Dr Puyesh Kant Sharma
This blatant attack by the Hamas on Israel has marked a negative impact on the aspiration of five millions Palestinians for a sovereign state. This whole episode raises some questions to ponder about: How Israelis could not predict and prescribe such massive attack from their backyard? Does Israel could not foresee it or is it somehow an attempt to overlook such catastrophe? Why was Israel reluctant and ignored the official Egyptian warnings of such robust attack by the Hamas? How could this much of Israelis lost lives which has never happened in history?
Jews trace their existence in the ‘promised’ land of Israel since the Iron Age (around 1300 BC) but it was the Zionist movement at the end of the nineteenth century which sought to settle Jewish people in Palestine, which was then controlled by Ottoman Empire. This movement made a significant success when British Government issued Balfour declaration in 1917 and British mandate of Palestine in 1920. These two events were significant enough to encourage the Jews to migrate and settle in Palestine. Moreover, the horrors of holocaust and genocide of Jews in Europe during Second World War by Nazi Germans in extermination camps promoted International opinion and seriousness for the establishment of Jewish land in Palestine. This paved the way for the creation of Israel in Palestine on May 14th, 1948 which was followed by the first Arab-Israeli war on the very next day of the creation of Israel. This war led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians from their land. Since then numerous wars have been fought between the Israel and Arab nations including 1956 Suez Crisis to nationalize Suez Canal, 1967 Six Day War, 1973 Yom Kippur War (surprise offensive on October 6), 1978 and 1987 Palestinian Intifada, 2014 Israel Gaza War and so on.
On October 6, 2023, Hamas has taken aback the Israel by launching a massive land, sea and air attack which has shaken the security and stability of country and never in the history 1400 Israelis were killed in a war in a day. Resultantly, the very next day world witnessed the abrupt and prompt response from the Israel. This blatant attack by the Hamas has marked a negative impact on the aspiration of five millions Palestinians for a sovereign state. Also this whole episode of massive attack by the Hamas and declaration of war by Israel in a haste raises some questions to ponder about.
Mossad of Israel is the second most top intelligence organization and its work has been recognized all over the world, then, how they could not predict and prescribe such massive attack from their backyard? Does Israel could not foresee it or is it somehow an attempt to overlook such catastrophe? Why was Israel reluctant and ignore the official Egyptian warnings of such robust attack by the Hamas? How could this much of Israelis lost lives which has never happened in history?
Though Israeli Government denied any such warning from Egypt yet it is believed that Israel had more focused on West Bank than Gaza strip. This is purely a strategic failure on the part of the Israel and Hamas could do this much destruction. Now the mighty Israeli army has launched allover attack on the Gaza Palestine and has used banned weapons like white phosphorus munitions as stated by Human Rights Watch, violates international humanitarian law. Besides, Israel has claimed that Hamas has built a complex network of underground tunnels which ranges to more than 500 Kms in Gaza Strip. Resultantly, this counter attack by the Israeli military gives them a suitable reason to launch military assault which can bring highest possible destruction to the network of underground tunnels. But who cares for two million Gaza Palestinians.
Israel is among the most powerful countries of the world, then how could a militant organization like Hamas could launch such assault from a deprived strip of land? An old proverb seems to justify any military action by the powerful state as everything is fair in war and realist understanding of International Politics too can justify any attack by the state to establish security and integrity. However, this is also reasonable that there is no other way than the viable political solution particularly on the part of one who is stronger of the two (Israel and Palestine). If Hamas has the support of Palestinian people then military action cannot defeat the Hamas, more the atrocities more will be the vengeance of the Palestinians. History has taught us that military can defeat military but not when citizens get involved directly or indirectly.
World is already witnessing Russia Ukraine war for more than one and half years and only thing it has brought is destruction. In this era of globalization, the impact is global and no one is unaffected. Therefore, another war in the West Asian region has opened the pandora’s box of difficulties and uncertainties for the world. Here the role of the present President of G20 countries, India, becomes prominent because India is among the largest population of Muslims in the world on one side and on the other we share good diplomatic, strategic and cultural relations with Israel. Henceforth, it becomes our responsibility to take initiatives to resolve this violent conflict and make strategies towards political solution of Israel-Palestine conflict.
(The author is Assistant Professor in Political Science GDC Akhnoor)
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