Israel’s war in Gaza is repugnant and must end NOW

On 19 July, the International Court of Justice published its advisory opinion on Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. The World Court couldn’t have been clearer. The occupation is unlawful, Israel’s presence in occupied territory must come to an end as “rapidly as possible,” Israel is guilty of “systematic” racial discrimination, Israel must immediately cease all settlement activity, and Israel owes reparation to Palestinians. That is not to mention the legal responsibilities of other states in view of this ruling, to act to end Israel’s illegal presence in occupied territory, not accept any physical or demographic changes imposed on these territories, and to end any assistance or aid that helps Israel maintain its presence in occupied territory. The Court affirmed that from a legal standpoint, that the Occupied Palestinian Territory – comprising the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip – constitutes a single territorial unit, the unity, contiguity and integrity are to be preserved and respected. It also requires the evacuation of all settlers from existing settlements and the dismantling of the parts of the wall constructed by Israel that are situated in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as allowing all Palestinians displaced during the occupation to return to their original place of residence.

The world saw the repugnant sight of PM Netanyahu’s address to the US Congress where he received a hero’s welcome and 57 applauds. His was a speech punctuated by lies, exaggeration, and hate. He pleaded for more funds to ‘finish off the job’. Rashida Tlaib alone chose the road less taken. She held up a banner which stated “War Criminal”. On the streets demonstrators carried placards and shouted slogans. Netanyahu simply referred to them as ‘idiots’ while they called him a war criminal. We are now left asking whether ‘idiots’ who practice cruelty are the real idiots?

No peace move can come from initiatives of the USA or any western state. The Palestinians must change tactics. China and other countries which have experienced settler colonialism know better. As much as there is a call for boycotting Israel, it is time to boycott the USA too- Israel’s biggest criminal ally. There is as much blood on the hands of American leaders as there is on the Israelis and all those countries that support the war overtly or covertly. India included. .

The suffering of Palestinians cannot continue unimpeded. The international community must isolate Israel in every single arena- political, academic, economics, armaments etc. The UN has been rendered inane. Out-of-the box solutions must be found. Arab backstabbing must end, for that alone, will scare the wits out of Israel. Regardless of what international law states, Israel must face possible suspension- until it reverses its tactics of hate, murder, death and destruction, jailing anyone who they view as a potential enemy, allow settlers to control the country, practice rape and get endorsed for it by some sections of the population.

How can the international community include within it a state that did not exist until 1948, and has abandoned all civilizational values and, instead, practices barbaric political ideas?

Way back in 2002, ‘Frontline’ one of India’s most progressive weeklies, in an article referring to the Nazification of Israel, said:”By brazenly resorting to Nazi-style rhetoric and methods of persecution in Palestine, Israel, with the consent of the majority of its own people and the unlimited support of the United States, perpetrates the kind of crimes that the Jewish state claims as the raison d’etre of its own creation in 1948”.

Ranjan Solomon is a political commentator