October 22, (THEWILL) – On October 7, the world woke up to a surprised and unprovoked attack on Israeli territory by the Palestinian-led Hamas group, resulting in the death of scores and destruction of properties. Hamas was said to have launched over 5,000 rocket-propelled attacks on Israel lasting several hours.
Sources from Aljazeera quoted Mohammed Deif, head of the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, as saying, “We announced the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we announce that the first strike, which targeted enemy positions, airports and military fortifications exceeded 5,000 missiles and shells.”
At least 1,200 civilians were reported dead, many wounded, while thirteen out of 150 Israelis held hostage have been killed by Hamas. Israel does not take any affront to its sovereignty or territorial integrity lightly. Therefore, it has swiftly retaliated with blistering aerial attacks on Gaza, preparatory for a ground assault. Israel is angry and nobody knows when this onslaught on Gaza will end. Responding to the unwarranted attacks, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed that, “Israel will take mighty vengeance against Hamas. This war will take time. It will be difficult.”
The attack on Israel was a surprise to the global community after many thought the two neighbours were beginning to learn how to live in peace with each other. Why is it difficult for the world to find a lasting solution to this conflict? The unending Israeli/Palestinian conflict is fuelled by the bias and hypocrisy of the global community.
There is an already existing global political alignment on matters related to Israel/Palestine. America has never hidden her support for Israel. The Islamic Republic of Iran has risen up as the big brother of Palestine/Hamas. It is ridiculous that some religious leaders across both Christian and Islamic divides have made this conflict to look like a religious war. Their followers have pitched tents with either side in complete ignorance of the crux of the matter.
The crisis is a war to claim territory. It is not based on religion. Land as a resource and historical ancestral affinity to both Israel and Palestine is at the heart of this conflict. Both have laid claims to ancestral ownership of the land. Humanity does not support injustice and subjugation. Therefore, the right of the Palestinian people to life and home is paramount. Israel also needs protection and a place called their own.
Hamas should have allowed the sleeping dog to lie, by avoiding any provocative actions that could deepen the already existing animosity and fragile situation. Israel should understand that the generality of the Palestinian people are the underdog and it is not fair to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. Therefore, for calm and normalcy to return, the world should strongly impress it on both states to embrace peace and the United Nations prescribed 1947 two-nation states status.
The world should take sides with humanity, stop alignment based on economic or political interest and discard spewing religious bigotry.
The total population of Israel is 9.364m, equivalent to the population of Kaduna State in Nigeria, occupying a land mass of 22,145 sq. km [1], far less than Adamawa State of Nigeria with 36,917 sq. km [2]. Of the above population, 1.7m are Muslims representing 18 per cent, while Christians are just 185,000 equivalent to 1.9 per cent. Jewish religion adherents make up about 73.6 per cent of the total population.
From the above figures, it can be seen that Israeli Muslims outnumber Israeli Christians, while Jewish religious adherents take the lead. The Israeli Defence Force has an army of 169,500 (active personnel). Of this number, only 150 are Christians, while Muslims are 606, and the rest are Jewish Adherents. About 40 per cent of the population of Jerusalem are Palestinians. Therefore, if you think the fight between Israel and Palestine is a Christian/Muslim war, you are dead wrong.
As the war rages on, the world should bear in mind that the price of war is stewed with the blood of the innocent. In the end, it is the poor man, woman and children, who bear the brunt. The global politics of war is nothing but a business devoid of morality.
Iran which is allegedly said to sponsor Hamas has an interest in protecting the people, same as America and the rest. Both try to sustain the war with their support and in the end, sell their arms and ammunition to both aggrieved parties, while the common man continues to suffer and die.
It is observed that whenever it comes to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict people seem to express an understanding of fairness. Not genuine fairness in the right sense of it, but on account of religious beliefs separated by Christianity and Islam. We have refused to agree that no matter what we believe in, Abraham was the father of both Ishmael and Jacob – the symbols upon which the two religions are founded.
Unfortunately, justice, equity and demand for a two-state solution have been swallowed by the opium of the masses and are activated based on the above factors. Who is to blame, Israel or Hamas? Those are the questions.
*** Sunday Onyemaechi Eze is a media and development communication specialist*
