The UN Security Council’s first-ever resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, is much talked about as an event in its history, particularly the United States’ failure to use its veto against it. It compelled the elite to defend international humanitarian law and reject the heinous crimes against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip which have been continuing for more than six months. The passage of the resolution provided a different perspective and a broader approach to reading this ongoing crime.
It is no longer possible to limit ourselves to condemning Israel for its crimes as it is in the forefront, and to turn a blind eye or belittle the role and responsibility of the powers which enable Israel to commit these crimes, in an indirect or unintentional way.
The elites which currently reject these crimes are asking questions clearly and frankly. The question dominated newspaper articles and TV programs: From where does Israel get the weapons being used to kill more than 30,000 Palestinians and injure 76,000?
This issue was not raised previously with the same clarity as it is raised now, with the passage of a Security Council resolution calling on Israel to immediately cease fire, which forced us today to raise this question loud and from another angle. Respecting the Security Council resolution and international humanitarian law does not concern Israel only, but those who support Israel with weapons also committed a violation of the resolution. Here a question arises about the historical responsibility of the countries exporting weapons to Israel, which attacks and violates international humanitarian law. This implicates the countries that support it with their weapons. In this context, it is worth referring to the letter of 600 British lawyers, in which they addressed their country’s risk of violating international humanitarian law by exporting weapons to Israel.
From here we understand why Israel is indifferent to the decision and continues to move forward with its daily killing of Palestinians and does not feel guilty for the death of children and women. It also does not feel any embarrassment because it imports weapons from influential countries in the Security Council and in the world.
This will weaken the powerful countries that are supposed to guard international humanitarian law and prevent attacks on it. One of the narratives circulated by some countries which sell weapons to Israel is that Israel’s security is at the core of these countries’ foreign policy.
Is this true?
Isn’t the security of the Palestinians also, in one of its dimensions, the security of the Israelis?
What is happening currently is the establishment of a plan to revolve in a vicious circle in which everyone will lose, the first of which is Israel because what it is doing makes its security impossible, and also the countries which sell weapons and are currently gaining money and Israel’s approval. But history will hold them responsible and they will find their legacy haunted by breaches and deviations.
[by Dr. Amal Moussa in Asharq Al-Awsat]
Compiled and translated by Faizul Haque
