International support for Israel is waning
Last Updated on March 26, 2024 4:57 am
The death toll in the Palestinian Gaza Strip is increasing daily. The besieged territory stands on the brink of famine. In this situation, Israel’s close allies have begun to express their growing doubts about the Gaza war.
The Palestinian independence armed group Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza on October 7 last year in protest against the torture, genocide and land occupation carried out by the occupying Israeli forces for many decades. In this attack, 1,200 people were killed and another 250 people were taken hostage.
From that day, Israel started a strong counterattack. In the meantime, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have killed more than 32,000 people, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Now the Israeli government is preparing to launch a ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah along the Egyptian border.
Allies are concerned about the Israeli government’s stubbornness over the Gaza war, particularly the country’s stubbornness in carrying out the planned ground operation in Rafah. More than 1.1 million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah to escape the Israeli offensive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says this operation is necessary to eliminate Hamas. The United States, the European Union and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, concerns are growing that Gaza is on the brink of a dire humanitarian catastrophe, and calls for a cease-fire are becoming more urgent.
The Biden-Netanyahu feud
The United States stands as a shield for Israel in the UN Security Council. They have ‘vetoed’ several Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The United States is considered Israel’s most influential ally. But the rift in their relationship is starting to show. US President Joe Biden and Netanyahu sparred in a phone call earlier this week. Biden says the plan for the (Rafah) ground operation is ‘wrong’. Where Netanyahu is steadfast in his position.
Netanyahu has made it clear he needs a few more weeks to prepare to implement the plan. But he will not budge from his position. Meanwhile, the US is being forced to rethink its position on the UN Security Council as more humanitarian disasters unfold in Gaza.
Last Friday, the US called for a “swift and lasting ceasefire” in Gaza in a draft resolution. China and Russia block it with ‘veto’. The initiative called for a cease-fire as well as an exclusive discussion on the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is on a trip to the Middle East to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza with all parties. This week, he said, a deal is very possible.
Canada has stopped supplying arms
Recently, the Canadian Parliament voted 204-117 to temporarily stop arms exports to Israel. French news agency AFP published a statement from Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Where it is said, “since last January 8, the Canadian government has not approved any more permits to export arms to Israel.” This decision will continue until we are able to fully agree on our export policy.”
Like the United States, Canada is one of Israel’s closest allies. And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has to be criticized like Biden because of his strong position in favor of Israel. In addition to Canada, several other countries, including Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, are going to suspend arms exports to Israel.
Among the European Union (EU) countries, Spain has taken the most vocal stance against Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has asked the European Commission to review the EU-Israel coordination agreement. The agreement establishes political and commercial relations between the EU and Israel.
Sanchez and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Israel could violate human rights obligations and basic democratic standards. Which is the basis of that agreement. German Foreign Minister Annalena Bierbock, however, rejected their call. There was no formal discussion on the issue at the EU summit that ended last Friday in Brussels.
However, on Thursday, the leaders of the 27 EU countries called for an immediate humanitarian pause in Gaza in a joint statement. which would lead to a ‘durable ceasefire, unconditional release of all hostages and provision of humanitarian assistance’.
It was the first joint statement from the EU in the more than five-month war in Gaza. The member states also called on Israel not to launch a ground operation in Rafah.