Introduction
The Islamist
Palestinian group Hamas, recognised as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and United States (US), attacked
Israel from the south using Gaza as a launchpad on Oct 7, killing 1,300 people
in towns and army bases.[1] The Arabs and the Jews have long
been in a conflict over the possession of Jerusalem, which has resulted in
seven major wars.[2] Recent events in the Middle East are the result
of decades of fighting, destabilising the region. The aspirations of the Palestinians
for their own state conflicts Israel’s concerns about security in what the
latter has long seen as a hostile environment.
Origins of the
conflict: A brief history
With the
proclamation of the modern state of Israel on May 14, 1948 by its founding father
David, Ben-Gurion, the Jews who were fleeing persecution and seeking a national
home on territory they claimed had strong ties over generations found a safe
haven.[3] Palestinians
refer to the founding of Israel as the Nakba, or tragedy, which stopped
them from achieving their aspirations of forming a state and led to their
dispossession. Approximately 700,000 Palestinians, or half of the Arab
residents of what was British-ruled Palestine, fled or were driven away from
their homes and sought refuge in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, the West Bank,
and East Jerusalem, during the conflict that followed.[4]
Israel, a close US ally, denies evicting Palestinians and claims that it was
assaulted by five Arab states the day after it was formed.[5]
The
Palestinians who stayed in the war comprise the Arab Israeli community, which
accounts for around 20 per cent of Israel's population.[6] Ever
since the genesis of hostilities, seven major wars have occurred. The modern
iteration of the conflict started when Israel unleashed a Six-Day war as a
precautionary measure against Egypt and Syria in 1967. Over the years, five
wars broke out beginning in the noughties and lasting up to 2021, where
Israel’s Iron Dome was tested for the first time. The latest and present
iteration marks seventh such instance of conflict between the two.[7]
The United Nations
Partition Plan
On May 15, 1947,
the United Nations established the United Nations Special Committee on
Palestine (UNSCOP), with representatives from 11 countries as the Palestine
question reached the United Nations (UN) shortly after the end of the Second
World War.[8] On
Aug 31, a report was released by UNSCOP after a survey of the Palestine
situation, which advocated the establishment of autonomous Arab and Jewish
states, with Jerusalem placed under international administration.[9]
On
Nov 29, by a vote of 33 to 13, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution
advocating the acceptance and implementation of the Plan of Partition, which
obligated the states to provide full civil rights to all persons within their
borders, regardless of race, religion, or gender. This resolution gained
support from both the US and the Soviet Union.[10] The
five Arab League members who were voting members at the time voted against the
Plan. The Plan was endorsed by the Jewish Agency, the fledgling Jewish state,
and practically all Jews in Palestine cheered. The Palestinian Arab leadership,
as well as most of the Arab populace, flatly rejected the partition plan.
During a meeting in Cairo in November and December 1947, the Arab League
supported a military solution to the dispute. Meanwhile, Britain expressed its
support for the partition proposal but refrained from implementing it, citing
Arab opposition.[11]
Following the General Assembly’s resolution, a civil war erupted, and the UN
plan remained unimplemented. A plan was suggested to divide Palestine into
three parts comprising a Jewish state, the City of Jerusalem, and an Arab state
which hence would be interconnected by extraterritorial junctions.[12]
Delving Deep
into the UN’s Role in Addressing the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Various
independent UN experts have denounced the deadly violence ushered upon the
Israeli civilians as well as indiscriminate and lethal attacks unleashed on
Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They also condemned a further escalation citing the
illegal blockade having devastating consequences for the civilian population as
a whole.[13] UN Secretary-General,
António Guterres, condemned the attack by Hamas but added: "The
Palestinian people have been under tyranny for 56 years”. His remarks at a UN Security Council meeting
sparked a spat between Israel and the UN as he stated that the Hamas attack on
October 7 "Did not happen in a vacuum," causing outrage in Israel.[14]
Historically, the UN's role in
the Israel-Palestine dispute has not been particularly helpful with regards to
averting Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians and addressing their
legitimate grievances. This partly can be attributed to the considerable
influence wielded by the US as a veto power and as a significant contributor of
the UN and its various agencies.[15] It is equally important to
note that ever since Israel was formed and progressed towards its stability,
leading to instability of whole region, the UN was largely marginalised from
the political dynamics of the issue. UN peacekeepers were stationed on the
Israeli-Egyptian front, yet the UN was kept away from political decision
making. Simultaneously, the UN Refugee Works Agency, established to support
refugees until their eventual return home, saw limited involvement of the UN as
a viable institution in political decision-making processes.[16] Moreover, the US has
consistently pushed to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict via bilateral
means, by swiftly side-lining the UN. This is evident in the UN’s inability to
enforce resolutions, including those advocating for a two-state solution and the
prevention of illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.[17] The US is one of the five
countries with veto power over any measure taken by the council that they do
not agree with. On a regular basis, those powers exercise control over areas of
influence.[18] Countries
big and small are aware of the game. Non-permanent council nations are also
wary of publicly attacking powerful countries. Even if a Security Council
statement is approved, the impact will be minimal unless there is a strong
diplomatic backing and a willingness on all sides to lower tensions.
