Displaying items by tag: Palestine struggle

In invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres not only draws attention to the urgent need for a ceasefire in the Middle East but also underscores the broader quest for a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This pivotal moment presents an opportunity to not only address the immediate crisis but to lay the groundwork for charting a path toward a sovereign Palestinian state.

The invocation of Article 99 amplifies the call for an end to the devastating conflict in Gaza, emphasising the potential consequences for international peace and security.

However, it also prompts a deeper examination of the root causes of the ongoing strife, particularly the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the elusive quest for a two-state solution.

The humanitarian plea for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" resonates not only with the immediate suffering but also with the historical injustices and aspirations of the Palestinian people.

The prospects of a sovereign Palestinian state have been a central, unresolved issue in the region for decades. Guterres's invocation of Article 99 acts as a catalyst for reinvigorating international efforts to address the broader political dimensions of the conflict.

The Security Council's response, particularly the submission of a new draft resolution by the United Arab Emirates, signals a growing recognition of the need for urgent action. However, it is crucial to move beyond mere ceasefires and delve into the intricate process of addressing the longstanding grievances and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Envisioning an independent and sovereign Palestinian state has long been considered the ultimate objective of the occupied Palestinians. Guterres's invocation of Article 99 provides an opportune moment to reevaluate and reinforce the commitment to this solution, recognising it as the cornerstone for a stable and prosperous Middle East.

The key to a sovereign Palestinian state lies in meaningful diplomatic engagement and a commitment to address the core issues that have fuelled the conflict. The international community, under the auspices of the United Nations, must actively support and facilitate negotiations between Israel and Palestine, ensuring that both parties have a genuine stake in the peace process.

Guterres's use of Article 99 is not just a procedural tool; it is a call to action for the international community to confront the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Beyond the immediate ceasefire, the focus must shift to fostering an environment conducive to meaningful negotiations. This includes addressing issues such as borders, refugees, security arrangements and the status of Jerusalem – all critical components of a comprehensive peace agreement.

The Security Council's consideration of the draft resolution is an important step, but it must be accompanied by a broader commitment to supporting the resumption of meaningful negotiations.

International actors, including the Quartet on the Middle East and regional stakeholders, must collaborate to create conditions for dialogue, ensuring that both Israel and Palestine feel secure in pursuing a negotiated settlement.

The establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state is not just a matter of political expediency; it is a moral imperative. The international community, by supporting the aspirations of the Palestinian people, can contribute to a more stable and secure Middle East.

This involves addressing the economic, social and political dimensions of statehood, fostering an environment where Palestinians can exercise self-determination and build a prosperous future.

Guterres's invocation of Article 99 offers a unique platform for re-energising international commitment to a sovereign Palestine. The Security Council, in considering the urgency of the situation, must recognise that a ceasefire alone is insufficient.

Concrete steps toward a political settlement, including the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, must be at the forefront of diplomatic endeavours.

The global community has a responsibility to move beyond temporary truces and work tirelessly to address the root causes of the conflict. This entails promoting dialogue, fostering trust-building measures and creating an atmosphere conducive to compromise. The path to a sovereign Palestinian state requires sustained diplomatic efforts and a genuine commitment to justice and equity.

Guterres's use of Article 99 should be deemed as a clarion call for immediate action to address the crisis in Gaza. However, its significance extends beyond the current conflict, presenting a unique opportunity to recommit to the long-elusive goal of a two-state solution.

The international community must seize this moment, recognising that a sovereign Palestinian state is not only a symbol of justice but a prerequisite for a lasting and meaningful peace in the Middle East.

Ceasefire now.

Mohd Fariz Zainal Abdullah is the head of Human Resource and Administration of International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia.

Published in: New Straits Times, Friday 08 December 2023

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2023/12/987884/invoking-article-99-un-charter-should-lead-sovereign-palestinian#google_vignette

Di tengah-tengah genosid dilakukan rejim Zionis di Gaza, Israel bergelut dengan pelbagai masalah lain. Selain operasi ketenteraan daratnya menghadapi penentangan luar jangka daripada pejuang Palestin, kerajaan pimpinan Benjamin Netanyahu berhadapan tekanan masyarakat antarabangsa semakin memuncak.

Resolusi mendesak Israel melakukan gencatan senjata dibawa ke Perhimpunan Agung Persatuan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNGA) misalnya menyaksikan sokongan besar 120 negara dan 14 negara menentang.

Netanyahu juga menghadapi desakan ribuan masyarakat Israel sendiri yang melakukan protes jalanan mendesak untuk meletak jawatan atas kegagalan pentadbirannya menangani krisis ini.

Sebagai langkah terdesak meraih sokongan, Israel melancarkan kempen mengalihkan perhatian dunia daripada kekejaman dan jenayah kemanusiaan dilakukannya dengan berpura-pura menjadi mangsa keganasan.

Ini dilakukan dengan kempen sibernya cuba menyamakan pejuang Palestin, terutama Hamas sebagai pengganas. Justeru, akaun media sosial rasmi Israel dilihat sering memomokkan Hamas dengan label pengganas ISIS melalui tanda pagar seperti #HAMASTerrorist dan #HAMASisISIS.

Kita perlu melihat isu ini dalam konteks geopolitik lebih besar. Israel kini nyata berhadapan masalah kritikal, iaitu kemerosotan nilai strategik terhadap Barat, terutama Amerika Syarikat (AS).

AS sekian lama memberikan dokongan dan perlindungan tidak berbelah bahagi terhadap Israel, baik berbentuk politik, ekonomi atau ketenteraan. Bantuan puluhan bilion dolar setiap tahun ini didalangi lobi Israel begitu berkuasa di Washington.

Justifikasi sering diberikan adalah peranan penting Israel terhadap kepentingan luar AS di Asia Barat dalam aspek strategik dan perkongsian nilai sepunya. Israel dilihat sebagai rakan kongsi utama AS melindungi dominasinya di rantau itu daripada pengaruh kuasa besar lain.

Begitu juga Israel dilihat penting mengimbangi kuasa negara Asia Barat yang anti-AS seperti Iran, Iraq dan Syria, manakala dari segi nilai, Israel sering diangkat satu-satunya negara di rantau berkenaan berkongsi nilai demokratik, moral dan keamanan dengan AS.

