Heading for a war?
Israel is moving further into Lebanon territory. The offensive is getting harsher. The sufferings are increasing in the same proportion. The world is witnessing another war, even though on a smaller scale- at least for the moment.
When Hezbollah, an organization generally regarded as a terrorist one, snatched two Israeli soldiers, it was a highly condemnable act. What has been happening in the Middle East has not been because of a single party’s failure or misdeeds. Everyone is to be equally blamed. Whether it is Israel or Palestine or Syria or Jordan or Egypt or Iraq. Initially, when Israel was created in the then Palestinian land, it was extremely disliked by the neighbouring countries. No one liked the arbitrary formation of a new country with a different religion merely on emotional grounds. They all tried to crush Israel and to completely wipe out this tiny nation from the World map. It was unfortunate for Israel that the country that had played the most pivotal role in its formation, Britain, backed out of this affair very soon. May be, with fading glory and weakening economy, the dependence on the Middle-East oil could not make Britain take a tough stand.
With no one to support and a small population in a fragmented region, Israel had to face a very tough period. The enemies were numerous, friends none. It was at this time that USA, the giant on the world scenario, came to its rescue. The rest is history.
But, the question is- Is this history worth honouring? I doubt. Because, while USA, with all its might and power, could have given the required support to Israel to make it feel stronger for its enemies to retract, it made itself a partisan state. With lack of neutrality on both sides, the state of affairs in Israel and the surroundings went from bad to worse. Today, it is before us- a powder-keg, ready to get exploded any moment. No one knows what kind of deadly ammunitions and warfare gadgets the two parties and the associated militant organizations carry. With the kind of unscrupulous behaviour that they show, it is not impossible for any one to use a nuke bomb or a deadly chemical weapon, resulting in thousands of death. The region has got transformed into a huge battleground, where life has turned into a day-to-day affair. A day lived is regarded as God’s mercy because no one knows what might happen in the coming hour.
This is the position in which we find the Middle East today. Any one who has the scantest of regards for humanity and human life, would only pray and make possible efforts to end this endless mayhem. A person killed is a person killed; it is immaterial whether he/she is a Jew or a Muslim, an Israeli or a Palestinian. If there had been a valid reason for the killings, the world would have approved it. But look here. Whatever logic and reasoning the two respective parties might give and howsoever the might try to portray their enemies as the villain of the piece, representing themselves as innocence personified, the fact is that the hands of both the parties are equally drenched in human blood. None of these two can come clean.
The current spate of violence and the Israeli attack on Lebanon might bring temporary benefits for Israel but rest assured that this will not help end violence in the region. Attack will only yield counter-attacks followed by another round of attacks and so on and so forth. This unending game of violence is what we must be apprehensive of.
This is high time when USA, as the lone super power and the ultimate arbitrator of the world, must get rid of its parochial views-point. It must use its authority to bring the different parties on the talking table so as to find a reasonable and equitable solution. Whether these warring parties accept it or not is not very relevant (they can always show dissent because of their divergent situations). What would really count is whether the world opinion in general favours this decision or not.
I suggest this interference from an outsider, as against the holy principle of sovereignty and right of self-decision because Israel and Palestine no longer remain an issue concerning the two parties. It has turned in monstrous proportions into a world problem from which no one can remain aloof. It is the Yugoslavia of today and has the required potential to trigger the third and may be the last World war.
Amitabh Thakur
When Hezbollah, an organization generally regarded as a terrorist one, snatched two Israeli soldiers, it was a highly condemnable act. What has been happening in the Middle East has not been because of a single party’s failure or misdeeds. Everyone is to be equally blamed. Whether it is Israel or Palestine or Syria or Jordan or Egypt or Iraq. Initially, when Israel was created in the then Palestinian land, it was extremely disliked by the neighbouring countries. No one liked the arbitrary formation of a new country with a different religion merely on emotional grounds. They all tried to crush Israel and to completely wipe out this tiny nation from the World map. It was unfortunate for Israel that the country that had played the most pivotal role in its formation, Britain, backed out of this affair very soon. May be, with fading glory and weakening economy, the dependence on the Middle-East oil could not make Britain take a tough stand.
With no one to support and a small population in a fragmented region, Israel had to face a very tough period. The enemies were numerous, friends none. It was at this time that USA, the giant on the world scenario, came to its rescue. The rest is history.
But, the question is- Is this history worth honouring? I doubt. Because, while USA, with all its might and power, could have given the required support to Israel to make it feel stronger for its enemies to retract, it made itself a partisan state. With lack of neutrality on both sides, the state of affairs in Israel and the surroundings went from bad to worse. Today, it is before us- a powder-keg, ready to get exploded any moment. No one knows what kind of deadly ammunitions and warfare gadgets the two parties and the associated militant organizations carry. With the kind of unscrupulous behaviour that they show, it is not impossible for any one to use a nuke bomb or a deadly chemical weapon, resulting in thousands of death. The region has got transformed into a huge battleground, where life has turned into a day-to-day affair. A day lived is regarded as God’s mercy because no one knows what might happen in the coming hour.
This is the position in which we find the Middle East today. Any one who has the scantest of regards for humanity and human life, would only pray and make possible efforts to end this endless mayhem. A person killed is a person killed; it is immaterial whether he/she is a Jew or a Muslim, an Israeli or a Palestinian. If there had been a valid reason for the killings, the world would have approved it. But look here. Whatever logic and reasoning the two respective parties might give and howsoever the might try to portray their enemies as the villain of the piece, representing themselves as innocence personified, the fact is that the hands of both the parties are equally drenched in human blood. None of these two can come clean.
The current spate of violence and the Israeli attack on Lebanon might bring temporary benefits for Israel but rest assured that this will not help end violence in the region. Attack will only yield counter-attacks followed by another round of attacks and so on and so forth. This unending game of violence is what we must be apprehensive of.
This is high time when USA, as the lone super power and the ultimate arbitrator of the world, must get rid of its parochial views-point. It must use its authority to bring the different parties on the talking table so as to find a reasonable and equitable solution. Whether these warring parties accept it or not is not very relevant (they can always show dissent because of their divergent situations). What would really count is whether the world opinion in general favours this decision or not.
I suggest this interference from an outsider, as against the holy principle of sovereignty and right of self-decision because Israel and Palestine no longer remain an issue concerning the two parties. It has turned in monstrous proportions into a world problem from which no one can remain aloof. It is the Yugoslavia of today and has the required potential to trigger the third and may be the last World war.
Amitabh Thakur
posted by Amitabh Thakur | 9:39 PM
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