The Israel-Hamas conflict poses many difficult problems for the Jewish State and the Arab and Muslim countries.
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| The Israel-Hamas conflict is becoming increasingly complicated, as IDF soldiers are advancing deeper into the Gaza Strip. (Source: AP) |
Same, different
The extraordinary joint summit between the Arab League (AL) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the Israel-Hamas conflict held on November 11 was the largest summit of the two blocs since the clashes broke out on October 7. Therefore, the meeting received special attention from the international community. The results of this event showed no less remarkable signs.
On the one hand, the 31-paragraph resolution stressed the importance of a “just, lasting, and two-state solution” peace in the Gaza Strip. Muslim and Arab countries showed unanimity in using the strongest possible language to criticize Israel. The resolution rejected the argument that the IDF’s attacks were self-defense and justified.
At the same time, the two blocs called on the UN Security Council to adopt a binding resolution to stop Israel’s “assertive” behavior. Another highlight is the resolution calling on countries to stop exporting weapons and ammunition to Israel so that the IDF can use it in military operations.
On the other hand, the resolution does not mention specific economic and political sanctions against Israel. These include: blocking the transfer of US weapons to Israel from US bases in the region; freezing all diplomatic and economic relations with Israel; threatening to use oil as leverage; blocking Israeli flights to or through Arab airspace; and sending a delegation to the US, Europe and Russia to push for a ceasefire.
Countries that opposed including this proposal in the final resolution were Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Mauritania, Djibouti, Jordan and Egypt.
Commenting on this situation, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said: “If we do not have real tools to exert pressure, all our steps and statements become worthless.” Journalist Hashem Ahelbarra of Al-Jaazera (Qatar) wrote: “When you look at the statement, you see that Arab and Muslim leaders do not have the mechanism to promote a ceasefire and establish humanitarian corridors.”
Unity in views on Israel, but division in how to treat this country, continues to be a problem that haunts the Arab and Muslim bloc in the coming time.
Under new pressure
From another perspective, The Economist (UK) commented that the Jewish State also faces many questions and few answers. First of all, the IDF is making significant military progress by successfully eliminating many generals and senior commanders of Hamas and taking control of the Gaza Strip Parliament Building of this Islamic movement. At the same time, Israeli soldiers have arrived at Al-Shifa Hospital, the center of clashes and controversy.
Meanwhile, on November 14, the Washington Post (USA) quoted a senior official as saying that Israel and Hamas were close to reaching an agreement to exchange 70 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip for 275 Palestinians being held in the Jewish state. According to the official, who requested anonymity, the armed wing of Hamas informed the Qatari mediator that it was willing to release 70 women and children in exchange for a five-day ceasefire, along with 200 children and 75 Palestinian women being held in Israel.
On the other hand, Israel is facing many difficult problems. The more the IDF campaign progresses, the more pressure the Jewish State will face from the Arab, Muslim and Western blocs. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen affirmed that diplomatic pressure from the international community will increase in the next 2-3 weeks. Recently, France called on Israel to stop the offensive. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan affirmed that the country "does not want to see gunfire in hospitals, where innocent people, patients receiving treatment, are caught in the crossfire".
Israel has agreed to a four-hour daily humanitarian ceasefire and the opening of several humanitarian corridors, but that is clearly not enough to ease the pressure.
More importantly, writing in Foreign Policy (USA), Mr. Raphael S. Cohen, Director of the Strategy and Propaganda Program at the Air Force Project of the RAND Corporation (USA), commented that once the ground campaign stops, the IDF will find it difficult to completely eliminate the Islamic militants, who are hiding and fighting under 500 km of tunnels in the Gaza Strip.
Along with rescuing the hostages and responding to the Hamas attack, this is one of the top goals of the far-right ruling coalition at the moment. Therefore, failure to complete these goals could put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been criticized since October 7, in an “already difficult situation.” With his extensive experience, will this politician find the necessary “wisdom”?
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