Namun, asas 'hubungan istimewa' Israel semakin terhakis. Sejak berakhirnya Perang Dingin, AS berjaya mengalahkan Russia untuk mendominasi Asia Barat, seterusnya mengurangkan kebergantungan terhadap Israel. Bahkan, tindakan AS memihak kepada Israel dilihat sebagai punca negara Arab terpaksa memberikan sokongan kepada Russia.

Sokongan AS terhadap kezaliman Israel di Palestin menyemarakkan sentimen anti-AS di Asia Barat, seterusnya mengancam pengaruhnya di Teluk Parsi yang kaya dengan minyak dan mempunyai kepentingan geopolitik jauh lebih tinggi berbanding Israel di Timur Mediteranean.

Sentimen perkongsian nilai moral dan demokratik tidak lagi boleh dijadikan alasan. Perkembangan terbaharu menyaksikan kebangkitan golongan ekstrem kanan dalam politik Israel dan tindakan Netanyahu cuba menguasai Israel secara autoritarian menafikan sama sekali dakwaan bahawa Israel adalah 'negara demokrasi'.

Hasilnya, Presiden Joe Biden sendiri dilihat teragak-agak dan cuba menangguhkan lawatan Netanyahu ke AS pada tahun ini. Begitu juga, perkembangan media sosial membuka mata masyarakat Barat menyaksikan realiti sebenar kekejaman rejim Zionis di Palestin.

Simpati kepada Palestin meningkat

Berdasarkan tinjauan Gallup Poll kepada rakyat AS, Mac lalu, terdapat peningkatan ketara dalam aspek simpati terhadap nasib rakyat Palestin berbanding Israel.

Justeru, apabila konflik kembali memuncak pada 7 Oktober, Israel cuba memaparkan mereka sebagai 'mangsa keganasan' pejuang Palestin. Israel berusaha memadamkan sejarah penindasannya terhadap rakyat Palestin pra 7 Oktober dengan menjadikan tarikh berkenaan sebagai tarikh keramat bermulanya segala malapetaka terhadap rakyat Israel.

Justeru, ada usaha bersepadu dilancarkan mengaitkan peristiwa ini dengan serangan pengganas 11 September di AS. Israel cuba memaparkan serangan itu sebagai '11 September versi Israel' mengeksploitasi psikologi dan trauma masyarakat Barat demi kepentingan mereka.

Israel turut mengaitkan pejuang pembebasan Hamas dengan kumpulan pengganas seperti Daesh dan al-Qaeda. Dengan ini, jaminan pembabitan dan komitmen AS mengetuai kempen 'Perang Global Menentang Terorisme' dapat diperoleh, seterusnya memulihkan kedudukan Israel dalam perkiraan kepentingan luarnya.

Namun, dakwaan ini langsung tidak berasas. Pertama, perlu dibezakan antara pengganas dengan pejuang pembebasan. Perjuangan Hamas mempertahankan hak dan kebebasan rakyat Palestin ditindas mempunyai legitimasi jelas.

Begitu juga aspek strategi dan tindakan pejuang pembebasan Palestin berfokus terhadap penjajah Israel. Ini berbeza dengan strategi sel pengganas antarabangsa sering menyasarkan secara rambang di seluruh dunia.

Malah, terbukti Daesh dan Al-Qaeda tidak pernah mengiktiraf pejuang Palestin sebagai anggota dalam rangkaian mereka, sebaliknya mengecap perjuangan Palestin kerana bercanggah falsafah perjuangan mereka.

Justeru, pendirian tegas Malaysia perlu diberikan pujian dan sokongan. Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkali-kali menjamin Malaysia tidak akan melabelkan pejuang Palestin seperti Hamas sebagai pengganas meskipun berhadapan pelbagai tekanan Barat.

Oleh itu, rakyat Malaysia perlu berdiri teguh memperjuang nasib rakyat Palestin. Kita tidak boleh terpedaya dengan helah rejim Zionis Israel terdesak meraih sokongan luar dan mengembalikan diri dalam good books AS.

Muhamad Sayuti Mansor adalah Felo Penyelidik di International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia.

- BH Online

https://www.bharian.com.my/rencana/komentar/2023/11/1178765/usah-terjebak-taktik-zionis-memomokkan-hamas-pengganas

The conflict between Israel and Gaza has stretched on for ten long days, and the toll is heart-wrenching. Al Jazeera's reports reveal a staggering toll on human lives: Israeli air raids have claimed the lives of over 2,670 Palestinians, with approximately a quarter of them being children. Meanwhile, Hamas's military operation has claimed the lives of 1,400 Israelis, including 286 soldiers.

The recent actions taken by the Israeli government signal a more ruthless path ahead. Only last week, after days of bombardment,  the Israeli government ordered nearly 1.1 million civilians residing in northern Gaza, which includes Gaza City, the most populated urban area, to evacuate to the south. 

We all know that such a gesture by Israel is only to facilitate its imminent ground offensive with a pretext to wipe out the “top political and military leadership of Hamas”, and more importantly, to establish a minimal legal justification for the anticipated civilian casualties that may occur. This is despite the warning heeded by the US President, Joe Biden, that Israel’s decision to reoccupy Gaza would be a “big mistake”.

Such instruction drew sharp condemnation from the International Committee of the Red Cross, which deemed it "not compatible with international law". The UN Commissioner for Human Rights, in a strong statement, urged its immediate "rescission”, but unfortunately, to no avail.

Following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on Oct 7, the international community rushed to voice its concern about the escalation in tensions. However, many statements only noted the atrocities committed by Hamas, while disregarding the blatant violations of international laws and human rights committed by Israel in the aftermath of the attacks.

It is only very recently, as Israel intensified its bombardment of Gaza and attacked Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, several governments have started to turn critical of Israel’s actions. Last Sunday, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has condemned Israel’s actions for going “beyond the scope of self-defense” and called for an end to the violence. He further reiterated that “(Israel) should listen earnestly to the calls of the international community and the UN secretary general, and cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning last Friday that civilian casualties will be "absolutely unacceptable" in case of an Israeli ground operation in the Gaza Strip and pointed to the U.S. for contributing to the escalation. Both China and Russia have been criticized by Western officials for not specifically naming Hamas in their statements on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Even the U.S. government has shifted its tone from its earlier statement. In an interview for CBS aired on Sunday, President Joe Biden, reaffirmed US foreign policy position that “there needs to be a path to a Palestinian state”, while insisting that Israel’s reoccupation of Gaza is a “big mistake”. “The vast majority of the population of Gaza,” he added, “deserve dignity. They deserve safety and security.” It remains to be seen whether these words will translate into meaningful action to restrain Israel's military operations.

