South Africa – For 75 years and 109 days, the Israel Occupation Force (IOF) continues its occupation and genocide of the Palestinians. Despite assertions from Israeli government officials that civilians in Gaza are not the intended targets, they are the ones which continue to suffer casualties at an alarming rate.
During these 109 days, “the world’s most moral army” has been responsible for the death of over 25 000 Palestinians, with tens of thousands more injured and millions displaced. Entire city blocks, critical infrastructure, and villages have been reduced to rubble.
The Gaza Strip remains under blockade, impeding the flow of essential supplies such as food, water, and medication to those in urgent need within the enclave. Instead of advocating for an immediate ceasefire and an end to Palestinian suffering, Western leaders are pushing for a two-state solution which predominantly considers Israeli interests.
Despite global leaders, including those in the South and the West, promoting a two-state solution as the remedy for the longstanding conflict, senior Israeli government officials, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, oppose the creation of a Palestinian State. Netanyahu rejects the idea of Palestinian sovereignty, emphasising Israel’s need for security over the entire territory west of the Jordan River.
President Joe Biden of the United States has expressed support for a two-state solution, including an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, Netanyahu openly contradicts this stance, causing tension with a traditionally staunch ally.
Critic, Advocate Aslam Bava, argues that the rejection of a two-state solution is not merely a response to the presence of Hamas but is rooted in a longstanding Zionist philosophy, which advocates against coexistence with the indigenous Palestinian population. This philosophy, he argues, underlies the refusal to establish a Palestinian state.
“What we do have is Benjamin Netanyahu boasting towards his constituency that if you do not elect me again, no one will give you the entire area free of Palestinians. This is the ethnic cleansing, which is not new.”
Israel’s Sinister Plans for The Palestinians
Despite the Israeli government’s public statements professing a desire for peace and coexistence with the Palestinians, their actions have consistently revealed a different agenda.
The Israeli government’s true objective is to exert control over the entire region at the expense of the Palestinians. While claiming a wish to live alongside them, their actions involve killing, displacing, and operating without restraint.
Rather than seeking a peaceful resolution, they aim to dominate and subjugate the Palestinians, mirroring the tight control they maintain over the entrances and exits of Gaza.
According to Bava, Israel has unmistakably demonstrated a strategy to keep the Palestinians reliant and subservient to them. This approach entails stripping them of any semblance of autonomy and thwarting their aspirations for self-determination.
“They want Palestinians to live in subjugation forever. They do not want Palestinians to have autonomy. Similarly to what they’ve done to Gaza, they want control of the airspace, Sea and land … This is their intention, if we do keep you, we will keep you caged. You will dance to our tune and not exist independently.”
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The West Bullied by Israel
Since the establishment of the state of Israel, the Western nations have consistently provided unwavering financial, military, and political support to Israel. This support has been evident on numerous occasions, with President Biden reinforcing unverified claims made by the Israeli government since October 7.
In return for their steadfast backing, these Western nations receive criticism and opposition from Israel.
The question arises, why do they tolerate such behaviour? Bava explained, asserting that US, UK and German support, amongst others, is rooted in a desire to distance themselves from their historical anti-Semitic attitudes and actions toward the European-Jewish population.
Driven by a sense of guilt, these nations have transferred their historical sins onto populations that may not have been perfect but have found ways to coexist peacefully with diverse backgrounds, as seen in the case of the Palestinians—comprising indigenous Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
“In the Muslim and Arab countries, Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived peacefully. They (The West) have taken their sins, and in wanting to pay penance for it, they have done so by sacrificing the rights of the Palestinians and throwing them under the bus.”
