Round The World

New Delhi, 20 October 2023

Israel-Hamas War

HOW THE WORLD REACTS

By Dr D.K. Giri

(Secretary General, Assn for Democratic Socialism) 

The Israel-Hamas war is escalating every hour causing pathetic loss of lives, property and resources. The bombing of a hospital on Tuesday last, that wiped out 500 or so lives has shaken the conscience of the world. Both sides are blaming each other for this human catastrophe. Hamas claimed that IDF -Israel Defence Forces – has bombed the hospital whereas Israel asserts it is one of Hamas rockets that fell on the hospital by accident.  Palestine sympathisers say the western press supporting Israel is manipulating the news coverage, putting out pro-Israel news and clips. To be sure, the truth will come out sooner than later. 

Be that as it may, there are threats by other countries like Iran to jump into the fray through their mercenaries, Hezbollah’s unless Israel stops bombing. A few calls for ceasefire are also made but not heeded by either of the warring parties. Political debates and protest demonstrations in favour of both Israel and Palestine are staged across the world. Heated arguments in social media are raging on up and down our country. Let us engage with them. 

What is missing in such discussion so far is the impact of Israel-Palestine war on Indian politics mainly the national elections next year, should the war continue in some form or the other until then!Let us pontificate on it. Unlike previous conflicts between Israel and Palestine, or to be precise, Hezbollah and Hamas, there were no fierce moral arguments over who is right or wrong; whether proportionality of retaliation has to be acceptable etc. 

Furthermore, the situation has become complex this time around as both Israel, namely IDF and Hamas (Palestinians) are perceived to be both victims and perpetrators at the same time. Hence the reactions from countries – world powers, allies, friends, and onlookers have to be carefully thought out and assessed. 

In any conflict or war, there have been mainly two kinds of reactions as the world has been divided into two camps since the Second World War. Arguably, the power equation has changed after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1992. Some would say it has been a ‘unipolar’ world since. It is America and its allies –Europe and NATO – calling the shots. 

Even if it has been largely the case, China emerging as the second largest economy has begun to flex its muscles, in a quest (mainly of Xi Jinping) for world supremacy. It seeks to provide an alternative to western model of world politics. China calling a conclave at the time of writing (17&18 October) of about 130 countries in the wake of Israel-Hamas war testifies the foregoing assumption. That is, China is strategising to assume the role of a world leader. 

Again, the world seems to be increasingly divided into two blocs; one led by USA and the other by China, Russia tacking on behind the latter. Admittedly, this scenario does not yet exist in its fullness as China has not been able to blow the bugle. Whether it can do so despite Jinping’s irresistible irredentism is a matter of reality-check. 

Yet another group of countries especially of the former Non-Alignment bloc push for a multilateral order with a new strategy of multi-alignment. They bid for reviving the Global South as another axis of world politics. I have argued more often than not that the idea is untenable, not endorsed by history. Reiterating the voice of Global South on the world table is understandable and advisable. But creating a third force in the form of Global South is a far cry when the politics is driven by the measure of security. 

Having put the countries into three blocs although two of them – one China-led another largely India-led – are inchoate formations, let us look at their reactions to the Israel-Hamas war. America and its allies have clearly sided with Israel in the face of the terrorist attacks by Hamas. They support Palestinian civilians on humanitarian grounds. The European Union has not stopped the aid to Palestine. At the same time, the US President has requested a sanction of 100 billion USD from the Congress to support Israel and Ukraine. 

China and Russia refused to condemn Hamas’ terrorism while asking for a peaceful settlement of the two-nation solution. Other countries of Global South have made neutral statements calling against civilian casualties and for ceasefire etc. 

How has India responded? India’s prompt reactions came from the Prime Minister himself in his tweets as he declared New Delhi’s support for Israel against the Hamas’ terrorism. It was quite different from the neutral postures New Delhi has been taking in Ukrainian war. It is rightly so at least on two counts. First, India is consistently and steadfastly opposed to terrorism as a means to resolution of differences or conflicts. Second, Israel is a reliable friend of India, more than any country at present. It has also been historically proved on two critical occasions, 1962 war with China and Kargil war with Pakistan in 1999. However, New Delhi soon nuanced its response by reiterating its long-standing position on Palestine becoming an independent and sovereign state. 

Normatively, foreign policy of any country is run on consensus. But in democracies, there is room for diverse perspectives. The Opposition parties in India mainly the Communist and Congress seem to have sided with Palestine. That has been the stand of the Congress for long time, the Communist go for any event that is against the US and its allies and supports Chinese position. Congress support for Palestine has been attributed to the so-called vote bank politics, seeking the Muslim votes. That may not be entirely true. 

But the moot point one should raise is who provoked this war? The Hamas attack evokes the horror of the holocaust. The Palestine has a just cause. The whole world should support it. There must be a détente between Israel and Palestine. But can we endorse terrorism as a method? Some would argue that Israeli state (IDF) has equally been a terrorist state. Let us have a conversation on whether Israel has the right to defend itself, or as the argument goes, it has unleashed terrorism on Palestine. How do we define terrorism? Israel is a democratic state, has a government constituted on the basis of elections. 

On the impact on Indian politics, the Congress party seems to have misplaced its reactions. It should have supported Israel when it faced terrorist attacks. Indians would not condone terrorism as they have been its victimfor years on end from across the border. We should be focussing on the cause of the war not just the consequences. In any case, the bloodshed must stop, so should the Hezbollah’s and Hamas and their ilk elsewhere. ---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)