During
an emergency session on the situation in the Middle East held on Oct 27, the UN
General Assembly called for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce
leading to a cessation of hostilities. It also insisted on unobstructed
delivery of essential assistance to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.[19] The
Assembly approved the resolution which called for the immediate and complete
adherence of all parties to their international legal obligations, including
those outlined in International Humanitarian Law.[20] The
Assembly endorsed the resolution, which called for all parties to comply with
their international legal obligations, particularly those stated in IHL,
immediately and completely. The Assembly advocated the immediate and
unconditional release of all unlawfully detained civilians, underlining the
devastating impact of armed conflict on women, children, and other vulnerable
civilians, such as people with disabilities and the elderly. The Assembly underscored
that a just resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict is achievable solely
through peaceful mechanisms aligning with relevant UN resolutions and
international law, and based on a two-state solution. It additionally advocated
all parties to display utmost caution to prevent further escalation of violence
and destabilisation in the region. [21]
A Diplomatic
Analysis on India’s Evolving Stance on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
The
Israel-Palestine conflict has triggered a verbal war in India, with numerous
parties engaging. These broadly include several state governments,
self-professed intellectuals, political opposition, student unions of some
universities, and others. Ever since the war broke out, there have been several
rallies in India to support Hamas and Palestine centring around the
condemnation of Israel’s military actions, by disregarding the actions of
Hamas.[22]
In
his initial statement regarding Hamas’s strike on Oct 7, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi expressed his profound dismay and declared himself “deeply
shocked” by the attack, which he swiftly identified as a “terrorist’ action”.[23]
Further, the Prime Minister spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin
Netanyahu, over the phone and said, “India stands firmly with Israel…strongly
and unequivocally condemns terrorism…”[24] Both
these set of comments are similar, in that both condemn terrorism on a global
scale. However, the recent focus on ‘a sovereign and viable state of Palestine’
has been interpreted as a notable shift in India’s position on the conflict.[25] This
change comes at a time when India is looking to expand its role in the Middle
East. India’s initial reaction was perceived as being guided by a combination
of humanitarian concerns for the casualties in Israel and the development of
amicable relations during the administrations of Modi and Netanyahu. Nonetheless,
as the situation unfolds and Arab powers that have remained mainly silent on
the Gaza crisis decide to speak out, India may find itself in a tough position.
As indicated by the visit of Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in New Delhi
in 2018, India openly supports the Palestinian cause.[26]
However, India's global stance and domestic politics have shifted. However,
India’s geopolitical position and domestic politics have undergone changes. It
not only maintains a strong alliance with Israel but is also now a close
strategic partner of the US, a staunch Israeli ally. Stability in the Middle East
holds significance for India due to its relations with Arab nations and the
substantial Indian diaspora living and working in the region. Additionally,
given India’s own vulnerability to attacks by jihadist terrorist groups, it
comprehends Israel’s security concerns. Modi’s statement implies that India now
views its relationship with Israel not merely friendly but also indispensable
for its long-term strategic interests.
End Notes
[1]
Ibid.
[2]
Ethan Bronner, “All About the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Enclave Where Hamas
Rules”, Bloomberg, October 12, 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-13/israeli-palestinian-conflict-history-the-roots-of-the-israel-hamas-war
[3]
“What’s the Israel-Palestinian conflict about and how did it start?”, Reuters,
October 12, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-palestinian-dispute-hinges-statehood-land-jerusalem-refugees-2023-10-10/
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8]
“United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine”, Lumen Learning, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/the-partitioning-of-palestine/
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13]
“Israel/occupied Palestinian territory: UN experts deplore attacks on
civilians, call for truce and urge international community to address root
causes of violence”, United Nations Human Rights Office of the High
Commissioner, October 12, 2023, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/israeloccupied-palestinian-territory-un-experts-deplore-attacks-civilians
[14] “What
has the UN done and said on the Israel-Palestine conflict”, Al Jazeera, October
25, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/25/what-has-the-un-done-on-the-israel-palestine-conflict
[15]Nisar
Ahmed Khan, “Israel-Palestine Issue: Role of the United Nations”, Modern
Diplomacy, December 27, 2017, https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2017/12/27/israel-palestine-issue-role-united-nations/
[16] Ibid.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Richard
Roth, “Why the United Nations is stuck on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”,
CNN World, May 19, 2021, https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/18/world/meanwhile-in-america-may-18-intl/index.html
[19]
“General Assembly Adopts Resolution Calling for Immediate, Sustained
Humanitarian Truce Leading to Cessation of Hostilities between Israel, Hamas”,
United Nations, October 27, 2023, https://press.un.org/en/2023/ga12548.doc.htm
[20] Ibid.
[21]
Ibid.
[22]
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/blunt-frank/the-war-of-words-in-india-on-the-israel-palestine-conflict/
[23] “In
India’s Second Statement On Israel-Gaza War, A Balancing Act, NDTV World,
October 13, 2023, https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-latest-news-ndtv-explains-indias-viable-palestine-message-after-support-for-israel-4478662
[24] Ibid.
[25] Ibid.
[26]
Manjari Chatterjee Miller, “Modi’s Statement on the Israel Crisis Demonstrates
a Transformed India-Israel Bilateral Relationship”, Council on Foreign
Relations, October 9, 2023, https://www.cfr.org/blog/modis-statement-israel-crisis-demonstrates-transformed-india-israel-bilateral-relationship
Nandini Agarwal is
Research Intern at CS3-USI of India.
Article uploaded on 04-01-2024
Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of the organisation that he/she belongs to or
of the USI of India