End Of Rhodesia’s UDI and Apartheid In South Africa: Israel Needs To Reverse Its Growing International Isolation In Spite Of Being A Victim
Rajiv Upadhyay
The growing international isolation of Israel amongst European countries should be a cause of concern to Israel. In last one year France , UK and Spain have moved away from Israel. Only USA is standing solidly behind it . PM Netanyahu’s plan to annex West Bank will not be supported by world at large because it will make the middle east a permanent problem with no two state solution possible permanently.
It is not that Israel is at fault . Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 was utterly unprovoked , brutal and dastardly . Taking hostages and using them for bargain was inhuman to say least . If Arab countries had condemned the attack on Israel immediately and unequivocally and if Gaza population had revolted against such an unprovoked escalation , it could have saved the destruction of Gaza and misery of people.
But OIC played politics again . It did not openly condemned attack Hamas was prepared to make sacrifices but level of Israel’s reaction was not anticipated by them .Israel too had not expected such a prolonged war and unending secret support of Hamas. Iran missiles had shown that Israel was not that invincible. In two years Israel has not been able to wipe out Hamas nor it seems possible now .
The old and the best two state solution now is really not possible . Palestine has now become an Afghanistan . Hamas , Hezbollah and non ending hostilities and perpetual war has become acceptable to Palestine population as ultimately they get free food . Two state solution was possible in 1948 itself but Arab League instead chose to attack Israel and lost . In subsequent wars, all started by Arabs , Palestine lost West bank , Syria lost Golan heights , Egypt lost Sinai . Egypt made peace and honoured its commitment after getting Sinai back . But Anwar Sadat’s death and Palestine people rejection of Oslo accord made Yasser Arafat back out from its commitment while Israel PM Rabin was assassinated . If Oslo accord was honoured , two state solution was possible but Arafat would have been assassinated like Sadat .
But now it is not possible . Wisdom is eluding Arabs even now just as in 1948 . Turkey , Saudi , Egypt and Iran are using Palestine to further their leadership desires yet no one wants Palestine people , having learnt from fate of Jordan , Lebanon etc . No one really want peace including Gaza population because it needs statesman ship and willingness for give and take , which is so rare in Islamic world at present .
But the question also is that how long Israel can fight if USA loses its international clout due to its mercurial leadership . Due to hostile media , it is now considered as a ruffian bully not a victim in this war . Gaza misery and human tragedy is now disturbing the world more and world wants peace .
Israel needs better public relations . It must remember the fate of Ian Smith’s unilateral declaration of independence in Rhodesia and end of South African Apartheid . World opinion cannot be ignored for too long .
Therefore it must lead in peace as it does in war . It must make constant reasonable offers to global community to bring lasting peace , however difficult it may be . Taming of short sighted and faction ridden OIC is also essential as from 1948 it has not allowed a peaceful solution of the problem .
Yet it seems inevitable that ultimately in two hundred years only one country can survive out of Israel and Palestine as all bridges are quickly being burnt .
