Thursday, June 13, 2024

The world scrambled to legitimize the Palestinian state amid unprecedented war crimes

F.M. Shakil 

Source: Al Mayadeen English

The Zionist regime is drifting fast into diplomatic isolation following over eight months of bloodshed in Palestine. 

Despite experiencing a humanitarian crisis reminiscent of the Great War, Palestine is steadily gaining international recognition as a sovereign state, and even the European Union (EU) is under pressure to grant Palestine legitimacy.

The global student Intifada and the most recent EU reawakening have far-reaching geopolitical implications for the region and have shocked the Zionist regime, drifting fast into diplomatic isolation following over eight months of bloodshed in Palestine.

Gaza's atrocities alienated Tel Aviv

The cruel crimes committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza and now Rafah have deeply disturbed many nations that had previously supported "Israel". There have been tragic accounts of devastating fatalities caused by Tel Aviv's indiscriminate violence and disregard for the safety of innocent civilians, including women and children.

There has been a recent increase in fighting in Rafah as “Israel” continues its offensive in southern Gaza City, where the occupation forces have played havoc with human dignity. "Israel" now controls the entire length of Gaza's border with Egypt, which unfortunately makes aid delivery to Gaza impossible. "Israel's" escalating offensive has forced a significant number of Palestinians to leave Rafah over the past several weeks. Residents are struggling to find shelter and sustenance. The ongoing closure of the Rafah crossing is denying medical aid to Gaza's wounded children.

The UN has issued an order for "Israel" to cease its military offensive in Rafah and allow aid to enter through the border, as part of a collective effort to exert pressure on "Israel". However, "Israel" put the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the carpet, and within a week of UN instructions, Tel Aviv launched a ghastly attack on civilians in Tal as-Sultan, threatening that the war would persist until 2025.

Save the Children is calling for immediate action to protect the lives of innocent civilians in Rafah and throughout the Gaza Strip. Over the past few weeks, Rafah has suffered a devastating loss of life, with many people who sought refuge there losing their lives and hundreds more injured.

The war sparked condemnations

During its genocide in Rafah, on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, "Israel" faced growing opposition from within and beyond its borders. The opposition parties and the public revolted against the Netanyahu government for what they said were imprudent government policies.

They have disowned Tel Aviv's flawed war strategies and demanded an end to the bloodshed in Palestine. On the global front, the Netanyahu government is fast drifting into diplomatic isolation under intense criticism from the world community for the horrific death toll in Gaza, Rafah, and other parts of Palestine. The crimes committed by the Israeli forces against the Palestinian people have incited anger throughout the world.

US intelligence's annual threat assessment underscores the mounting international pressure “Israel” is likely to encounter due to the challenging humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The intelligence chiefs testified about the report in late February, leading to its declassification in March. The assessment brought attention to the domestic pressures faced by Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting that his government's future may be uncertain. "There is a growing lack of public confidence in Netanyahu's leadership that has intensified since the war began. As a result, we anticipate significant protests calling for his resignation and new elections," it says. The assessment stated that there is a possibility of a different, more moderate government.

Recognitions and 'Israel' reaction

In recent months, there have been indications that Malta and Belgium may recognize Palestine. Nevertheless, it seems that Belgium's government postponed the decision in light of the country's upcoming elections. Several EU nations, such as Sweden, Cyprus, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ireland, Norway, and Spain have already recognized the Palestinian state.

The latest in a series of nations giving legitimacy to Palestine is Slovenia, where the parliament, with a majority vote on Tuesday, June 4, gave assent to the recognition of a Palestinian independent state, rejecting a demand from the main opposition party for a referendum on the matter.

Slovenia's government has taken a cue from Spain, Ireland, and Norway, which recognized the state of Palestine last month as part of a larger effort to coordinate pressure on Tel Aviv. The move infuriated "Israel", which felt more and more alone due to the war on Gaza and the use of the US deadly weapons, resulting in colossal human losses. Following the parliamentary decision, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob stated on X that "the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state today sends hope to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza."

In a knee-jerk reaction to the trio's collective decision to recognize Palestine as an independent and sovereign state, “Israel” immediately recalled its ambassadors to Ireland, Norway, and Spain, viewing recognition as a reward for Hamas' actions and hardening the Palestinian stance, which “Israel” claims undermines the negotiating process.

Spain, Ireland, and Norway, by recognizing the Palestinian state, attempted to shift the focus toward finding a durable diplomatic solution to the ongoing struggle in the Middle East. The three EU nations collaborated to persuade other regional countries to engage in a diplomatic campaign aimed at resolving the situation in Gaza and securing the release of captives.

The symbolic decision deeply angered "Israel", as it believed the three EU countries were essentially rewarding "terrorism", a term increasingly used by the US and "Israel" to refer to the Axis of Resistance. "Israel" has summoned the ambassadors of these countries to the foreign ministry to provide a briefing on the October 7 attacks.

The dispute escalated when Yolanda Díaz, the deputy prime minister of Spain, made a public appeal that sparked controversy, calling for Palestinians to have freedom throughout their entire territory. Some Israelis interpreted this statement as being critical of "Israel" and advocating for its dismantlement. According to diplomats, "Israel" has reportedly implemented significant measures in response to Spain, Ireland, and Norway, potentially as a way to discourage other countries from taking similar actions.

 Implications of global recognition

EU members' recognition of Palestine as a legitimate state would strengthen the Palestinians' international reputation and increase pressure on "Israel" to begin negotiations to resolve the conflict.

This action has the potential to exacerbate “Israel's” isolation in the international community by triggering additional actions at the United Nations and fostering further recognition by other EU countries. Geopolitical analysts believe that this phenomenon would bolster Palestinian legitimacy and elevate the Palestinian issue ahead of the European Parliament elections. This could also result in a significant increase in the number of radical right-wing parties in the European Parliament elections, which could potentially exacerbate the Palestinian position, making peace negotiations more difficult. The recognition could also serve as an incentive for Palestine to pursue full UN membership, as it presently maintains observer status.

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