Following the landmark International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Israel was responsible for the genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, all countries that are parties to the Genocide Convention are now It has a legal obligation to take substantive steps to commit genocide against Palestinians. Ending Israeli genocide in the Besieged Strip.
In this context, the decision by many Western countries to withdraw funding to UNRWA, the UN's main humanitarian agency for Palestinian refugees, due to unsubstantiated “terrorism” claims by Israel, is only disconcerting. , which is exactly the opposite of what the court legally required. But it is also deeply abhorrent, as starving Palestinians face worsening hunger and deadly disease outbreaks in besieged Gaza.
The real aim of the Israeli lobby to undermine UNRWA is the liquidation of Palestinian identity and the Palestinian right of return that the UN agency has come to embody.
If Western countries, especially the United States, continue to capitulate to Israel's demands for genocide, accusations that Israel is complicit in the genocide in Gaza will only grow heavier.
At stake today is not only the future of millions of Palestinians and the very existence of the State of Israel, but also the stability of the entire region and the future of the rules-based world order.
Israel's attack on Gaza, with unconditional support from the West, continues unabated and risks igniting a regional conflagration that will further intensify conflicts from Yemen to Iraq and Syria, paving the way for an unprecedented surge in terrorism around the world. be.
Today, there is growing anger against the West, not just in the Arab world but throughout the Global South, over Israel's perceived complicity in the slaughter of Palestinian civilians. Terrorist organizations like ISIL and al-Qaeda could not have asked for a better environment to reunite and launch new attacks against the West. Because the majority of the world now firmly views the West as enabling the ongoing genocide of occupied and oppressed indigenous peoples. There is good reason to expect that such terrorist groups, or brand new ones like them, will take advantage of this moment to launch attacks against the peoples of the West and their allies and supporters around the world.
The future of the entire rules-based world order, and of international law itself, is also at great risk. The stark contrast between the West's responses to the war against Ukraine and the war in Gaza has convinced many that international law only applies to the West's adversaries like Russia. Confidence in international organizations like the United Nations has been eroded immeasurably as Western countries have clearly demonstrated that they consider themselves and their allies, in this case Israel, to be above the bounds of the law. are doing. In fact, the United Nations has not only proved completely powerless to stop Israel's blatant violations of international law and attacks on Palestinian civilians, but also the riots against the Secretary-General and the targeting of UN staff in the Gaza Strip. could not even be held accountable.
Given the strong opposition of the majority of the world to Israel's continuation of the war in Gaza, and the expressed support for a two-state solution by the majority of United Nations member states, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, there is only one option. do not have. It is a way to breathe new life into the rules-based world order, bring stability to the Middle East, and prevent a new era of terror around the world: ending the occupation of Palestine.
This is also the only possible way forward for Israel. After the Hamas attack on October 7, Israel lost complete confidence in its ability to deter in the region, as evidenced by the far-right government's erratic actions and desperate and extreme acts of violence against Palestinians. . Israelis today feel more vulnerable and exposed than ever before. Many citizens have lost confidence in the Israeli state's ability to ensure its own security and are questioning its viability in the region.
Only an end to the illegal occupation, supported by a settlement in which the Arab states assure Israel that the region is indeed part of the region and that they can coexist in peace and prosperity, will Israel have any hope of security and permanence. It will allow you to regain your senses. .
Clearly, the longest-running occupation in recent history must end, and quickly. However, given the current impasse and the complete devastation of Gaza, the first step towards ending the occupation is to bring the Palestinians, currently identified by the ICJ as a distinct “population”, under international protection. It should be.
This interim agreement must be implemented under the auspices of the United Nations. UN involvement would restore legitimacy to the rules-based order for three to five years until a fully functioning, independent Palestinian state is achieved.
During this period of international protection, an independent emperor, appointed by the United Nations with the approval of the international community, will lead the process and be responsible for day-to-day governance, with the guidance and support of a special council of individuals. have to bear it. It represents all Palestinian factions, including Hamas.
Although there will be serious opposition to including official representatives of Hamas in this structure, it should be possible to include in the council non-members who can represent Hamas' interests and are acceptable to Hamas. It is. The inclusion of Hamas in any peace process is critical, as no sustainable solution can be achieved without recognizing the concerns and expectations of the group that has long led the Palestinian armed struggle against the occupation.
Given the undeniable pro-Israel bias of the West, countries such as South Africa, Turkey and Brazil, which have shown care and concern for the rights and welfare of Palestinians and respect for international law throughout this conflict, should also participate. be. Member of the International Conservation Union. The coalition must also ensure the security and territorial integrity of Jordan and Egypt.
Security enforcement in the Palestinian territories during this transition period under international protection could follow a hybrid model of local police supported by international forces.
Given their historical responsibility in the creation of Israel and the conquest of the Palestinian people, the responsibility for shepherding such proposals through the Security Council must rest with Britain and France.
The rebuilding of Gaza, which has been reduced to rubble over the past four months, will inevitably become part of the obligations of the interim international protection period. Countries directly responsible for the destruction, especially Israel, the United States, and Germany, should provide most of the necessary financial resources, bearing in mind that the total cost of reconstruction is less than 20 percent of the amount promised by the United States to Israel. It is. Conditions for additional military support to guarantee its security.
In parallel with the establishment of an inclusive Transitional Council, the international community must take a series of immediate steps to restore Palestinians' confidence in the international community and the viability of their protection.
First, the ICJ's interim judgment must be supported by all countries of the world and its recommendations must be fully implemented. This means the killings should stop, prisoners on both sides should be released, the siege should end, and adequate aid and basic services should be delivered immediately to all Palestinians in Gaza. Meanwhile, an independent review of Western military aid to Israel should be launched, and they should be held accountable for their complicity in acts of genocide. We must also make it abundantly clear to Israel's far-right government that ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the West Bank is not an option. All hostages on both sides must be released.
Second, the international community does not allow Israel to control its territory by occupying any part of the Gaza Strip, by establishing a so-called “buffer zone” within the Gaza Strip, or by dividing it into smaller settlements. It should be made clear that integrity cannot be violated.
Third, the international community unanimously calls for an immediate and unconditional cessation of all illegal construction and land-grabbing activities in the West Bank, and holds Israeli settlers accountable for the violence and aggression committed against Palestinians. must be requested. The world's nations must insist that Israel abolish all settler outposts in the West Bank and eliminate such intentions in the Gaza Strip.
Fourth, Jordan's control of Al-Aqsa Mosque must be maintained and all Christian and Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem restored to their sanctity.
Finally, to ensure that the Palestinian people can live in freedom and dignity under the rule of their elected representatives, the international community must officially recognize the Palestinian state as its capital, based on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem. should be recognized and committed to ensuring the prompt implementation of a Palestinian state. The United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals in Post-Conflict Palestine.
This commitment can begin the formation of a Palestinian social security/support system. This is something you will desperately need the next day.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.
