The Israel-Palestinian conflict is the most highly entrenched and explosive topic in the Middle East as of now. A complicated network of historical, political, religious, and geographical issues continues to define the situation. We fully appreciate that this is the consequence of the dire Hamas terror attack on Israel. But we are deeply concerned at the potential for a wider war. The White House has requested about $106 billion from Congress to support its expansive plans for border security, Israel, and Ukraine, but it has not provided a plan for how it would get the money from a dysfunctional Congress. Meanwhile, though the delivery of aid has begun, concern mounts about the provision of food, water, medication, and fuel to Gaza.

Peace Summit

A Peace Summit is being held in Egypt. Both the King of Jordan and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Palestine, France, Germany, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Qatar and South Africa are attending the one-day meeting. But neither Israel nor Iran are present.

Proportionality

There has been very considerable international feedback on the Next Century Foundation reports on the Gaza war. This comes from Jonathan Mueller, an NCF member who is a weapons expert and former US State Department Diplomat. It is in regard to the proportionality of Israel’s response:

The doctrine of proportionality is in Additional Protocol 1 (AP-1, 1977) to the Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV, 1949). It says that an attack on a military target would be illegal if it were ‘clearly expected’ to cause civilian casualties out of proportion to the military advantage gained. Nothing to do with how many bombs Israel can legally drop on Gaza.

As a principle to guide the actions of belligerents, this may have some value, but as a law of war that can be enforced in front of the ICC or elsewhere it is pretty useless, inasmuch as it depends first on foreknowledge and expectation, not on what actually happened, and secondly on balancing civilian casualties, which can be easily quantified, against ‘military advantage’, which cannot. Add in the overcrowded environment of Gaza and Hamas’s intermingling of their facilities with civilians, and it does not get you very far.

We again reiterate that are fully aware that the present war is the consequence of the terrible Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, which we utterly deplore. However, it does bear noting that the Religious Affairs Advisory Council of the Next Century Foundation has published a Code of Honour in War, and though the code is out of date and currently subject to revision, on proportionality it states:

Although in times of war ensuring that precise targets are hit is challenging, we believe that rather than possibly radicalising a local population, states and non-state actors should ensure that civilian populations are left out of the equation to avoid collateral damage.

RAAC accepts that collateral damage to people or property may be inevitable in times of war. However, the premeditated acceptance of innocent human death in the event of military engagement is always deplorable. If you know in advance that your action will inevitably cause civilian death, that action is unacceptable.

Biden pushes backing for Israel-Ukraine assistance

President Joe Biden has requested Congress to approve an “urgent budget” that includes vital defence assistance for Israel and Ukraine. He framed these two countries’ wars against Hamas and Russia as part of a larger battle against adversaries of democracy who will gain greater power if the US withholds its support.

He attempted to persuade Congress and the American people that Washington must continue to support both Israel and Ukraine in a rare Oval Office speech. He referred to aid for the two countries as “a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations.” As the administration was ready to send a pressing budget request to Congress to support both nations, Biden argued for billions in aid.

The globe is held together by the leadership of the United States. America’s security is derived from its alliances. Biden stated, “What makes us a partner other countries want to work with are American values,” during this prime-time Oval Office speech during the early stages of the presidential reelection campaign. He said, “It’s just not worth it to put all that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine and turn our backs on Israel.”

He also again obliquely emphasised that he would probably not be going into any wider war on Israel’s side by saying, “Help us keep America’s troops out of harm’s way”.

Rafah Border Crossing opens for aid

As agreed upon by Joe Biden, the Egypt-Gaza border crossing opened today, for 28 trucks filled with aid to cross.

Everyone is grateful to see this happen. Though a small delivery may be too little, too late for a besieged Gaza population of 2.3 million people who have limited access to water, food, and medical supplies.

Israel

Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Defence Minister, stated when addressing troops, “You see Gaza now from a distance; you will soon see it from within. The command will come.” His remark has heightened tensions throughout the world.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, responded to the situation by saying, “Any further escalation or even continuation of military activities will be catastrophic for the people of Gaza.”

Hezbollah

The prospect of the Gaza violence spreading has become obvious. After days of cross-border fire exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah forces, Israel evacuated Kiryat Shmona, a community of more than 20,000 people near the Lebanese border.

Is Britain falling apart?

The Middle East issue is having major domestic repercussions.
Meanwhile, the failures are visible. The long-planned atrocity was allegedly unknown to US and UK intelligence, which are always in sync. Both have been held accountable for the region’s long-term neglect.

However, domestic impact is the most dangerous for public actors. The crisis has resulted in a new battleground in the cultural war. Premier Sunak has it simpler, although not necessarily easier, than Keir Starmer, who leads a movement of both supporters and detractors of Israel.

Britain’s long-standing primary dilemma has become acute: how to support Israel and Jewish people in Britain without forsaking Palestine and the fate of Palestinians. MPs were “aligned” on the importance of Israel-Palestinian “coexistence.” They also talked with “one voice” in support of a “two-state solution”, the long-standing option in conflict resolution. It is now an idea that is only words to many.

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman met with Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth, Sir Ephraim Mirvis. The Home Secretary “reaffirmed our unwavering support for Israel and our commitment to the safety of the UK Jewish community”. Subsequently, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said “I took the opportunity to thank Home Secretary Suella Braverman for her vital leadership in protecting our community in the UK, and her clear condemnation of Hamas’ terrorism”.

Dramatic increase in both Antisemitism and Islamaphobia

Since the atrocious Hamas attack on Israel and the consequent inevitable response by Israel, antisemitism has increased notably worldwide, particularly in the United States. In US universities Jewish students have reported more incidents of anti-Semitism over the past week. In one case reported, a lecturer at Stanford has been suspended after reportedly describing Israel as a “coloniser” before singling out Jewish students in his class and forcing them to move away from their belongings to ‘demonstrate’ colonialism.

Similarly, Islamophobia is on the increase. A group of students at Northeastern University in Boston published an open letter accusing the institution of causing Muslims “to feel isolated, unheard, and unsafe . . . Students have been called terrorists, and women with the Islamic religious scarf (Hijab) on have been followed, with pictures taken of them and threatening notes left on cars.”

In the UK Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, has written to schools and colleges to say:

“Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation, and it is illegal to encourage support for them. This would also be contrary to the British values that schools and colleges should promote and embody”.

“In the past, we have seen how events in the Middle East are used as an excuse to stir up hatred against communities, including in schools and colleges. It is of the utmost importance that schools and colleges tackle this head on and ensure that where behaviour extends into antisemitism or other discriminatory bullying, it is responded to with all due seriousness. There is also support through the Prevent programme if teachers consider that abusive or discriminatory views indicate a wider vulnerability to radicalisation”.

Hostages

The Vatican News reported that Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed his willingness to exchange himself for the kidnapped children taken hostage by Hamas and discussed the Holy See’s mediation efforts with regard to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the Holy Land.

Press Intimidation

CNN reporters have been undergoing severe intimidation by angry crowds both in Egypt and in the West Bank town of Ramallah. They have been singled out because CNN reported without qualification a false allegation by US President Biden that babies had been beheaded by the Hamas terrorists that attacked Israel.

Photo above by shavnya.com on Unsplash