In diplomacy, as in life, actions have consequences. It should not be surprising, therefore, that this week’s loutish display of impunity by juvenile delinquents on Jerusalem Day led to international rebuke for Israel, including the country’s ambassador to the UAE being summoned over what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called "deplorable and offensive" attacks on Palestinians in the city.
As ugly as those scenes were – throngs of young men chanting racist slogans as they were allowed to harass Palestinian residents by uncharacteristically passive Israeli police officers – they were arguably less provocative than the sight of Israeli ministers holding an extraordinary Cabinet meeting in Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem. The fact that these developments were followed by official confirmation on Thursday that 22 new settlements had been approved in the West Bank suggests that Israel’s current leadership feels it can weather any criticism.
Such an assumption would be a mistake. While Gaza burns, the West Bank remains under a violent military occupation and the streets of historic Jerusalem are overrun by thuggish supremacists, many Israelis are taking to the streets to demand peace and a different course for their country.
The Israeli government’s relationships with allies and partners continue to fray. The EU – Israel’s largest trading partner – is to review its association agreement. On Wednesday, the UK told a UN Security Council meeting that it strongly opposed Israel’s “wholly disproportionate” actions in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. On the same day, US President Donald Trump – usually a firm backer of Israel – said he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against carrying out a military strike on Iran that would set back Washington's efforts to broker a new nuclear deal.
Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics. Increasing numbers of high-profile artists, musicians, filmmakers and performers are calling for an immediate ceasefire, reflecting the reality that Israel’s leadership is increasingly losing the battle for public opinion. The voices of Jews inside of Israel and in across the world calling for a ceasefire and for a path to peace must not be ignored.
At the same time, the process of creating more so-called facts on the ground, such as the new settlements or the Silwan meeting – attempts to consolidate and normalise the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank – are running into the brick wall of political reality. Despite all attempts to deter it, the international community is not abandoning the idea of a Palestinian state.
Last Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed that his would be the latest EU member to recognise Palestine. Next month will see a major UN conference dedicated to the two-state solution. In the UAE too, the need for a political settlement was made clear by Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, who told the Arab Media Summit on Wednesday that the Emirates remained committed to the Palestinian cause as well as a two-state solution.
If there is one message that can cut through the deluge of suffering this war has produced, it is the need for serious re-engagement with the idea of peace. A ceasefire and a return to political dialogue that can realise the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis alike ought not to be considered a pipe dream. It is, in fact, what the vast majority of those affected by this conflict, and their honest brokers, want.
