N.S.Venkataraman for BeyondHeadlines
Analyzing the Israel-Gaza War 2014 (‘Protective Edge’), the author observes:
“The US and UK governments did not accept the stand of Sri Lankan government (justifying its killing of civilians in ethnic war) and they passed resolutions in United Nations to condemn Sri Lankan government’s actions and now they want an international enquiry…The same US and UK governments are now watching Israel’s actions silently and extending sort of support to Israel.”
In the prolonged war between Israel and Palestine in Ghaza Strip for around a month now, over a thousand of innocent lives including women and children have been lost due to relentless bombing by Israel. Israel is calling the shots due to its superior fire power and the merciless leadership presently in charge of Israel. The fact that Israel is having an upper hand does not in any way mean that it could be right or justified in its actions.
Israel argues that it is fighting for survival and to protect its territorial integrity and safety. The same argument can be advanced by Hamas against Israel and it is extremely difficult to judge as to who would be correct. In any case, whatever may be the reasons, killing of innocent people including women and children in the name of self-defense cannot be justified.
What is clearly evident is that Israel’s actions have not been adequately condemned by the world community and there appear to be countries and people, who seem to give benefit of doubt to Israel in this warfare. Such a stand of some countries has certainly emboldened Israel to continue the killings of innocent people. One gets the impression that Israel appears to think that it would remain unchallenged even if it would use disproportionate level of offence against the people whom it consider as the enemies and trouble makers.
Certainly, Hamaz are not in a position to invade Israel and they may perhaps, be able to create some local terrorist activities which Israel should be able to tackle without such massive armed attack and bombings. Terrorism has become the fact of the day in several regions and to destroy the terrorists, it would not be proper to kill mass of innocent people amongst whom terrorists could have taken shelter.
Several countries including India are facing such terrorist problems and are trying to meet the situation by increasing vigilance and alert policing. With all its capabilities and intelligence network and the efficiency that it is known for, Israel government can certainly tackle terrorism on its border and on its soil with firmness and success.
Now, Israel should understand that by waging war and terrorizing innocent people across the border and destroying buildings, it cannot eliminate the opponents. Wars have never solved any problem and hatred only begets hatred. The opponents of Israel, even if Israel would view them as terrorists, will only become more determined and desperate and continue their activities against Israel and Israel would be forced to be in a state of perpetual war. In the process, Israel and its citizens would destroy the peace for themselves.
If each country were to take a stand that it would be well within its rights to indulge in war to protect its rights, which would result in killing of innocent people, then peace and tranquility in the world would become impossible to achieve.
The US government and several countries in Europe made huge accusations against the government of Sri Lanka for killing of innocent people during the ethnic war in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan government justified its actions, stating that in the process of defeating terrorists, some innocents could have suffered and it was inevitable. The US and UK governments did not accept the stand of Sri Lankan government and they passed resolutions in United Nations to condemn Sri Lankan government’s actions and now they want an international enquiry.
The same US and UK governments are now watching Israel’s actions silently and extending sort of support to Israel. The double standards of the US and some western countries are obvious and they are exposed. The issue is that just like Israel, these western countries also do not seem to care about the criticisms of their stand across the world.