But clearly, calling out Israel for their recent aggression and highlighting the need for a ceasefire on both sides is not enough. This recent violence did not appear from a void. Every atrocity, every death, and every act of vengeance has a history and context that must be understood if every party involved is serious in their pursuit of peace. 

Therefore, one may ask, what is the underlying political backdrop to this war? It is multi-layered but one stark truth is often overlooked; the Palestinians have been occupied for over half a century, blockaded for nearly two decades, and subjected to periodic massacres and systemic violence under the Israeli apartheid regime. The people of Gaza have experienced a sixteen-year blockade that tightly controls nearly everything in the region --- resulting in frequent shortages of vital necessities like electricity, water, medicine, food, and construction materials.

Unfortunately, only a handful of countries have recognized this fact in their official statement. Malaysia, among others, is among the few that has explicitly highlighted the “root cause” of this conflict, invoking the term “politics of dispossession”, famously used by the late Palestinian-American intellectual Professor Edward Said. This term underscores the Palestinian struggle against settler colonialism led by Israel and supported by major Western powers.

The first serious step towards getting out of this cycle of violence between Israel and Palestine is to come to terms with this fact. The world community should be mobilized based on a mutual and resolute recognition that for the cycle of violence to stop, the Israel’s illegal occupation must end, their violations of human rights and international laws must be addressed, and the rights of all citizens must be respected.

The Gaza conflict has been a long-standing and deeply sensitive issue for Muslims worldwide. As the world watches the crisis unfold, the need for strong, vocal leadership to champion the Palestinian cause is more crucial than ever. In this context, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia has emerged as a prominent and unifying figure, using his voice and influence to galvanize support for the Palestinian people among the diverse population of Malaysia.

As a leader of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation, Anwar Ibrahim faces the challenge of striking a balance between expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause and uniting his country’s diversity.

Anwar has continuously proved his commitment to advocating for the rights of Palestinians. His unwavering support for Palestine has made him a prominent voice in the Muslim world and beyond. He consistently asserts that the Palestine-Israel issue should be viewed through the lens of the ‘politics of dispossession’, a concept propounded by Edward W. Said, a Palestinian-American academic, highlighting Israel's institutionalized method of expropriating landed assets from their Palestinian owners.

In contrast to other ASEAN countries' leaders who have used broader language to urge an end to violence and concentrate on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Malaysia's Prime Minister has displayed a distinctively stronger tone in his official statements and measures. This is what Julia Lau and Francis E. Hutchinson of the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, have concluded.

The Prime Minister, in Parliament on October 16th, firmly rejected what he described as "pressure" from "Western governments" to condemn Hamas, highlighting that the organisation had been elected democratically by the people of Gaza and, therefore, has the right to lead the nation.

The following day, Anwar engaged with Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and announced Malaysia's commitment to providing humanitarian relief. Additionally, he pledged RM100 million in humanitarian aid.

With a strong show of solidarity, Anwar led a massive rally of 16,000 pro-Palestinian supporters in Kuala Lumpur on October 24, 2023, to condemn what he termed as Israel's "barbaric" acts in Gaza. He urged the international community to intervene immediately to end the violence in Gaza and establish a humanitarian corridor to aid the besieged territory.

Anwar's efforts in raising the Palestinian issue extend to the international stage. He has used his diplomatic clout to engage with other world leaders, international organizations, and regional powers. During the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Saudi Arabia on October 18, Anwar expressed Malaysia's unwavering support for the Palestinian people and called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor and an immediate ceasefire with Hamas.

In his meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Prime minister during the summit, he underlined the importance of the Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia to stop the ongoing war between the Israeli army and Palestinian factions.

Anwar also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on October 25

and discussed the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the need for a ceasefire. He then met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and discussed the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow the channelling of food, water and medicines to Palestine.

Anwar faces not only external pressures in his public support for Palestine, which he explains has taken place three times, especially from the US but also internal challenges. One of these significant challenges stems from the issue of polarization among Malaysians.

In response to the criticisms that his approach towards the Palestinian cause is too vocal and disregards the non-intervention principle, Anwar stated in his concluding speech for the National Budget on Nov 30, that the Palestinian issue is not exclusive to Muslims but a matter of justice and human rights. According to Anwar, Russia, China, Ireland and Brazil have adopted the same human rights approach.

Anwar Ibrahim's leadership in the Gaza crisis extends beyond religious lines. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country with a predominantly Muslim population. His ability to bridge religious and ethnic divides will strengthen the country's collective support for the Palestinian people. Balancing foreign policy with domestic sensitivities is a delicate task, and the Prime Minister has diligently navigated this fine line to maintain unity within Malaysia.

Regardless of their religious and racial backgrounds, Malaysians should wholeheartedly support the Palestinian cause, as it has transcended into a humanitarian crisis, with Israel's collective punishments and genocidal attacks on the people of Gaza.

As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of the Middle East conflict, Prime Minister Anwar's leadership exemplifies how a nation's leader can serve as a unifying force for a just and compassionate cause, transcending religious and ethnic divides for the betterment of all humanity.

Dr. Ahmad Badri bin Abdullah is the Deputy CEO of IAIS Malaysia

02 NOV 2023 

BARU-BARU INI, umat Islam sekali lagi dikejutkan oleh operasi pencerobohan terhadap Masjid al-Aqsa yang dilakukan lebih daripada seribu orang penjajah ultranasionalis Israel dan diketuai oleh Menteri Keselamatan Israel, Itamar Ben-Gvir pada 27 Julai 2023.

Pencerobohan ini merupakan kali ketiga yang seumpamanya dilakukan oleh Ben-Gvir pada tahun ini, sebagai provokasi terhadap status quo kedaulatan Jerusalem dan Masjid al-Aqsa. Status quo ini merujuk kepada persetujuan antara kedua pihak bahawa kuasa pentadbiran terhadap kawasan perkarangan Masjid al-Aqsa berada di bawah kuasa umat Islam yang diwakili oleh Wakaf Islam Jordan. Justeru, hanya umat Islam yang dibenarkan untuk melaksanakan ibadat di dalamnya, manakala penganut Yahudi dibenarkan masuk secara terhad ke perkarangan berkenaan hanya sebagai pelancong dan dilarang daripada menunaikan sebarang upacara agama. Namun, status quo ini sering dicabar dan dilanggar oleh pihak Israel walaupun berhadapan dengan kecaman masyarakat antarabangsa.

