BY: DAVID GONZALEZ
There is much ongoing protest throughout the world in response to the events that occurred on Oct. 7 in Israel, where HAMAS militants from the Gaza Strip entered Israeli settlements, killed 1,400 people and took hundreds of hostages. The country of Israel has responded with a military campaign aimed at "destroying HAMAS." In the last month, the number of Palestinians killed in the fighting and drone strikes, including civilians, has risen to 10,000, leaving many in the international community calling on Israel for a ceasefire. In the United States this event has caused division, most notably in universities nationwide. Many student organizations have released statements denouncing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. In multiple instances, alumni and affiliated firms of prestigious universities have opposed the student organizations, denouncing these accusations as anti-Semitic. On Capitol Hill, protesters repeatedly interrupted a hearing by the House Judiciary Committee on free speech on college campuses.
President Biden has continued to support the Israeli government and has not called on a ceasefire in Palestine, instead giving his full support for any Israeli action taken in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. Israel has been a long time ally of the United States and historically has always been supported by it militarily; it is just unknown of how much and when. As of this writing, the U.S. legislature has not authorized any emergency aid to Israel due to ongoing and multifaceted division in Congress. Despite this, legislation has been passed by the House and is pending approval by the Senate. Some aid has managed to make its way to Israel using alternative legal measures, but it's only a fraction of what the U.S. usually has been known to give.
To many, however, the conflict feels distant and confusing. Why is the United States so invested in this event? Why is it becoming one of the most divisive points in current global affairs? For many, the daily preoccupations of life keep staying informed about current affairs low on the list of priorities, understandably so. Nevertheless, for students and the next generation of civic citizens, it remains critical to have the clearest context possible.
Why does Israel have a state within a state? The region that is now recognized as the country of Israel includes the city of Jerusalem, which holds religious significance for many beliefs; this region has been under the rule of various powers throughout history. In more recent centuries, the region was under Ottoman rule until the British Empire took control from them. It remained under British control until the Holocaust occurred in World War II. In 1947, shortly after the war was won, the UN voted to create two states in the region, giving a large section to those of Jewish ancestry who had suffered under Nazi persecution. Regardless of the various nations controlling this region, the same ethnic and religious groups have lived there for centuries as a result of all the activity that has historically taken place in the region. Consequently, relations between groups in the region have been unstable.
Dr. Ken Crane, an associate professor of sociology at La Sierra's HPS department, has conducted research on migrants in the Middle East. His work focused on the aftermath of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq by U.S. coalition forces. Crane provided insights into the current regional context to gain a better understanding of the Middle East and the factors that divide HAMAS and Israel. Since the creation of the Israeli state in 1947, multiple Arab nations have rejected the idea of an Israeli state in what they consider to be Palestinian territory. While other Middle Eastern nations have generally shown solidarity with Palestine, it has “historically not been their top priority” said Crane. Iran, the biggest supporter of HAMAS, supports a network of anti-Israeli militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. Egypt, which shares a border with Israeli territory, has made substantial diplomatic progress since the Camp David Accords of 1979 in its relations with the state of Israel and has established one of the few border checkpoints with the Gaza Strip, though the Palestinian matter was not addressed. In the present, leading up to the attacks, the Saudi Arabian government was in talks to sign a security agreement with Israel, although it is unclear what the status of Palestine would be in this agreement. Even among the Palestinians and Israelis, there is a great disagreement on the matter, with some believing that the other side should not exist, while others support a fully representative democracy that includes both groups. Despite support for the Palestinian cause among other Arab nations, other conflicting interests have resulted in the repeated neglect of Palestinian questions. The ongoing attacks since October are a firm reminder that the situation will only continue deteriorating if a resolution is not found.
Professor Mary Shin, who teaches the course War Crimes and International Policy, shared some context from an international law perspective in regard to the situation. Shin’s students this quarter have been learning about the laws that exist to regulate warfare and the meticulous legal framework behind complex treaties and codes of conduct. International humanitarian law (IHL) is a set of conventions, treaties and war crimes tribunal rulings that form a body of law. Israel has not signed on to several of the laws by the IHL, specifically the one regarding collective punishment. It is a breach of IHL to inflict punishment on a group for actions done by the individual, which is what Israeli forces have been doing in Palestine in response to the terrorist attacks. Both sides have breached the laws of IHL since the outbreak of conflict, with HAMAS still holding hundreds of hostages taken from the initial attacks, a clearly defined war crime in Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. After continued global pressure a ceasefire was issued beginning Nov. 24 and lasted a total of four days, however fighting has since continued. Many of the hostages have been released following a temporary ceasefire, but fighting has once more continued. As the death toll in Gaza rises due to Israeli airstrikes it becomes clear that they are in clear breach of Article 33, which specifies that military action on civilians because of terrorism in violation of IHL.
For now, it appears unlikely that the UN or any other international organization will intervene due to the potential for an escalation in conflict that drags in other nations. At this moment, most nations are calling for a complete ceasefire, urging both Palestine and Israel to return to negotiations and for more aid to make its way into Gaza. As students, it is possible to support those in dire need right now by donating to organizations that, despite the blockades, continue to do what they can in the region to help those in need. These include UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and the Red Cross. Staying informed on the issue and being aware of the historical context can also cut through the confusion and misinformation and educate others on what's really going on.
