An intolerable human suffering

The death toll in Gaza due to Israeli military action has risen to almost 54000. This is a consequence of the Israeli response to Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Hamas had killed 1200 Israelis had taken 251 hostages back to Gaza. In the wake of the Hamas attack the world stood with Israel. It also really did not protest when Israel launched a military action in Gaza to finish off Hamas.

This was because the international community, sections of which find Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians as abhorrent, had found the Hamas attack as unacceptable. When the Israeli action began in Gaza, the residents of the area, naturally suffered. However, the international community remained focused on the Hamas attack. It urged Israel that while it acted to destroy the enormous underground infrastructure Hamas had made in Gaza it should take care that the ordinary people of Gaza’s suffering remained to the minimum. The major powers of the world virtually gave Israel impunity in Gaza but that seems to be changing.

On May 19 Britain, France and Canada issued a Joint Statement on the “situation in Gaza and the West Bank”. It is worth quoting extensively because it constitutes a severe indictment of the Jewish state. It notes: “We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable. Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate. We call on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza”. It goes on to state that “the Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law”. And, it further advises Israel: “The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law”. While defending Israels right to defend itself it states “this escalation is wholly disproportionate”.

The statement thereafter issues a brave warning: “We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response”.

On its part, Israel has rejected the three country statement and has accused them of standing with terrorists. It  has proceeded with its actions in the Gaza Strip. It has though allowed some food and fuel to go through but this has been, according to UN officials, wholly inadequate. These officials have warned that a famine like situation may prevail in Gaza and also that in the absence of adequate medical support some fourteen thousand children, including the new born, may die. All these warnings are having an impact on European opinion against the Jewish state but Israel’s determination that the Hamas should lay down all arms, its leadership relocate outside Gaza and other areas of Israeli held territory and that it will re-order Gaza’s security with most probably a permanent Israeli military presence remains firm.

Now that Israel is staring down the major European states the question is if the EU and Canada will take, as the three country Joint Statement threatens, action against Israel. An allied question is this: whether EU and Canada will be willing to go against the US on Israel. They will have to do so if they take action because while President Donald Trump has indicated that he wants the Israel-Gaza war to end, White House officials quickly dampened speculation that if Israel continued with its present actions in Gaza, US may ‘abandon’ Israel. The upshot is that Trump and a vast majority of the US political class is firmly behind Israel and continues to overlook its actions in Gaza. Indeed, the Trump administration has gone against activists and universities which have permitted anti-Israeli demonstrations and comments. Besides, the Jewish lobby is much too influential in the US to permit any real change in the country’s approaches towards Israel.

There has been anger in some European countries that Israeli forces fired at a diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank a few days ago. The Israeli army claims that the delegation had moved away from the approved route and some warning shots were fired. Notwithstanding this provocation the European Union is divided on what action can and should be taken against Israel. There may be a consensus on some action against Israel on the trade front but this too may be opposed by some countries. If the EU does not act together then can France which is a EU member along with Britain and Canada, which are not, announce sanctions howsoever mild against Israel. This would be a major step for them to take. But they have threatened to do so and if Israel stares them down and they take no action at all, they will lose credibility. As I write these lines there would be consultations going within the three and among them on the next steps. They may end up taking some sanctions against Israel even if they are largely symbolic.

Should this happen it would be a major step because, if nothing else, it will send a message to Israel that it cannot proceed against the Gaza people with impunity even while it acts against Hamas. This will be precedent setting measure in West Asia. The next few weeks will be eagerly followed by many diplomats on how Britain, France and Canada specifically and the EU in general proceed on Israel in the context of its actions in Gaza.