Tense calm

The re-election of Benjamin Netanyahu was always likely to mean another round of unfettered Israeli aggression for Palestinians. Fighting between Israel and Palestinians has been ongoing for a number of weeks, but this past Sunday saw the worst combat since the last war between the two sides in 2014. Palestinian rocket attacks killed four Israelis, including members of the armed forces. The two-day Palestinian death toll hit 22, which included a pregnant woman, a 12-year-old boy and a four-month-old girl. A ceasefire was agreed on Monday.The latest violence started after a Palestinian sniper wounded two Israeli soldiers, a result of the failure to alleviate the dire conditions in the Gaza strip. This became a full-blown battle in the next two days as around 600 projectiles were launched from Gaza while the Israeli military brought jets, drones, tanks and helicopters into action. There was no question that the Israeli response was brutal and showed the impunity that it usually relies on.Gaza has been under a land, sea and air blockade since Hamas took power in 2007. Its almost two million residents have suffered from food, water and medicine shortages since then. Israel continues to create excuses for military action in Palestinian territory. Concessions were promised in Gaza for restraining protests, but they have not materialised, creating more anger among Palestinians. Israel has used the violence in Gaza to remind the world that it is ready for a ground war. Hamas took the action of calling for a complete ceasefire, which Israel accepted, but not before bombing a Turkish hospital in the Gaza Strip. The act drew condemnation from Turkish President Recep Erdogan. Israel was claiming to be undertaking targeted killings of individual fighters – but civilian life was as much in threat. The targeted killing tactic has not been used for a number of years, but Israeli is feeling more emboldened. US President Donald Trump offered clear support to Israel in a warning to the ‘Gazan people.’ Ceasefire and truce are words that have been bandied about much, but the situation has remained tense. With Ramazan having started, Israel has now threatened an even stricter set of restrictions on Gaza. The failure of the international community to act against Israeli action is condemnable. It will need to pull together some moral courage if it wants to bring peace to Palestine.

from The News International - Editorial http://bit.ly/2LpK8rw