in glove with Western powers ). So the West Bank, which was largely quiet till now, will, like Gaza, become another hotbed of insurgency.
(4) There are broadly two coalitions of powers in the world today (a) the coalition of Western powers led by USA and including most European countries, and (b) the coalition of Russia, China and Iran. The former are overtly supporting Israel and giving it weapons and other supplies, while the latter are covertly supporting Hamas, and giving it weapons and other supplies.
Both coalitions are increasing supply of weapons etc to the ones they back, and this will naturally increase militancy in the region
I fear that the situation is going to get worse, and spread to neighbouring regions, and no one can predict when and how it will end, and how many will be the casualties. Probably we are in for the long haul.
Ever since Israel declared itself a sovereign state on 14th May 1948, Israelis, knowing they have the backing of Western powers, have been kicking around the Palestinians, as if the latter were dogs.
Earlier, over 90% people living in the territories of Israel were Arabs. After creation of the state of Israel, many of them ( including women and children ) were killed, and most fled in panic and fear, and now only about 20% population of Israel is Arab. Those who fled are still living in horrible and squalid conditions in Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, etc.
I had a long talk about the present Israel Hamas conflict with a friend living in UK. These are the points we discussed
1. He said that Israel had a right to defend itself if attacked.
I replied that if someone forcibly occupies my house after throwing me out, and I fight to get it back, will you support me, or the person who forcibly occupied my house in the first place ?
2. He then said that Jews in Europe and elsewhere were always longing to go back to Palestine. I said this was rubbish, and I referred him to my two articles, given below :
The Holocaust was not perpetrated by the Palestinians Arabs but by Germans and their European collaborators. So why should the former be punished for the fault of the latter ?
3. He then said that the Jews have converted a desert into a green, blooming paradise.
I replied that if you forcibly occupy my house and throw me out, how does it matter to me that you have converted my house into a luxurious mansion ? I am still living on the road.
The Jews who came into Israel were mostly Europeans, who brought their advanced technical skills with them. This made the desert bloom, and was like the European immigrants pouring into North America from the 17th century onwards, bringing with them their technical skills, which led to rapid development of North America.
But this does not resolve the plight of Palestinians rendered homeless, and living in horrible conditions, just as it does not resolve the plight of the native Americans, who were displaced by European immigrants, and many of whom are still living in reservations in bad conditions.
4. He then contested my thesis that Israel was created by Western powers to control and safeguard the oil supplies for Western industries from the Middle East region. He said that the Israeli army has rarely invaded other countries near Israel which have huge oil deposits.
I replied that armies everywhere in the world are rarely fighting all the time. But they have yet to be maintained, just in case a need arises at a particular time.
The situation in Arab countries is that though the people are mostly anti-Western, the rulers are pro-Western ( in fact Western puppets ). So there is no need of sending the Israeli army into the oil producing countries, because even without that the rulers of these countries ensure oil supplies to the West. When Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh nationalised the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in March 1951 he was promptly deposed by the CIA, and the puppet Shah Reza Pahlavi installed.
5. He then said that many Arab countries have recognised Israel, and Saudi Arabia is about to do so.
I replied that the rulers of Saudi Arabia and most Arab countries are Western puppets, and so is Israel. So this was only to be expected. But has the wish of the peoples of these Arab countries been taken into account ?
6. He lastly said that Israel has a right to exist. I said that I am not against Jews, and I am not in favour of expelling Jews from Israel. After all, the Jews presently inhabiting Israel are not immigrants ( like their grandparents or great grandparents ) but were born and brought up in Israel.
But I believe that the only just solution to the conflict is creating a secular, democratic, State of Palestine, uniting Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights, and Lebanon, where Arabs, Jews, Christians, etc can all live peacefully, amicably and in harmony.
There is no other way, and unless this is accepted there will be no peace in the region.
Bridging the Past and Present: Israel’s Rich Historical Tapestry
From the biblical accounts of Jerusalem to the archaeological wonders of Masada, Israel’s history is a tapestry woven with threads of ancient civilizations. The region has seen the rise and fall of several civilizations, and its historical significance is being felt today all across the world. Visitors may wander through centuries-old towns, see historic ruins, and follow in the footsteps of prophets, monarchs, and conquistadors.
