Israel-Gaza War

Let me say this: Israel has made its point, and that is that there are consequences to attacking it. The point has been made, and it is loud and clear.

Having said that, I think continuing the bombardment of Gaza no longer makes sense. It is no longer necessary. It never was. You cannot wipe out a whole country, albeit unrecognized as such, because of a few people held hostage, or because of the actions of a few citizens of that country. It is madness. Gaza did not attack Israel on October 7, Hamas did.

It is instructive that no Hamas leader of significance has been captured to date. And that is because Israel has conducted this war in a manner that suggests it is really not after Hamas but after Gaza. It is not every Gazan that is Hamas. Gaza has a population of 778,187 (2023), projected to be slightly over 800,000 people by year 2024. Hamas itself has a membership strength of between 20,000 – 25,000. It is unimaginable that you would risk a population of over 778,000 because of the actions of less than 20,000 people.

It is little wonder, then, there is protest against Israel in every major capital of the world, including even Washington DC and Tel Aviv, Israel’s capital itself!

Personally, I think Netanyahu has conducted this war bringing into it his personal emotions and biases. Quite understandable because his political survival is presently in doubt. His standing at the Knesset is at a low ebb. Only his war cabinet appears to have his back.

But great war commanders read the larger picture and know when to halt. Plus there are international regulations for the conduct of war codified in the Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Humanitarian law of armed conflict, which spell out explicitly the place of civilians, children, women, non-combatants, infrastructure, cultural elements etc in a conflict. It is hard to aver that Israel has not violated the rights of these people in the ongoing bombardment of Gaza. In my opinion, Israel has violated the five principles of the law of war – military necessity, distinction, proportionality, humanity, and honour. What is happening in Gaza has fulfilled all conditions to be declared crime against humanity.

Beyond shuttle diplomacy and at same time sending warships to the Mediterranean (an action I consider to be not only contradictory but also escalatory, by the way) I think America can do more to prevail on Israel to seize fire. If not, Uncle Same and Israel may find themselves standing alone before long. The signs are already emerging.