AS I write there is a possibility of a ceasefire which could essentially expunge the war that is raging in the Middle East between Israeli and Hamas. However, is this not another temporary solution to a more permanent problem? Until now, Israel has been at the forefront of instigating air strikes into Hamas territory.
It began on July 8 and for two weeks the Gaza strip has been under siege from Israeli air strikes. As images of injured children and babies are flashed in front of our eyes, the outrage against this war continues to mount.
The death toll currently stands at 580 people comprising largely innocent civilians who are caught in the crossfire. At the centre of this offensive is Gaza. This G-string of land which is sandwiched by Egypt in the south-west and Israel in the east.
Gaza used to belong to the Egyptians until the infamous “Six-Day War” in 1967. During this battle Israel fought against the Arab States. This culminated in the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.
However, in 2005, Israel, under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew from Gaza in what was considered a controversial move at the time. Gaza was left under the governance of a Palestinian Authority of Fatah.
However, Hamas soon emerged as a superior force in Gaza. Hamas is the Palestinian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. Opponents of many of these Islam movements view Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
However, sympathisers view Hamas as militant freedom fighters fighting to liberate Palestinians from Israeli subjugation. Since its foundation in 1987, Hamas has waged war on Israel through suicide bombings and rocket attacks.
As long as Hamas does not continue to recognise Israel then we will not see an end to the conflict. Despite the fact that Israel withdrew from Gaza, it has since 2007 instituted an economic embargo on Gaza which is why it is viewed as an open prison for its inhabitants.
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So where did this divergence originate you may ask? Land is at the heart of this feud with the contested “holy places” being the biggest bones of contention. The origions can be traced to the bible in the book of Exodus.
There was the Promised Land (Palestine) which was given to the Hebrew (Israelites) who were freed from slavery in Egypt by Moses. So after the conclusion of the World War II, the Balfour Declaration issued by the British bestowed the Israelites with their own State in the Middle East.
However, it must be known that this area was already inhabited by the Palestinians who undoubtedly were resentful that they had to be evicted from their homes to make room for the Jews. Palestinians were forced to live as refugees in what they believe to be their own land.
However, the Zionists believe that it is their God given right to be there. They uphold Zionism which essentially is the desire to see the establishment of a Jewish nation in Israel with Jerusalem as its capital.
Zionists are patriotic nationalists who are equally radical in their approach and have instigated a lot of terrorist attacks in order to reach their goals.
However, it is not all Jewish people that are Zionists and vice-versa. The Jewish people for a long time have been rolling stones. Anti-semitism forced them out of Europe, the most documented one being the Jewish holocaust in Germany which sought to obliterate the entire nation.
Some view Israel as essentially a creation of Britain and America in order to try to solve the Jewish problem at the expense of Muslim people viewed as inferior.
The Jewish problem stopped being a European one and essentially became a Middle Eastern one. So here we are, centuries later still fighting the battles that evolved before the birth of Christ.
This is essentially a Holy War being fought in unholy ways. Should untold suffering and death continue in the name of religion? Both Israelis and Palestinians have genuine claims to this land. How many lives will be lost in the battle for supremacy?
It is clear that the establishment of a unified State comprising both Palestinians and Israelis is not plausible. So what would it be? Purging one at the expense of the other? A two State nation sounds more tenable, but how would the borders be drawn?
How you do physically divide the holy places seeing since both Palestine and Israel see Jerusalem as their capital? This is such a contentious issue which the world cannot continue to talk its way out of.
Even with ceasefires . . . the coals of discontent will continue to smoulder on.