Technological Marvels: Israel’s Role as a Global Innovation Powerhouse
Israel has developed a reputation as a center of invention in the contemporary age and is frequently referred to as the “Start-Up Nation.” Israel’s inventive spirit knows no boundaries, from ground-breaking improvements in cybersecurity and medical technology to achievements in agriculture and renewable energy. The nation’s entrepreneurial ecosystem encourages innovation, which results in discoveries that have a global influence.
Cultural Fusion: Diversity and Heritage in Contemporary Israeli Society
The cultural, religious, and traditional diversity of Israel is reflected in its society. Communities such as Jewish, Arab, and others cohabit, each adding to the country’s diverse cultural mix. The nation honors its variety via the arts, music, food, and festivals, providing a window into the peaceful blending of the ancient and the modern, the east and the west.
Geopolitical Landscape: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities
Israel frequently receives attention from throughout the world due to its Middle Eastern geopolitical location. The nation has faced both possibilities and problems as a result of the region’s complicated dynamics. Israel’s position on the world arena is shaped by diplomatic efforts, security considerations, and talks, displaying its tenacity and dedication to peace.
Tourism Treasures: Exploring Israel’s Diverse Landscapes and Landmarks
Beyond its historical and cultural importance, Israel is known for its varied landscapes, which draw tourists. The nation provides a variety of experiences for nature lovers and explorers alike, from the Mediterranean coast to the bottom of the Dead Sea, from Tel Aviv’s busy streets to the Negev Desert’s calm beauty.
Jaishankar holds bilateral talks with Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen
New Delhi: Israel has conveyed its willingness to partner with India in advanced technologies.
India has also expressed its interest for Indo-Israel bilateral corporation, and sought increased investments by Israeli companies in India for the co-production of defence equipment.
These were discussed during bilateral talks between India and Israel here on Tuesday, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meeting an Israeli delegation led by its Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.
During the meeting, Singh underlined Government of India’s priority towards indigenisation in accordance with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ policy.
The Defence Minister acknowledged the cooperation being extended by Israeli companies and encouraged them for more investments in India and for forging joint ventures with Indian partners to manufacture defence equipment in the country.
Cohen on his part affirmed continued cooperation of Israel in India’s endeavour for indigenisation and conveyed the willingness to cooperate and partner in advanced technologies.
Both sides acknowledged the completion of 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and looked forward to further strengthening the bilateral ties.
Amid the rising death tolls of Palestinians after Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities have invited tenders for work on more than 1,000 new housing projects in the occupied West Bank. Despite the stay calls of Arab and international bodies, the policies of settlement expansion in view of greater Israel are expanding in Palestinian territories.
As per media reports the new settlement units will be located in Beitar Illit, Efrat, Kiryat Arba, Ma’ale Ephraim, and Karnei Shomron. In addition, 89 units will be constructed in the Gilo settlement west of occupied Jerusalem.
According to the housing construction project, it will have a large residential complex that includes a commercial complex, a kindergarten, public areas and medical clinics.
The housing construction policies on the occupied west bank are being enforced again after 23 years.
As soon as the policies of Israeli settlements in West occupied banks came out, the Palestinians started raising concerns about its potential effects and increasing settler violence against Palestinians to change their identity in the area.
Palestinians say the policies which have already been done in past with the worst consequence will violate the 1997 Hebron Protocol, under which Israel is obligated to preserve the land and identity of Palestinians in the area.
Residents of Hebron are in constant fear that the settlement expansion will result in more military checkpoints which may lead to more humiliation and a huge number of Israeli military presence in the areas.
Following the tender call, The Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammed Shtayyeh on Monday called on UNESCO to intervene in the matter to prevent Israeli authorities from occupying further land and establishing a settlement adjacent to the Village of Sebastia, near Nablus, along with the humiliation of Palestinians it would cause severe damage to the historic site of the area.
Speaking at a meeting of the Palestinian Cabinet in Ramallah, Mohammed Shtayyeh raised his concern that the settlement expansions in Hebron are a continuation of the Nakba Massacre or catastrophe where lakhs of Palestinians were forced to leave the land and some of them were killed for not vacating the place, that also began with the seizure of Palestinian land on the formation of Israel in 1948.
Palestinian human rights activists have also called on the European Union (EU) to cancel the free visas to Israeli settlers and their leaders resing in the settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem who aim to visit Europe.
These policies have been drafted after a right-wing party Likud headed by Benjamin Netanyahu won recent elections in Israel.