Selain itu, projek penggalian ekskavasi yang semakin giat dijalankan di sekitar perkarangan al-Aqsa turut mengancam tanah suci ketiga umat Islam ini. Projek yang telah dimulakan seawal tahun 1967 ini bertujuan sebagai projek ekskavasi bagi mencari tapak warisan silam Yahudi, terutamanya tinggalan daripada Kuil Kedua (Second Temple) bagi mengukuhkan lagi tuntutan Israel terhadap Jerusalem dan al-Aqsa. Justeru, pada tahun 1996, Benyamin Nentanyahu yang baru terpilih sebagai Perdana Menteri Israel telah membuka pintu masuk terowong penggalian di Tembok Ratapan yang bersambung dengan perkarangan al-Aqsa. Manakala pada tahun 2018, kerajaan Israel telah mengumumkan komitmen untuk menggiatkan lagi projek penggalian ini dengan memperuntukkan sebanyak 16.6 juta USD. Dan yang terkini, Israel pada tahun ini telah meluluskan undang-undang baru yang memberikan Israel hak penguasaan terhadap tapak-tapak arkeologi di wilayah Palestin yang dijajah.

Pelaksanaan projek penggalian berskala besar ini telah menimbulkan kebimbangan dan kemarahan umat Islam kerana dikhuatiri mampu merosakkan struktur asas Masjid al-Aqsa yang terletak diatasnya. Misalnya, Azzam al-Khatib Ketua Pengarah Wakaf Jerusalem dan Hal-ehwal Masjid al-Aqsa telah melaporkan bahawa terdapat retakan dan kerosakan lain terhadap struktur masjid akibat projek ini. Beliau turut memberikan amaran bahawa al-Aqsa berada dalam bahaya dan berisiko untuk runtuh sekiranya projek penggalian ini diteruskan. Selain itu, dalam masa yang sama projek penggalian ini giat dijalankan, pihak berkuasa Israel turut menghalang Jawatankuasa Rekonstruksi al-Aqsa daripada menjalankan sebarang kerja-kerja baikpulih terhadap kerosakan struktur masjid berkenaan.

Kesemua perkembangan ini berlaku didorong oleh fenomena kebangkitan golongan garis keras dan pelampau kanan dalam arena politik Israel. Benjamin Nentanyahu sejak mula berkuasa buat kali pertama pada 1996 dan seterusnya pada 2015 sememangnya mewakili politik berhaluan kanan. Sebagai contoh, pada tahun 2018 kerajaan pimpinan beliau telah meluluskan Undang-undang Asas yang mendefiniskan Israel sebagai sebuah negara hanya untuk bangsa Yahudi. Keadaan ini tambah serius selepas Israel terjerumus kedalam krisis politik sejak 2018 yang menyaksikan tiada parti memperolehi majoriti di parlimen. Dalam usaha terdesak Netanyahu untuk kembali berkuasa dan melepaskan diri dari dakwaan-dakwaan korupsi yang sedang berlangsung di mahkamah, beliau telah membentuk pakatan dengan figura-figura politik pelampau kanan.

Antara individu tersebut ialah Itamar Ben-Gvir, seorang rasis yang pernah mengetuai parti pro-keganasan yang telah dilantik Netanyahu sebagai Menteri Keselamatan. Selain itu, Bezalel Smotrich, pemimpin pelampau Yahudi di penempatan haram Tebing Barat telah diangkat menjadi Menteri Kewangan. Walhasil, kerajaan baharu pimpinan Netanyahu ini dilihat semakin giat merealisasikan cita-cita golongan pelampau kanan Yahudi yang ingin menjajah sepenuhnya bumi Palestin. Hal ini dilakukan antaranya melalui usaha giat meluaskan penempatan haram Yahudi di Tebing Barat dengan merampas semakin banyak tanah milik rakyat Palestin. Malahan baru-baru ini satu kertas cadangan telah diserahkan oleh Yossi Dagan, ketua penempatan haram di Tebing Barat kepada Netanyahu untuk meningkatkan jumlah mereka daripada 170 ribu menjadi satu juta orang menjelang tahun 2050.

Di sebalik perkembangan ini, timbul persoalan berkenaan motif sebenar Israel serta apakah “grand design” yang cuba dicapai mereka. Dalam hal ini, pihak Israel sebenarnya tidak pernah menyembunyikan hasrat mereka untuk membina semula Kuil Sulaiman (Solomon’s Temple) di Jerusalem yang menurut kepercayaan agama Yahudi merupakan Kuil Ketiga (The Third Temple) bagi mewarisi dua binaan sebelumnya yang telah musnah. Sebenarnya, menurut ajaran Yahudi Ortodoks, pembinaan semula kuil ini bukan merupakan keutamaan yang mendesak bahkan ianya hanya boleh dibangun kembali setelah kedatangan “Messiah” di akhir zaman. Dalam masa yang sama, terdapat golongan minoriti Yahudi yang mendesak supaya usaha pembinaan semula kuil suci ini dilakukan dengan segera. Golongan ini yang hari ini diwakili kumpulan ultranasionalis dan pelampau Zionis seperti Temple Movement telah menjadi semakin berpengaruh dan mendapat sokongan kerajaan Israel.

Halangan nyata bagi merealisasikan projek ini ialah lokasi kedudukan tapak kuil tersebut yang didakwa berada di bawah tapak perkarangan Masjid al-Aqsa yang menjadi tempat suci ketiga bagi umat Islam itu. Begitu juga keadaan status quo yang meletakkan kuasa pentadbiran al-Aqsa di bawah kuasa umat Islam. Dalam masa yang sama, kerajaan Israel selama ini turut terikat dengan sentimen keagamaan dalam ajaran Yahudi yang melarang keras penganut agama berkenaan daripada memasuki perkarangan al-Aqsa yang dipanggil penganut Yahudi sebagai Temple Mount. Hal ini kerana, perkarangan berkenaan dianggap amat suci dan tidak boleh dimasuki oleh mereka yang berada dalam keadaan tidak suci. Ini memerlukan kepada ritual penyucian yang khusus yang tidak dapat dilaksanakan pada hari ini. Pendirian ini masih lagi menjadi pendirian rasmi Chief Rabbinate Israel sebagai autoriti tertinggi dalam agama Yahudi. Bahkan, tindakan pencerobohan masuk ke dalam perkarangan al-Aqsa seperti yang dilakukan sesetengah golongan pelampau Yahudi dianggap sebagai perbuatan terlarang yang amat dikecam.

