By Afshain Afzal

In a latest development, a drone attack at Israeli capital Tel Aviv near the US Embassy on 19 July 20224, killed one person and injured five others. This has put a question mark on the Israeli and the US Air Defence capabilities. The Israeli Army Radio units, Israel’s Missile Defence Organization and US Missile Defence Agency are speechless about their defence system including Patriot systems; the credibility of US-Israeli-made Arrow 3 missile is also on stake. We saw a green signal from the US for $ 3.5 billion for sale to Germany in August last year that was likely to be signed in November 2023, but 7 October attack on Israel put the deal on the back burner. Despite claimed long-range interception capabilities at high altitudes above the atmosphere in the stratosphere, the German Bundestag Defence Committee probably has to reconsider the deal for its acquisition as part of the European Air Defence System.

Earlier, on 18 July 2024, the Israeli 120-member Knesset passed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Resolution could earn only 68 votes to nine a resolution as others either did not turn out or declined to support resolution including opposition leader Yair Lapid’s center-left Yesh Atid party, the Labor, Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al parties (a clear majority of eighty members of the Knesset could not be achieved). The Resolution read as, “The Israeli Knesset opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state on any piece of land west of the Jordan River... It will be only a matter of time before Hamas takes over such a Palestinian state and turns it into a base for radical Islamic terrorism in full alignment with the Iranian regime that aims to eradicate the State of Israel…" Interestingly, the Knesset already passed a resolution sponsored by Prime Minister Netanyahu rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state in February 2024, in which 99 of 120 lawmakers voted in support. However, Tel Aviv placed the Resolution for the second time as 168 countries have either recognized Palestine or in the process of recognizing a Palestinian state

Meanwhile, Israel is continuing the genocide of the orthodox Muslims in Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon. The leadership of Hamas including the government formed in exile in Eastern Europe has rejected the impression that the Israeli Defence forces are in occupation of Gaza or other Palestinian territories. In a statement, Hamas leader Muhammad said, “We will not let down the Palestinian masses and we are still in control of Gaza and adjoining. Hamas is abiding the international law and is giving tough resistance to Israeli intruders and would flush them out of Palestinian territories; we would declare independence on 26 July 2024, Inshallah…” Israel should allow Palestinians to govern their territories with due guarantees by the Arab and African Confederation of neighbouring states. This would ensure future generations of Muslims and Jews to live peacefully in this holy land of Prophets.