Diplomacy is required, and examples such as South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission provide an example and an opportunity for all Israel and Palestine representatives to genuinely meet – to resolve this tragic situation and negotiate a fair and peaceful outcome.
Below is an image of the map showing Eastern Turkey in Asia, Syria and Western Persia, and areas of control and influence agreed between the British and the French from the Royal Geographical Society, 1910-15. The map was signed by Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot, 8 May 1916.
For over 2,000 years Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together in relative harmony throughout the Middle East, interrupted by the 12th and 13th C Crusades.
The secret 1916 Sykes Picot Agreement, and the 1917 Balfour Declaration establishing a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, led to the 1947 UN partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab with Jerusalem under a UN administration, and the 1948 Nakba or catastrophe.
Since that time, the tension, violence and displacement between Israelis and Palestinians has escalated with repeated incidents in Gaza and the West Bank.
During a UN Qatar delegation visit to Gaza in 2009, we met with Ismail Haniyeh and the Hamas political leaders. Ismail said ‘we are trying to manage 2m people living in a gaol’. He said electricity and water can be cut off at any time by Israel and basis supplies like medical equipment, school books and fishing are severely restricted. Ismail said the continuing violence typically results from a homemade rocket triggering an Israeli response with demolition of several buildings, and the remaining Gaza family members seeking revenge.
Hamas is designed by some governments as a terrorist organisation. The French Underground were fighting the Germans in WW2 using many similar methods and were considered patriots rather that terrorists.
Is Hamas a terrorist organisation or are they patriots?
In the early hours of Saturday 7 October fighters from Gaza breached the ‘impregnable’ Beit Hanoun crossing wall – an unprecedented achievement. Reports indicate a lack of initial Israeli military response followed by a level of destruction seemingly beyond the weaponry capacity of Hamas. The IDF has admitted that Apache helicopters and tanks were mobilised, possibly under the Hannibal Directive whereby the Israeli army is ordered to fire upon its own troops to prevent the enemy taking hostages.
Is it possible that the shocking events of 7 October were facilitated by Israel to provide justification for the Gaza invasion?
On 26 January, the ICJ Court considered that – Israel must, in accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of this Convention, in particular: (a) killing members of the group; (b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and (d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
On the same day, in response to allegations from Israeli officials regarding the alleged involvement of 12 UNRWA staff in the 7 October attack against Israel, the UNRWA Commissioner-General terminated those staff, to protect its ability to deliver humanitarian assistance.
Many governments immediately ceased UNRWA funding, and to date Israel has provided no substantive evidence. Australia has resumed UNRWA funding.
Will Israel provide evidence of UNRWA 7 October involvement?
In April, Ismail Haniyeh confirmed that three of his sons and four of his grandchildren were killed by an airstrike in Gaza. The group was reportedly on its way to a family celebration to mark the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid.
I offer my sincere condolences to Ismail and his family.
On 24 May the ICJ directed Israel to – Immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and – Maintain open the Rafah crossing for unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.
Israel continues to cause destruction in Gaza with mounting evidence that Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for his own political self-preservation.
Meanwhile the US House has voted to require the President to impose sanctions on ICC officials engaged – in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies.
Will there be any accountability for all these shocking events ?
And what happens to Gaza and the West Bank after this conflict ?
As illustrated by Vietnam and other conflicts, wars tend to run their course – and are then resolved by the protagonists meeting to resolve peaceful outcomes.
Diplomacy is required, and examples such as South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission provide an example and an opportunity for all Israel and Palestine representatives to genuinely meet – to resolve this tragic situation and negotiate a fair and peaceful outcome.
Michael Fox
Michael Fox AM, is an Australian architect, planner and human rights advocate. He was actively involved in the drafting, adoption and 2008 ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and has traveled extensively in the Middle East and worldwide.
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