Namun begitu, persepsi umum terhadap larangan berkenaan semakin menurun akibat pengaruh sentimen nasionalisme dan zionisme yang semakin menebal di Israel. Golongan ini melihat kejayaan Gerakan Zionis menubuhkan negara Israel pasca Deklarasi Balfour sebagai satu titik tolak penting dalam perjalanan masyarakat Yahudi, dan ianya perlu disempurnakan melalui pembinaan semula kuil suci berkenaan. Perjanjian Oslo 1993 kemudiannya menimbulkan situasi panik kepada golongan ini kerana hasil kompromi supaya Israel melepaskan Jerusalem dianggap sebagai batu penghalang kepada usaha menyempurnakan pembinaan Kuil Ketiga. Justeru itu, pada Januari 1997 golongan ini telah menubuhkan Yesha Council dan mengeluarkan deklarasi rasmi menyeru supaya semua masyarakat Yahudi agar memasuki perkarangan Temple Mount dan mengabaikan larangan tersebut bagi menghalang kerajaan Israel daripada melepaskan Jerusalem.

Hasilnya, kejadian pencerobohan terhadap Masjid al-Aqsa semakin berleluasa bahkan turut melibatkan menteri dan ahli parlimen Israel. Statistik turut menunjukkan peningkatan ketara jumlah kemasukan. Sebagai contohnya, pada tahun 2022 sejumlah 48,238 orang Yahudi telah memasuki perkarangan al-Aqsa, peningkatan yang ketara berbanding sebanyak 34,779 pada tahun 2021 dan 19,814 pada tahun 2020. Malahan pengunjung yang memasuki perkarangan suci al-Aqsa kini bukan lagi semata-mata terdiri daripada golongan nasionalis zionis, bahkan turut melibatkan golongan Yahudi ultra-ortodoks yang selama ini berpegang teguh kepada pengharamannya. Perubahan ketara ini dapat dilihat melalui tinjauan yang dilakukan pada tahun 2014 yang menunjukkan sebanyak 75.4 peratus masyarakat Yahudi menyokong kemasukan ke perkarangan al-Aqsa, manakala sejumlah 19.6 peratus telah pun pernah memasukinya sebelum ini. Oleh itu, ideologi pelampau kanan yang hanya merupakan pandangan minoriti kira-kira dua dekad lalu telah menjadi pandangan majoriti dalam kalangan masyarakat Yahudi Israel hari ini. Malahan sejak Ogos 2023 Mahkamah Majistret Israel telah memutuskan bahawa pengunjung Yahudi yang memasuki al-Aqsa kini mempunyai hak untuk turut mengerjakan ibadat mereka di situ.

Selain itu, terdapat juga usaha untuk mengatasi kekangan dari sudut keagamaan dengan mengusahakan cara untuk melakukan ritual penyucian terhadap penganut Yahudi yang ingin memasuki Temple Mount. Hal ini dilakukan menerusi “Projek Red Heifer,” iaitu projek pencarian seekor lembu merah istimewa bagi dikorbankan dan dibakar untuk diambil abunya bagi upacara penyucian berkenaan. Namun, terdapat prasyarat yang amat ketat telah ditetapkan dalam ajaran Yahudi bagi menentukan lembu tersebut adalah layak dan sesuai seperti warnanya yang merah tanpa sebarat cacat cela, bebas daripada sebarat kecacatan fizikal, dan lain-lain lagi. Justeru, Temple Institute, satu organisasi khusus yang ditubuhkan untuk mempersiapkan usaha pembinaan semula Kuil Ketiga telah melancarkan program untuk mengenalpasti “Red Heifer” yang memenuhi syarat-syarat berkenaan. Sejak lebih 30 tahun yang lalu, beberapa pengumuman telah dilakukan seperti pada tahun 1997, 2002, 2014 dan 2018 bahawa calon lembu yang sesuai telah pun ditemui, namun kesemuanya berakhir dengan kegagalan.

Oleh itu, Temple Institute telah melancarkan inisiatif untuk memanfaatkan kecanggihan bioteknologi moden bagi menghasilkan baka lembu yang sesuai. Hasilnya, pada September 2022 yang lalu, dunia dikejutkan dengan pengumuman bahawa sebanyak lima ekor “Red Heifer” yang sempurna telah berjaya dibiakkan di sebuah ladang di Texas, Amerika Syarikat. Kesemua lembu tersebut kemudiannya telah diterbangkan ke Israel dalam satu majlis sambutan khusus dan seterusnya dipindahkan ke ladang ternakan di situ untuk menjalani proses pemeriksaan lanjut oleh autoriti keagamaan Yahudi. Seterusnya pada 8 Ogos 2023, terdapat laporan menyatakan bahawa latihan awal bagi upacara penyucian berkenaan telah pun dilakukan di Shiloh, Israel. Hal ini kerana salah seekor daripada “Red Heifer” berkenaan kini telah menghampiri usia yang sesuai bagi upacara berkenaan.

Sebagai kesimpulannya, nyata bahawa tanah suci ketiga umat Islam ini sekarang berada dalam situasi yang amat getir. Menerusi kebangkitan golongan ektremis pelampau kanan yang kini menguasai kepimpinan Israel, mereka kini tidak lagi berusaha menyembunyikan niat jahat mereka untuk memusnahkan al-Aqsa bagi memberi laluan kepada usaha pembinaan semula kuil suci mereka. Menerusi siri operasi pencerobohan terancang yang telah menjadi gerakan arus perdana di Israel serta projek penggalian bawah tanah berskala besar di sekitar al-Aqsa, kini langkah persiapan terakhir kearah pembinaan Kuil Ketiga sedang berlangsung melalui Projek Red Heifer. Melihat kepada arus normalisasi hubungan dengan Israel yang sedang melanda sesetengah negara Islam pada hari ini, timbul persoalan yang membimbangkan: Adakah perasaan umat Islam akan turut cuba dinormalisasikan untuk menerima hakikat Palestin tanpa al-Aqsa?

Muhamad Sayuti Mansor adalah Felo Penyelidik di International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia.

- BebasNews

https://bebasnews.my/2023/09/11/palestin-tanpa-al-aqsa/

The recurrence of violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, during the holy month of Ramadan year after year, has become a predictable pattern.

