The Middle East Under Siege: Israel’s Warmongering and the Global Silence – KSINSIGHTS SEP 2024
Published on 07 Oct 2024
War crimes, regardless of the perpetrator, must be unequivocally condemned. The loss of innocent lives—whether Israeli, Palestinian, or Lebanese—is deeply regrettable and unacceptable. Every civilian casualty represents a tragedy, and no justification exists for targeting non-combatants. Human life is sacred, and any action that undermines this principle must be met with the strongest condemnation. Yet beyond this, it is essential to challenge the narratives used to justify the ongoing violence and examine the core issues driving the conflict.
The Myth of an Existential Threat
Israel frequently portrays its military actions against groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as essential measures to defend its survival. This “existential threat” narrative forms the foundation of Israel’s justification for aggressive military campaigns that include airstrikes, blockades, and ground invasions. However, this claim is both misleading and factually incorrect.
Hamas and Hezbollah, while militant, do not possess the military capacity to threaten Israel’s existence. They have no tanks, no advanced air force, or artillery divisions. Their tactics rely on rockets and guerrilla warfare—far from what is necessary to dismantle or destroy a state as militarily advanced as Israel. Meanwhile, Israel maintains one of the world’s most powerful militaries, bolstered by billions of dollars in U.S. military aid, and possesses sophisticated defence systems like the Iron Dome, capable of neutralising much of the incoming rocket fire.
This stark imbalance in military power must be acknowledged. Framing the conflict as a struggle between two sides of equal strength is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. Israel is not fighting for survival—it is perpetuating control over Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon. This is not a defensive conflict but rather one fought from a position of overwhelming power.
The Brutality of Disproportionate Violence
While Israel claims to avoid civilian casualties, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The sheer scale of civilian deaths in Gaza and Lebanon is undeniable. Israel’s military actions have led to far more deaths of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians than Israeli casualties caused by Hamas and Hezbollah. The argument that Israel’s actions are purely defensive collapses when we look at the massive disparity in casualties.
This situation is not just a matter of proportionality but a matter of ethics. Israel cannot claim moral superiority when its military strategies lead to widespread destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and entire communities. According to a study published in The Lancet, the cumulative effects of Israel’s military operations and the blockade in Gaza could result in a death toll exceeding 186,000 people! This devastating figure highlights the catastrophic human cost of Israel’s policies and brings into question any claims of a moral high ground.
ICJ Advisory Opinion on Illegal Occupation
On 19th July 19 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion that further challenges Israel’s narrative. The ICJ ruled that Israel’s ongoing presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, is illegal and violates the Palestinian right to self-determination. The court called for an end to Israel’s occupation and the evacuation of all settlements in these territories. This ruling emphasised that Israel’s policies, including its settlements, are in clear violation of international law.
The ICJ’s opinion, although advisory and non-binding, carries significant weight in international legal discourse. It reaffirms the illegality of Israel’s occupation and highlights the necessity for Israel to comply with international human rights standards. This global acknowledgment of Israel’s violations should compel the international community to hold Israel accountable, further challenging the justification of Israel’s actions as defensive.
Ethnic Cleansing and the Reality of Apartheid
Israel’s long-term objective appears to be the creation of a “Greater Israel” by controlling not only its current territory but also the West Bank and Gaza. This has led to the establishment of an apartheid-like system where Palestinians are systematically denied their basic human rights. Gaza has been described as an open-air prison, while the West Bank continues to suffer under expanding Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.
The reality is that Israel is not pursuing peace, but dominance. The forced displacement of Palestinians, the destruction of their homes, and the denial of their right to self-determination are not accidental byproducts of the conflict; they are part of a deliberate strategy to erase Palestinian identity from the land.
Occupation as the Root Cause of Conflict
The violence perpetrated by groups like Hamas and Hezbollah is not random. It is a direct response to decades of occupation, oppression, and the denial of Palestinian rights. The Palestinian people are not inherently violent; they are reacting to the intolerable conditions imposed by Israel’s regime. Every act of resistance, whether violent or nonviolent, can be traced back to Israel’s policies of occupation.
The October 7th attack did not occur in isolation. It was a reaction to Israel’s blockade and occupation of Gaza, both of which have severely limited the rights and livelihoods of Palestinians. The Israeli government has continually pushed Palestinians to their breaking point, only to express shock when resistance emerges.
Ukraine and Gaza: The Double Standard
One of the most glaring contradictions in international discourse is the double standard applied to conflicts. The global response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was swift and decisive. Russia was expelled from international sporting events, and major corporations like McDonald’s halted operations in the country.
The international community was right to stand against Russian aggression.
However, where is this same level of outrage and action when it comes to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories? Why is Israel, responsible for the vast majority of civilian deaths in Gaza, not held to the same standard? The double standard is glaring, and the international community must address it.
If the world can condemn Russia for its actions in Ukraine, it must also apply the same principles to Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The facts are clear: Israel is the occupying force, and the devastation it causes cannot be ignored.
The Role of the West: Enabling a Catastrophe
Western governments, particularly the United States, have played a complicit role in this ongoing crisis. They continue to provide unconditional support to Israel, regardless of the human rights abuses and violations of international law it commits. This unwavering support only serves to perpetuate the cycle of violence, suffering, and displacement in the region.
A Call for Justice, Not Militarisation
Peace in Gaza and the West Bank will not come through further militarisation or the defeat of Hamas and Hezbollah. It will come only through justice. Justice for the Palestinian people, who have been denied their rights for far too long, is the only path forward. Israel’s occupation must end, and Palestinians must be allowed to determine their own future.
The ICJ’s advisory opinion reinforces this reality, and the international community must act on it. Israel’s actions are not about defence—they are about domination. The global community must demand an end to the occupation, the lifting of the blockade, and the establishment of justice for Palestinians. Anything less would be a moral and strategic failure.
The only real solution is to end the occupation and allow Palestinians the freedom and self-determination they deserve. Anything short of this will continue to perpetuate the cycle of violence, and the world will be complicit in the suffering that follows.