Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 12 /corr. Trend U.Sadikova / Since Dec. 27, Israel has been conducting military operations "Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip against the members of Hamas. The military conflict killed more than 900 Palestinians, wounded 4,300, and the situation in Gaza is on the face of humanitarian catastrophe. In spite of a number of the special sessions of the UN Security Council and adoption of resolutions on ceasefire, this did not stop bloodshed in the Gaza. Egypt made an initiative on mediation.
Q: What actions must be taken to regulate military conflict in Gaza?
Trend correspondents asked experts and political scientists this question to obtain commentaries.
Amatsiya Baram, professor on Middle East of Haifa University:
- Only thing that can resolve the problem is to convince Egypt, with the aid of the American and European support, to allow presence of foreign forces on the border with Gaza in order to prevent arms smuggling to Gaza. If Egypt agrees upon this and to do all possible to stop arms smuggling to Gaza through the underground tunnels, this will undoubtedly solve problem, and Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza Strip. Egypt must display much flexibility and control over the import of contraband arms.
Daoud Abdullah, deputy-general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain:
- Despite that the international organizations pressure on Israel for stopping war in Gaza, the USA, which is the basic allies of Israel, possesses significant influence in the UN Security Council. For the solution of this problem, the Security Council and the international community must make ultimatum for Israel. I.e.: if the operation is not ended, then future membership to the United Nations will be re-considered, international embargo will be introduced, several Israeli diplomatic missions in the world will be closed. This will be the best statement to Israel.
European countries called upon Israel to end the aggression in Gaza, but Israel declined this. Therefore, time has come to make an ultimatum for Israel, as made by the U.S. President Eisenhower in 1966, when Israel occupied the Gaza Strip. Otherwise international community will powerlessly solve this question.
Ramzi Barud, editor-in-chief of Palestine Chronicle:
- The international community must do all the best, use any lever of pressure on Israel and stop its military self-confidence in order to end murder of thousands. Palestinians became accustomed that Israel does not respect international law, since the USA protects Israel unconditionally at all fronts.However, this does not mean that the international community will lazily observe one of the bloodiest attacks of Israel. The indifference of Israel to the international law, and the U.S. support for Israeli self-confidence must push the international community to search for the alternative way of pressure on Israel against its policy of genocide in the Gaza.
Israel can pay diplomatic and economic value, presented by the international organizations. To follow an example of the Government of Venezuela and to evict Israeli ambassador. For example, if 20 countries break diplomatic and commercial relations with Israel, the latter will be the proof of attention of the international community to the fatal attack in Gaza.
Yehudit Auerbach, professor of political studies at Bar Ilan University ( Israel):
- If the basic source of conflict - desire of Hamas to destroy Israel is known, then it is firstly necessary to defuse Hamas. It is necessary to stop import of arms and other military equipment into Gaza sector, with which Hamas intends to destroy Israel. Basic moments of reconciliation are to break down resistance of Hamas to Israel, to overlap possible ways for the groups to bring arms to Gaza. Despite that Egypt proposes reconciliation, Hamas, as before, launches rockets to Israel, and thus, the problem remains unresolved.
Heydar Jamal, chairman of Russian-Islamic Committee:
- The international community must introduce operation against Israel on the coercion to peace, the same one, which was made against Saddam Hussein in 1991. This means to bring blows on the armed forces of Israel unless they leave the territory of Gaza.However, the world community lives on the world standards and hold with the idea of the USA. As long as there is American support, Israel will not fear sharp resolutions, since they are blocked by the USA. Therefore, only what can lead to the peace is the heroism of soldiers of Hamas
Hasan Ganizade, leading Iranian expert on Palestinian-Israeli conflict:
- The reason for failure of the UN Security Council's resolutions on the solution of conflict in Gaza is the prohibition of the USA on the adoption of these documents. Currently the UN Security Council is found in the hands of the USA and Israel. This was the reason, which caused international dissatisfaction.The world community must, without forgetting conscience, observe events in Gaza, firstly it must investigate events in the region. The reasons for the events and appearance of Islamic groups in the world must be investigated. Co-operation must be in existence between the Western and Muslim countries for the valuable investigation of the events in the region.
Furthermore, Western countries look down on the Muslim peoples, which is insult for them. These countries must re-consider their views with regards to the Muslims.
Zardusht Alizade, Azerbaijani Arabist and political scientist:
The international organizations play poor role in settlement of conflict. Their decision can't solve anything. The United States have global power in the world. They don't agree the international opinion and protect Israel's occupation policy. These organizations won't be able to make any decisions without U.S.'s leading power.
It is necessary to speak more openly regarding Israel's unfair policy. It needs to accuse Israel at higher level as Turkey's Prime Minister did. The European Union can influence on the situation with sharper statements, but didn't do it because it is not in their interest. There isn't an understanding of justice in the world at the moment.
Francis A. Boyle, Professor of International Law Legal Advisor to the Palestinian Delegation to the Middle East Peace Negotiations (1991-93), nominee of Nobel world premium:
- First, we must immediately move for the de facto suspension of Israel throughout the entirety of the United Nations System, including the General Assembly and all U.N. subsidiary organs and bodies. We must do to Israel what the U.N. General Assembly has done to the genocidal rump Yugoslavia and to the criminal apartheid regime in South Africa! Here the legal basis for the de facto suspension of Israel at the U.N. is quite simple:
Second, any further talks with Israel must be carried out under principles of public international law which are in the basis of Geneva Convention (1949) and the Hague Regulations (1907).
Third, we must abandon the fiction and the fraud that the United States government is an "honest broker." The United States has invariably sided with Israel against the Palestinians. We need to establish some type of international framework to sponsor these negotiations where the Palestinian negotiators will notbe subjected to the continual bullying, threats, harassment, intimidation and outright lies perpetrated by the United States government.
Fourth, we must move to have the U.N. General Assembly impose economic, diplomatic, and travel sanctions upon Israel pursuant to the terms of the Uniting for Peace Resolution (1950).
Fifth, the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine must sue Israel before the International Court of Justice in The Hague for inflicting acts of genocide against the Palestinian People in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Lubna al Masarwa, head of Free Gaza Movement:
Unfortunately, the international community isn't informed of the events in Gaza. The international community can do much against it that officials failed to do.
Israel doesn't take into account the opinion of the international community. This aggravates situation in Gaza and increase victims amongst peaceful population in Gaza. Willing of Egypt, France and Turkey to mediate won't yield any result because most countries have different views to resolve problem in Palestine. The best way of solution for the international community is to act against Israel and cease ties with Israel because of losses amongst peaceful population and military operations in Gaza.
Mustafa Ozjan, leading Turkish political scientist on the Middle East:
It is impossible to achieve constant ceasefire without settlement of the main problems in Gaza. The main goal is to return Palestinian autonomy to borders of 1967. But the only mean which can put pressure on solution is U.S global power.
If the United States ceases military and diplomatic support to Israel, hard pressure will be put on Israel. As Israel won't be able to live a day without U.S. aid, the United States have a key to resolve the problem.
E. Tariverdiyev, T. Jafarov and B. Hasanov also took part in preparation of this article.
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