Last week, Israeli police attacked the mosque compound for two consecutive nights (April 6 and 7), injuring dozens of Palestinians (including children) and arresting over 300. In response, militant groups from Gaza and Lebanon launched rocket attacks and Israel retaliated with airstrikes, resulting in minor injuries.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has strongly condemned the Israeli violence and urged the United Nations Security Council to hold Israel accountable and liable for their "heinous crimes", as well as to demand the immediate release of all Palestinian detainees.

He also urged Israel to halt any aggressive acts that violate the status quo of the holy site and endanger regional peace and stability, highlighting Malaysia's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.

The Israeli incursion into the holy mosque and Palestinian national symbol is not an isolated episode, but rather a symptom of the larger Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Al-Aqsa lies at the heart of the contention between Muslim and Jewish religious claims, and its current administration reflects the delicate power balance (or imbalance) between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Therefore, addressing this issue could be a leverage point—a place where a small shift can produce significant changes all around—for advancing peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The legal status and access of the compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, is governed by a delicate arrangement known as the "status quo". This agreement, dating back to 1967, stipulates that Israel is responsible for security, while Jordan's Islamic Waqf oversees religious affairs. Non-Muslims are allowed to visit but not pray at the site.

However, this status quo has been repeatedly undermined and violated by Israeli actions and policies, such as raids, restrictions, settlements, excavations and provocations. These have provoked anger and resistance among Palestinians and Muslims around the world, and have often led to violence and conflict.

One of the more recent major events sparked by the attack on Al-Aqsa was the 2021 war, which was triggered by Israeli raids during Ramadan and whuch escalated into an 11-day conflict between Israel and Gaza that killed over 250 people.

Other notable events include an Australian Christian extremist setting fire to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969, Jewish fanatics attempting to lay a cornerstone for a new temple on the Temple Mount in 1990, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Palestinians and injuries to over 150 others, and Ariel Sharon's visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque in 2000, which sparked the second intifada lasting until 2005.

The ongoing issue of the Israeli incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque has not only political and historical implications but also ethical and moral ones from both human rights and Islamic perspectives.

In a March 23, 2023 letter to the International Criminal Court, UN Special Procedures mandate-holders highlighted the worsening situation in Palestine.

The letter, addressed to Karim A. A. Khan QC, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, expressed concern over widespread impunity and the deterioration of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of alleged violations of international law by various actors. Evidence of intentional and systematic human rights violations since June 13 2014 was also disseminated.

Alternatively, from an Islamic standpoint, resolving this issue is consistent with the higher objectives of Islamic law (maqasid al-shariah), which seek to promote and protect human wellbeing by enhancing welfare (maslahah) and preventing harm (mafsadah).The Israeli incursion violates the traditional five fundamental rights of: religion (din), life (nafs), intellect (aql), lineage (nasl), and property (mal), along with additional maqasid such as dignity (karamah/muruah), justice (adl), and freedom (hurriyyah).

In numerous ways, resolving the problem of Israeli incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque could act as a leverage point for the larger Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is of great cultural and religious significance to Palestinians and Muslims worldwide. Addressing the issue of Israeli intrusions in a way that these groups regard as fair and just could perhaps serve to relieve tensions and create confidence among the parties involved in the larger conflict.

It can build momentum for larger negotiations and diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. If the parties concerned can successfully reach an agreement on this matter, it may help to boost confidence and faith that progress on other concerns may be accomplished as well.

It could assist in reducing the possibility of additional unrest and conflict in the region. Addressing this specific issue may minimise the possibility of additional occurrences and contribute to a more stable climate for larger discussions and diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

Furthermore, the question of Israeli incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of human rights and international law, as well as religious sensitivity and historical relevance. Addressing this problem could improve the prospects for peace and justice in the region, as well as the lives and dignity of millions of people.

In conclusion, the problem of Israeli incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque is difficult to solve, but it is also a key leverage point for achieving lasting peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The frequent raids by Israeli forces and settlers into the mosque compound, often accompanied by violence and violations of Palestinian rights, have sparked widespread anger and resentment among Palestinians and Muslims worldwide.

The recurring clashes in the mosque are not only a security threat but also a source of religious, ethical, and human suffering. Therefore, finding a solution to this issue is not just a political imperative but also a moral and humanitarian necessity.

The writer is research fellow at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in New Straits Times on Friday, 14 April 2023.

https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2023/04/899584/ramadan-attacks-al-aqsa-symptom-larger-israeli-occupation

Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was a leading media voice since the intifada or uprising in Palestine in 2000. For over two decades she reported fearlessly on human rights abuses in the occupied territories. She wrote with anguish at the 74-year old genocide raging in Palestine and the Western world’s callous indifference to the dehumanisation and brutalisation of the Muslim and Christian population of the occupied territories.

But on May 11 her voice was silenced for ever when she was shot and killed while reporting on an Israeli raid on a Palestinian house on the West Bank city of Jenin.

Much sorrow has been expressed around the world about her killing. We, the members of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), in solidarity with the global outcry against her assassination, wish to add our condemnation of her cold-blooded execution. To be silent would amount to complicity with the atrocity of her killing and the degrading and inhuman treatment meted to her in death by the belligerent behaviour of the Israeli forces at her funeral. As the casket was being carried to the Christian cemetery, Israeli police attacked the mourners with batons and stun grenades almost causing the pallbearers to drop the coffin!

For such targeted and senseless killings to cease, a high-level independent and international investigation is called for. Besides the atrocity of Shireen’s killing, the wider aggression against Palestinian journalists must be investigated. It is noteworthy that the International Federation of Journalists filed a complaint against the State of Israel with the International Criminal Court (the ICC) in April.  One also notes that Shireen’s targeted killing follows the fourth anniversary of the death of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein who also fell victim to an Israeli sniper while covering the “Great March of Return” in March 2018.

A bleak reminder of this type of systematic aggression against journalists is recanted by Reporters without Borders which registers the number of journalists who have been killed while covering the plight of the Palestinians.  The number of killings is more than 40 since 2000. This is despite the protection afforded to journalists by international humanitarian law.

We note with sorrow that though a multitude of international organisations have voiced condemnation over Shireen’s killing, there is deafening silence from certain states that preach human rights to the rest of the world.  

We wish to stand in solidarity with the family, friends, colleagues and the people to whom Shireen Abu Akleh gave her voice. We are adding our small voice to a larger call for justice.

