carried out by Hamas the biggest massacre of Jews Since World War II: at least 1,400. Israel, One of the biggest massacres against Palestinians Since the founding of the Jewish State in 1948: more than 8,500. Both unprecedented events caused a geopolitical frenzy that led to global polarization across at least three blocs based on varying degrees of support for the parties or demands for the containment of Israel.
It’s a diplomatic tension captured Tuesday in a scene starring Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. Gilad Erdan attended the Security Council meeting with his team yellow star of davidLike the Nazis used to mark Jews during the Holocaust. They repeated their claim that their government has recently likened Hamas to the German Army (or Islamic State) and compared those who criticize the bombings of civilians in Gaza to World War I collaborators.
Actions of senior Israeli diplomat (Banally disfigured by the director of the Holocaust museum The attack in Jerusalem is the culmination of a week of clashes with the international organization (among others). Last Friday, the General Assembly approved by an overwhelming majority of countries and to applause a resolution on an Arab initiative calling for a “cessation of hostilities” in Gaza. He also rejected the “forcible transfer of the Palestinian civilian population.”
they voted 120 out of 193 countries in favour. Including UN countries Spain, FranceNorway, Ireland, Portugal, Arab world countries, Latin America, Russia and China.
they voted 14 States against: Israel and United States of AmericaAustria, the Czech Republic and Hungary and other smaller countries such as Paraguay or Papua New Guinea.
HE 45 abstained, A significant number of Europeans include: United KingdomSweden, Finland, the Baltics, GermanyItaly, Greece, Poland or the Netherlands, among others.
Three support blocks
In this three-week all-out war, three blocks were built in combat.
There is a block on one side Unlimited support for Israel The USA is at the epicenter. Joe Biden He came to equate Russia-occupied Ukraine with Hamas-attacked Israel and asked Congress for money to support both militarily. His administration echoed parts of Netanyahu’s speech, from allegations of children’s beheadings at the hands of Hamas to doubts about data on Palestinian deaths presented by the Gaza Government.
Added to this hard block President of the European Commission. While the Israeli Army demands the evacuation (illegal and impossible according to the UN) of more than one million Palestinian civilians from the northern part of the Strip. Ursula von der Leyen He was traveling to Israel with the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. Both, especially the Germans, went out of their way to express support for the Israeli counter-offensive. They emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself, making little mention of the limitations imposed by international humanitarian law and war conventions on the protection of civilians. They kicked up a storm in Brussels because they did not have the authority of the Council of Heads of State and Government and lacked coordination with the EU Foreign Policy office.
The trip particularly disturbed the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. Josep Borrell criticized Von der Leyen for her statements and reminded that the common stance of the 27s is not a matter of German politics, but a matter of the 27s and their representatives. The top European diplomat began to focus on the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population. He insisted at every opportunity Israel’s defense must be proportionate and legal.
Both the acting president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez (who is also the rotating president of the EU Council) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, took this line. He strongly condemns Hamas from the first moment, but demands that international legislation be respected in the military response of the powerful Israeli Army.
They then counter-programmed Von der Leyen. Sánchez and Borrell (who had not traveled to Israel) met on the sidelines of the Egypt Peace Conference. Charles MichelThe Council President is also very angry with Von der Leyen’s pro-Israel attitude; And together Antonio GuterresSecretary General of the United Nations.
Guterres was forced to accept the death of more than fifty humanitarian aid workers from the United Nations Palestine Agency, UNRWA, under Israeli bombs in Gaza. It maintained a line similar to that of Spain. He strongly condemned Hamas’ attacks against Israel. But he also called for an end to the fighting, an end to the siege of Gaza, and the protection of civilian lives, especially children. The Portuguese also warned of the underlying problem: occupation. “These attacks by Hamas did not occur in a vacuum”He said before recalling that for more than half a century Israel has been subjecting the Palestinians to illegal subjugation and that United Nations resolutions have been violated in this regard. Israel got angry, insulted him, asked for his resignation and assured him that the United Nations was no longer discredited. He announced that the issuance of visas to employees was suspended.
United Kingdom, France and Germany
The European leaders’ tour of Israel continued with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has been a staunch supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. he said “He wants them to win” in their fight against Hamas He was in Gaza and “proud to stand with Israel” in its darkest hour. He refuses to support a ceasefire and is only considering “certain pauses” to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
German Olaf Scholz also went to Israel. He told his chancellor that Germany had a historic responsibility “in guaranteeing the existence of the State of Israel.” because of genocide (The murder of six million Jews in Europe). Saying “Israel’s security is a state matter for Germany,” social democratic leader Scholz also visited Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Frenchman Emmanuel Macron did the same: First Netanyahu, then Abbas. The French president did one of two things: He made an offer. The international coalition to end Hamas is similar to the coalition that attacked the Islamic State in Syria (much to Tel Aviv’s liking) but asked Israel to exercise restraint in its response. He refuses to cut off water and electricity to civilians and insists that “the Palestinian cause must be heard.” France voted positively for the ceasefire decision at the United Nations.
Russia and China are taking advantage of this situation
Added to those that are openly pro-Israel (United States, Germany, United Kingdom) and those that maintain a certain balance between the parties, defending Israel’s right to defense, but within humanitarian limits (Spain, United Nations, part of Israel’s institutions EU) openly pro-Palestinian blocunder the leadership Arabic countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt and others).
The two powers the United States faces are both fishing in murky waters. Russia And Chinese. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that it was necessary to clarify who was behind the “tragedy of the people of the Middle East” and who “organized and benefited from the deadly chaos”: the “elites that rule the United States.”
Chinese He always sympathized with the Palestinian cause and supported the PLO. It advocates the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He described Israel’s actions as excessive in self-defense. But for now, he is staying away from the conflict.
Both China and Russia blocked a US resolution by the UN Security Council calling for only a “humanitarian pause” and not an end to hostilities, the mildest version of the international community’s call to ease the suffering in Gaza. The entrance of some trucks carrying supplies and water.
Meanwhile, the figures on the field show this: The worst disaster suffered by civilians in the region in decades. Thousands of people died, tens of thousands of homes were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. And it’s a war that’s expected to last a long time.