Despite the unfathomable tragedy, there is yet hope for the Palestinian people’s future. There is growing unanimity among the international community that legal recognition of Palestine as an independent state is necessary, even as Israel persists in its genocide campaign in Gaza, defying international criticism and warnings from international courts to halt its heinous operation.
Slovenia, a country in central Europe, recognized Palestine earlier this week, following the actions of Norway, Spain, and Ireland last month. This raises the number of nations that have recognized Palestine as a state to 147, demonstrating the support of the international community for the Arab nation’s long-delayed and rightful claims. While the Palestinian people must find some comfort in such international support, the pressing issue of ending Israel’s extermination campaign still needs to be addressed. The truth is that in order to put an end to Tel Aviv’s eight-month-long pogrom in Gaza, the international community’s solidarity must produce a long-term truce.
This is only possible if the states that recognize Palestine apply pressure to Israel’s major backers, mainly the United States, to refrain from undermining efforts to establish a truce, particularly within the UN Security Council. Why will Israel’s belligerents cease when they are aware that the United States of America stands up for them in all significant international fora? Furthermore, Palestine’s friends need to turn their words of solidarity into deeds, such imposing an arms and economic embargo on Israel until it ends. Every state that respects human life has demanded a halt to the slaughter in Gaza, as have hundreds of thousands of regular citizens protesting against genocide in places across the globe. However, Israel has not apologized. The most recent horror was the Israeli attack on a United Nations school, which claimed almost forty lives. A large number of the victims were kids.
Regretfully, Israel has committed several atrocities in Gaza since October 7, and each new act of savagery outshines the one before it. Nevertheless, Tel Aviv is adamant about “finishing” the work in Gaza, which apparently entails removing all traces of life from this abandoned region, in spite of the protests from across the world. Moreover, the belligerents from Tel Aviv are now targeting Lebanon, withFurthermore, the belligerents in Tel Aviv are now targeting Lebanon, potentially leading to a full-scale conflict between them and Hezbollah.
Thus, acknowledging Palestine is merely the beginning. The international world must support an instantaneous, unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. In parallel, the traumatized populace of the occupied region must have unrestricted access to humanitarian relief. The international community must eventually hold Israel and its supporters responsible for the deadly rampage that Gaza has endured.