We wish to reiterate that though the global attention these days is focused on the Russia-Ukraine war, the world needs to recast its attention and conscience to the genocide, protracted aggression and injustices in the illegally occupied territories of the West Bank. Shireen’s assassination underlies the daily reality of apartheid in occupied Palestine, the systemic violence against innocent civilians, and Israel’s aggression against anyone reporting these crimes. Preventing the media from conducting its duty is one of the messages behind this atrocity.

Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, Vice President, International Movement for a Just World

Dr Jaspal Kaur Sadhu Singh, Asst. Secretary-General, International Movement for a Just World

Published in: Astroawani.com, Thursday 19 May 2022

Source: https://www.astroawani.com/berita-dunia/recasting-attention-raging-genocide-362788

SEPANJANG dua ribu tahun bangsa Yahudi hidup dalam buangan (exile) akibat dosa-dosa mereka, ribuan ulama ‘Chazal’ yang mahir tentang Taurat telah dilahirkan. Mereka menghasilkan ribuan catatan hukum-hukum agama yang diwarisi setiap generasi. Apa yang menarik, tidak pernah sekali golongan ini mencadangkan penubuhan sebuah negara untuk melindungi bangsa Yahudi yang hidup sengsara di luar tanah Palestin. Yang ada hanyalah amaran mengenai bahaya menubuhkannya.

Mereka hari ini dikenali sebagai Yahudi Haredi, Yahudi Ortodoks dan juga Ultra-Ortodoks. Mereka percaya satu-satunya era bangsa Yahudi dibenarkan untuk memiliki negara sendiri adalah pada dua ribu tahun lampau, pada masa Tuhan meredai mereka. Apabila masanya sudah tiba nanti, walau tanpa bantuan manusia mahu pun kuasa tentera, mereka bakal dikurniakan sebuah kerajaan yang diasaskan atas pengabdian dan keadilan, dan seluruh dunia akan mengakui kekuasaan-Nya.

Menurut ulasan Talmud (Ketubot 111A) dan ayat-ayat Taurat seperti Exodus 2:22, sebarang usaha mewujudkan sebuah negara Yahudi setelah berlakunya ‘exile’ kedua atau sebelum kedatangan Messiah adalah perbuatan melawan Tuhan dan haram hukumnya. Ianya tetap ditegah walaupun negara itu ditadbir mengikut ajaran Taurat. Tuhan masih menetapkan bangsa Yahudi terus tinggal di bawah kekuasaan bangsa-bangsa lain. Sekiranya larangan ini dilanggar, Tuhan akan menimpakan kecelakaan lebih besar ke atas mereka.

Kitab Taurat dan Talmud adalah panduan utama kaum Yahudi Ortodoks. Tanpa keimanan terhadap kedua-duanya, bangsa Yahudi tidak akan wujud sehingga ke hari ini. Bangsa Yahudi percaya mereka adalah ‘bangsa pilihan Tuhan’ untuk membawa keamanan dan keadilan kepada seluruh bangsa. Hanya dengan memenuhi tugas-tugas itu, mereka akan mendapat kejayaan di akhirat kelak. Mana-mana Yahudi yang menolak ajaran Taurat akan terkeluar dari konsep ‘People of Israel’. ‘Israel’ di sini bukan merujuk kepada sebuah negara, tetapi bangsa.

Yang ‘degil’ menubuhkan Israel di Palestin adalah golongan pemimpin Zionis, yang muncul hanya seratus tahun lalu. Zionis menolak ajaran Taurat, bersifat materialistik dan kesemuanya atheis. Sejurus kemunculannya, mereka ditentang para rabbi Haredi ortodoks, yang yakin Zionisme akan hanya membawa kerosakan dan kemusnahan.

Dakwaan Zionis, bangsa Yahudi harus memiliki sebuah negara dan tentera yang kuat. Mereka melaung seolah merekalah bangsa Israel sebenar. Zionislah yang memulakan fahaman anti-Semitisme pada penghujung kurun ke-19, sehingga kaum Yahudi dibenci oleh setiap negara yang didiami mereka. Zionislah yang menyemarakkan kebencian Nazi Jerman terhadap bangsa Yahudi. Melalui penipuan Zionis, bangsa Yahudi diseksa dan dihambat dari negara kelahiran mereka. Kemudian Zionis menampakkan diri mereka sebagai ‘penyelamat’.

Zionis adalah ibarat ‘kanser dalam tubuh’ bangsa Yahudi, yang berusaha melumpuhkan agama Yahudi dengan penipuan bahkan kekerasan. Jika diimbas semula, masyarakat Yahudi mengalami lebih banyak kesengsaraan dan pertumpahan darah dalam era Zionis. Banyak sekali kesengsaraan di sana-sini berpunca oleh tangan-tangan Zionis. Sedangkan menurut Taurat, jalan menuju keamanan adalah dengan berbaik-baik, dan bukannya memulakan perbalahan dengan bangsa lain.

Kumpulan Yahudi Haredi ortodoks seperti Satmar, Shomer Emunim, Toldos Aharon, Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok, Mishkenos Horoim, Dushinsky, Edah Hachareidis dan Naturei Karta menggelarkan Zionis sebagai ‘shandah’, istilah Yiddish (Yahudi Eropah) yang merujuk kepada ‘individu atau kumpulan Yahudi yang memalukan Yahudi, bukan hanya dengan berbuat kejahatan, bahkan mengesahkan ketakutan dan kebencian masyarakat bukan-Yahudi terhadap Yahudi’. Golongan ini konsisten dalam perjuangan menentang negara Israel, kerana khuatir Zionis akan menggantikan kedudukan agama Yahudi, termasuk nilai-nilai dan cara hidup bangsanya.

Terdapat juga golongan Yahudi sekular yang mengutuk idea-idea Zionisme seperti Yevsektsiya dan Matzpen. Kedua-duanya pro-Komunis dan beberapa kali mengambil nama lain setelah dibubarkan di Soviet Russia, Mesir dan Israel. Bagi Zionis dan para penyokongnya, golongan Yahudi anti-Israel ditohmah sebagai ‘self-hating Jews’, dan pembelot bangsa.

Yahudi ortodoks tetap konsisten menuntut negara Israel dibubarkan. Memandangkan hal itu hampir mustahil, mereka kemudiannya mendesak Zionis berhenti mengguna-pakai nama ‘Israel’ kerana Zionisme tidak mencerminkan bangsa Israel yang sebenar, dan tidak berhak mewakili dan menjadi jurucakap bagi pihak mereka.

