By Afshain Afzal
In the backdrop nad reaction of continuous raids by Israeli security forces in occupied East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank as well as Al Aqsa Mosque during prayers and creating hindrances by Israeli Police trying to stop Palestinians from accessing the Old City since the holy month of Ramadan, Palestinian decided to retaliate. The confidence and legality of taking punitive against Israel had spring through the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 242, which called for Israel to withdraw from occupied lands to secure and recognize borders in exchange for peace and UNSC Resolution 2334 (2016), where the Security Council reaffirmed that Israel’s establishment of settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, had no legal validity, constituting a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the vision of two States living side-by-side in peace and security, within internationally recognized borders. The Council reiterated its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities and it would not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the two sides through negotiations.
In the second week of May 2021, Saudi Arabia took the command-role to organize Muslims’ assembly at the holy land. Turkey was first to respond, followed by whole Muslim Ummah which assembled at Saudi Arabia to discuss single point agenda on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Israeli oppression against the Palestinian. Where Hamas took initiative and bombarded several hundred missiles each day at Israel-security forces’ positions to implement UNSC Resolutions, the Muslims decided to knock the door of United Nation Organization but if failed give a united response to implement United Nations Organizations against Israel. including ….., following the expiration of the group’s ultimatum demanding Israel stand down forces from the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem. Hamas launched missiles from the unidentified coastal territory towards Israel. Israel, on the other hand launched indiscriminate continuous aerial bombing that killed Palestinians including children and women in the attacks. Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabia Royal Air Force was in desperate need of Turkish armed drones to accomplish the missions in support of Palestinians.
At the meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud took principle stance and condemned the violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites, Israel’s flagrant violations of Palestinian rights, forcible eviction of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and called for global action to end military operations. He also denounced the forcible” eviction of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and urged the international community to revive peace negotiations based on a two-state solution. The fellow Gulf states that forged ties with Israel in carefully drafted statements said a ceasefire was needed for regional stability. UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy called for a ceasefire and stressed the importance of preserving the identity of Jerusalem, which contains sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu addressing the meeting said that Israel should be held accountable for war crimes and that the International Criminal Court could play a role. He also called for an international protection mechanism for Palestinian civilians. He added, “De-escalation and the highest degree of restraint are important to avoid dragging the region to new levels of instability,” Earlier under the pressure from United States, United Nations Organization acted as totally paralysed and failed to play its role independently and freely. The UN Security Council was compelled to restrict to discussion on mere the worsening violence between Israel and Palestinian militants, after pressure from US at the meeting. For the first time, all the Muslims countries have joined hands to equip the Palestinians to fight against Israeli oppression and these countries are discussing openly to launch operations against aggressors to implement UNSC Resolutions. The fact cannot be denied that if such arrangement is made, Israel due to its location inside the Muslims nations, it cannot survive more than three days nut Muslims are sympathetic about Jews as they were expelled from the lands and homes in Europe and elsewhere and dumped in the Muslim lands.
US President Joseph Biden announced that his Democratic Party supported Israel and paved way for ceasefire between Israelis and Hamas. President Biden claimed that a two-state solution was the only answer to resolving the conflict between the two sides, and pledged to build a major package with other countries to help rebuild Gaza. President Biden attempts are aimed to engage Hamas and Palestinians in an arrangement that allow western actors to enter Gaza and other Palestinian areas in the name of development. The sources at Washington revealed that White House and Pentagon have chalked out plans to legalize International Non-Governmental Organization and foreign diplomats to carryout development work and establish educational and women empowerment institutions with the coordination of Palestinian Authority as well as Hamas as well as other Palestinian representative organizations. This would be undertaken on the condition that Palestinian would ensure demilitarisation of Palestinian territories including destruction of Hamas’ military arsenal.
Almost all the Western countries and non-Muslim countries agree on a two-state solution. Muslim countries also agree to the same under few conditions, most importantly, “A two-state solution would require recognition of both Israel and Palestine, on first place under United Nations Organization guarantee, as independent sovereign nations. Palestine, while on the other hand, should be established under United Nations Organization guarantee to have its capital in East Jerusalem”. Some countries demand Israel to be declared independent international country where all divine faiths might be allowed to visit without visa. For both Israel and Palestinian states, they should have sovereignty and territorial integrity guaranteed by the United Nations Organization and beside agreement between stakeholders, it should be backed by international guarantors including all the VETO powers and other nations. One wonders Palestinian should not take any step in haste; should not sign any agreement regarding economic development or acceptance of International Organizations etc till the time Hamas is recognized as Palestinian representative and international guarantors including UNO, all the VETO powers and other nations should guarantee establishment of Palestine as independent and sovereign state with capital as Jerusalem.