Gaza: Why Aren’t the US and UK Governments Taking a Pro-Humanitarian Stance?
By
Fariha Sikondari, New Age Islam
Israel
should cease hindering humanitarian aid to Gaza, as starving a population is a
crime against humanity. The international community must stop the inhumane
treatment of civilians and demand an immediate end to the genocide, aiming to
eradicate Palestine and annex Gaza and the West Bank.
Main
Points
· Hamas' October 7th atrocities in Israel
were horrific, but Israel's retaliation was disproportionate, inhumane, and
cruel.
· Despite the Daily Occurrence of War
Crimes, No One Is Able to Voice Their Concerns.
· The US and UK governments should urge a
humanitarian ceasefire and actively participate in conflict resolution, while
not condoning Israel's aggression and escalation of violence.
· The pro-Palestinian stance is not
synonymous with terrorism or antisemitism; it is a pro-humanitarian stance
advocating for human rights, democracy, and justice.
…
The
unfolding events over the last few weeks in Gaza and the West Bank have shown
the world that Palestinian lives hold little value in the eyes of the
international community.
The
atrocities committed on Oct 7th by Hamas in Israel were abhorrent. Taking
innocent Israeli lives and hostages are crimes. However, the retaliation taken
by Israel has no doubt been disproportionate, inhumane and cruel. For a nation,
which is illegally occupying Gaza, to be allowed to cut off water, food, aid,
fuel, electricity and communications is beyond barbaric in this day and age. This
is a grave violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people, forcing
civilians to live in unsanitary conditions and condemning them to death under a
total blockade.
There
has been little mention of what has been happening in the West Bank since Oct
7th. Palestinians are being treated like prisoners in their own homes by
Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. They have been denied their rights,
unable to leave their homes to access food or medical care. They have been
forced to close their businesses and thereby denied the ability to earn their
livelihoods, forced to live on savings that are fast running out. Palestinians
are having to endure constant intimidation, violence and forced displacement by
Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. Over two hundred Palestinians have been
unlawfully killed in the West Bank since Oct 7th. These human rights abuses and
crimes are not being addressed.
It is
a clear violation of international law to collectively punish civilians and
intentionally target civilians. To date over 13,000 Palestinians have been
killed, nearly half of which are children, in this “War between Israel and
Hamas”. Since Israeli politicians have referred to Palestinians as, “human
animals” and claimed that civilians are “legitimate targets,” the IDF have been
deliberately targeting UN-protected buildings and civilian infrastructure
including, hospitals, ambulances, refugee camps, schools and places of worship.
It is obvious to the entire world that it is a “War between Israel and
civilians.”
The
question to ask is why is Israel allowed to operate outside of international
law? The reasons given by our politicians that Israel has a “right to defend
itself” and is targeting Hamas who use “human shields” and hide under civilian
infrastructure, are extremely weak arguments. Civilians are not criminals.
Bargaining the exchange of Israeli hostages for a temporary ceasefire and
allowing little aid into Gaza is unacceptable. Civilians have a right to aid
and a right to be protected from conflict, regardless of the rhetoric. There is
no justification for the war crimes that are being committed on a daily basis,
yet no one is able to speak up.
Politicians
and government employees are silenced or risk losing their jobs. The silence
from world leaders is deafening, chilling in fact. What is actually even worse
than the atrocities taking place in Gaza is the inability for anyone to stand
up to the oppression of Palestinians, even at this colossal scale of merciless
killing of innocent people and ethnic cleansing. How can there be democracy
without freedom of speech, when politicians, journalists and writers are being
censored for criticising the actions of governments? This clearly demonstrates
there are no true democratic societies in the Western world.
The US
and UK governments should be urging for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to
end this unprecedented bloodbath in Gaza. They should be actively involved in
conflict resolution and establishing a peace process; not simultaneously
condoning the actions of Israel and assisting Israel in its aggression and
escalation of violence.
Why
aren’t the US and UK politicians taking a pro-humanitarian stance on Gaza?
Israeli lives are not superior to Palestinian lives. Yet this notion of
superiority seems to be the prevailing view in the international community and
the fundamental reason why Israel is allowed to operate outside international
law. This damaging, racist view perpetuates the Israeli apartheid regime.
By
continuing to support “Israel’s right to defend itself,” Palestinians have
become subhuman to the international community, with their rights being
continuously denied. There is no justice in this policy. This biased stance has
prevented any meaningful peace resolutions from being successful in the past.
The UK
government should now have the moral courage to challenge this racist
perspective and change its stance. The UK should take the lead in finding a
lasting unbiased peace solution, as it has precedent for successfully
negotiating peace talks in the past, during the Troubles in Ireland. A
two-state solution is a possible solution, if it does not involve Israel’s
“security control” over Palestinian territory, and ensures that Israeli and
Palestinian rights are given equal protection. Israel should not be allowed to
be a continuing occupying power over Palestine in any way.
There
should be an end to the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian
territories: Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem, which has involved the forced
displacement of Palestinians since 1967. The UN has consistently recognised
that Israel’s settlements in Palestinian territories are illegal and a
violation of international law.
The
current indiscriminate bombing campaign and ground invasion of Israel have
resulted in further displacement of more than 1.6 million Palestinians from
Gaza. The international community should be imposing sanctions on Israel to
condemn this action, which constitutes a crime against humanity. The
indiscriminate military action not only does not distinguish between militants
and civilians, but it also fails to distinguish between Israeli hostages
further endangering their lives.
In
addition to the blockade, Israel has targeted and destroyed a number of
bakeries which supply bread to shelters and refugee camps, further reducing the
supply of food to the population. Israel and its supporters should stop
hindering humanitarian aid entering Gaza; starving a population is a crime
against humanity. Humanitarian aid should be given unconditionally.
It is
clear by Israel’s rhetoric that their ultimate goal for this conflict is to
eradicate Palestine altogether and annex Gaza and the West Bank to Israel.
However, this should not be allowed to happen, and the international community
must urge an end to the inhumane treatment of civilians and give dignity to the
Palestinian people. This genocide must stop now.
Taking
a pro-Palestinian stance does not equal siding with terrorism or being
antisemitic; it is a pro-humanitarian stance which stands up for human rights,
democracy and justice.
…
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