Pengaruh besar Zionis ke atas media Barat bukan lagi satu rahsia. Zionis akan memastikan hanya berita menyebelahi mereka yang akan didengar. Propaganda Zionis memperlihatkan seolah semua masyarakat dan ulama Yahudi adalah Zionis. Memang terdapat kumpulan Yahudi yang menyokong dan berkerjasama dengan Zionis, seperti golongan Hasidik, Sephardim, Ortodoks Moden, Religious Zionists dan lain-lain, namun pegangan mereka tidak didasarkan kepada pendapat asal Taurat. Mereka keluar dengan tafsiran Taurat dan Talmud yang memanfaatkan Zionis. Suara golongan rabbi Haredi dan majoriti masyarakat Yahudi ortodoks sentiasa ditekan oleh kumpulan-kumpulan pro-Zionis ini.

Pelbagai usaha dibuat oleh Zionis untuk menarik lebih ramai Yahudi berpindah ke Israel. Antaranya dengan menjanjikan kesenangan kepada keluarga Yahudi yang hidup miskin di negara-negara asing. Pun begitu sambutannya masih tidak menggalakkan. Ironinya, Israel sendiri pun bergantung kepada sokongan ekonomi dari Yahudi di luar. Sekiranya negara Israel begitu bermanfaat kepada bangsa Yahudi, mereka tidak perlu diajak berhijrah ke Israel. Masyarakat Yahudi yang hidup aman damai di luar Palestin hakikatnya tidak ‘selera’ untuk tinggal di Israel. Hal ini kerana Israel sentiasa diancam perang dan pergolakan. Demi kepentingan politik, Zionis sanggup meletuskan perang yang membahayakan nyawa rakyatnya. Ramai yang dahulunya ‘terpesona’ dengan janji Zionis telah berpindah ke negara lain yang lebih aman.

Nur Iman Ramli, Pegawai Eksekutif Persidangan, IAIS Malaysia.

– BebasNews

https://bebasnews.my/?p=63902

You and I are human beings, with family, perhaps children and grandchildren, certainly with friends and neighbors. We are of different nationalities, ethnicities, beliefs. We have all seen extreme poverty, and witnessed wars and the killing and the dying, whether firsthand or through the news.

We have similar sentiments. Empathy is a part of us, in our DNA. Unless one can completely block out this aspect of all human beings, it is impossible to view what has happened in the last weeks the people of Gaza without being heartbroken, angry, and feeling helpless.

The country inflicting such disproportionate war on the inhabitants of Gaza is the one that was carved out of ancient Palestine following one of the worst, and one of the most heartbreaking man-made human calamities, the Jewish Holocaust.

As the smoke clears, and as both parties finish their “victory celebrations,” it is on all of us to ask ourselves what we can do.

A mostly barren region of the world, the Israeli and Palestinian land is the holy birthplace of the prophets of the three primary monotheist religions of the world. One would think that with the wisdom of these powerful religions, it would be a heaven of harmony. Instead, we find a hell on Earth, a ground soaked in the blood and tears of far too many innocent victims.

No conflict has consumed so much thought, wisdom and mediation by so many sages. It has produced more “peace plans” and “road maps” than any other conflict of the last century, the writers and planners at times rewarded prematurely with the Nobel Peace Prize, creating false optimism followed by disillusion, more frustration and anger. The hopes of Palestinians have been betrayed by their own leaders, by the rulers of their fellow Arab nations, and by the US.

We have just witnessed a new round of horrors, unleashed by an Israeli state that is apparently without moral constraints, one that believes it somehow has God’s exclusive mandate to be the unchallenged regional power, and one that believes itself entitled to nuclear arsenal that is denied to others in the region. Hamas rockets are easily overwhelmed by the unmatched air force and infantry army of Israel, the world’s 4th world military power.

Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II.

AS of 2020, the United States had provided Israel $146 billion (current, or noninflation-adjusted, dollars) in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding. In 2021, the Trump Administration requested and additional $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Israel and $500 million in missile defense aid. Israel receives the second largest foreign aid allocation in the US budget, second only to Afghanistan, including ultra-modern lethal weapons, advanced missile shield technology and the most advanced jet fighters. 

Rhetoric and fist-waving aside, Israel has no discernible external threats to its survival. Iran is as close as it comes to a plausible enemy – but with no nuclear weapons against Israel’s 200 nuclear warheads it is difficult to call this credible. The rockets fired by Hamas, most of them destroyed by Israel’s “Iron Dome,” are comparable to a child throwing rocks at an army of tanks in proportion to Israeli might. Yet the Israeli army has continued to wage wars against the Palestinian people, as it has done since the Arab-Israel war of half a century ago.

 The recent conflict, ignited by the invasion by Israeli security forces of the most sacred of Muslim sites, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, resulting in hundreds wounded, is only the latest move in a long campaign. It is made even more absurd today by the fact that 44% of the population of Gaza is under 14 years old, a demographic often seen in populations that have been subjected to campaigns of annihilation.

The US is an irreplaceable partner in the region and is critical to is resolution. The Biden Administration is inheriting a legacy of extraordinary blunders by the Trump administration that were received by Netanyahu as a green light and license for a scorched earth war against the Palestinians. It will demand courage and wisdom, and strong international support, to undo.

A path to the resolution must begin with all parties being held to the recognized international standards for crimes against humanity. No alliance with the powerful should shield any state or party from accountability for the violation of these standards. International Standards of crimes against one’s fellow human beings, when applied to Slobodan Milošević or Omar Al-Bashir but not to Benjamin Netanyahu become pointless.

Every conflict in this ongoing theater of insanity, including the “eviction” by armed forces from one’s home, to missiles landing in one’s bedroom in Gaza to a 10-year-old Israeli girl cowering in fear in a shelter, should reaffirm the validity and urgent need for the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. The only other option is a unified state composed of Israelis and Palestinians, with the recognition that Palestinians would be the majority. There are no other options.

The  next steps on this vital road must  now include unimpeded access to Gaza for international humanitarian agencies, and international support for the reconstruction and compensation for the destruction of infrastructures and human lives needlessly lost and wounded. Our common empathy and humanity demand it.

(Article by Professor Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and José Ramos-Horta, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)

Source : https://www.muhammadyunus.org/news/2221/the-war-on-gaza-there-is-only-one-road-out