Following the win, thousands of Israelis protested in several cities against the Benjamin Netanyahu-led party, on January 28, 2023, in views on the proposed legislation, which the government claims is required to tame a judiciary that exercises excessive power but which critics claim eliminates an essential check on those in authority.
New Delhi: Within hours of his arrival in New Delhi for a three-day visit, Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has cut short his visit to return home owing to certain security-related developments in that country.
Official sources said that Cohen is expected to return later on Tuesday after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Cohen informed about his change of plans in a tweet.
Cohen had arrived earlier on Tuesday for a three-day day visit. His visit was being seen as preparing the groundwork for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to India later this year.
“Foreign Minister Eli Cohen landed a short while ago in New Delhi, the capital of India, and as soon as he landed he received a security update,” the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.
“In light of the events in Israel, Foreign Minister Cohen decided to cut short his diplomatic visit to India and return to Israel after the meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that will take place today,” it said further.
According to reports from Tel Aviv, Israel has launched a major military offensive targetting some militants in Gaza Strip.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday held wide-ranging discussions with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, focussing on cooperation in areas of defence, agriculture and water.
“Productive and wide-ranging discussions with Foreign Minister @elicoh1 of Israel this afternoon. The main pillars of our strategic partnership – agriculture, water, defence & security – are taking our ties forward. New agreements in water & agriculture today underline the potential to do more,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting with Cohen.
He also informed that discussions were held in cooperation in high-tech, digital and innovation and also connectivity, mobility tourism, finance and health sectors.
Both the leaders noted the progress in I2U2 and cooperation in multilateral fora. They also exchanged perspectives on their respective regions, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific.
The two leaders also initiated an agreement in the area of mobility.
Cohen on his part said that he had an “excellent meeting with the Foreign Minister of India – @DrSJaishankar. We are strengthening ties with the most populous country in the world, and expanding cooperation in the fields of cyber, agriculture and water”.
“Our cooperation will strengthen Israel’s position in the world and stability in the Middle East,” Cohen tweeted.
The Israel Foreign Minister, who arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a scheduled three-day visit, cut short his trip and is returning back to Tel Aviv on Tuesday night owing to some pressing concerns.
Tel Aviv: Israeli forces on Sunday demolished a Palestinian school in the occupied West Bank under the pretext it was built in Area C without a permit, Anadolu Agency reported.
Accompanied by a bulldozer and trucks, forces demolished the school named Challenge 5. The surrounding Palestinian residential community of Jib al-Dib, east of Bethlehem, was also raided.
This led to clashes between Palestinian youth and the occupation forces. While young men threw stones and set tires on fire, the Israeli forces retaliated by firing tear gas and stun grenades.
European Union (which funded the construction of the school) condemned the Israeli move as illegal.
Earlier, a right-wing Israeli organization had submitted a petition against the school claiming the Palestinians had “conquered” the land.
The European Union Delegation to the Palestinians, on its official Twitter account, said the demolition was “illegal under international law” and would “only increase the suffering of the Palestinian population and further escalate an already tense environment.”
Israel/Palestine: 🇪🇺condemns the demolition of the EU-funded school in Jubbet Adh Dhib by Israeli troops affecting 81 kids, despite EU calls not to do it. Demolitions are illegal under international law, children’s right to education must be respected. https://t.co/ohvPHSsSsc
The school was established in 2017, and it consists of five classrooms, and it serves students up to the fourth grade, and 81 students enroll in it, and it is built of bricks and roofed with tin panels.
The Israeli authorities prevent construction or land reclamation in Area C without permits, which are almost impossible to obtain, according to Palestinians and international human rights reports.
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is considered occupied territory under international law, which makes all Israeli demolitions and settlement construction there illegal.
The Oslo Accords (1993) classified the lands of the West Bank into 3 areas— “A” under full Palestinian control, “B” under Israeli security and Palestinian administrative civil control, and “C” under Israeli civil, administrative and security control.
📌حلقة من مسلسل متواصل لاستهداف الاحتلال للتعليم: استنكرت الوزارة إقدام جيش الاحتلال، فجر اليوم، على تدمير مدرسة #جب_الذيب الأساسية المختلطة “#التحدي_5” التابعة لمديرية تربية بيت لحم؛ ما يتسبب في حرمان طلبة المدرسة من تلقي تعليمهم بشكل حر وآمن ومستقر أسوة بأطفال العالم. pic.twitter.com/Awu459EpKd
