Despite support by the US and Germany for Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, the global opposition to the Israeli massacre in the blockaded enclave is getting harsher.
Israel has, so far, killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, mostly children and women, as it continues its relentless attacks on the Gaza Strip. Around 6,000 people are unaccounted for, with more than 4,000 of them women and children. They are either buried under the rubble of demolished buildings or their bodies are lying on the streets without being identified.
Israel has forced around 400,000 civilians to migrate from northern Gaza to the south since it started pressure and violent attacks after the 7 October Hamas assault on the Israeli territory.
Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of hospitals, schools, mosques, churches, ambulances and refugee camps lays bare the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire.
The attacks launched by the Israeli administration of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, under the pretext of fighting terrorism were interpreted as the right to self-defence for weeks in the US and European countries, where Tel Aviv garnered huge support and courage.
However, the tone of voice of the Western administrations changed as Israel’s attacks reached a level of massacre and collected increasing opposition from the public.
Western countries such as the US, Germany and the UK, voicing unwavering support to Israel, are trying to protect Israel from external pressures by rejecting calls for a ceasefire.
While Britain, with its veto power, blocks the UN Security Council and prevents it from taking actions effectively, EU countries that support Israel, especially Germany, prevent the bloc from calling for a ceasefire at the institutional level.
On the other hand, opposition from around the world to Israel’s massacres in the Gaza Strip continues to grow.
Anadolu compiled the stance of Western and non-Western countries regarding Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.
With unwavering support for Israel, US breaks pressure for ceasefire
As the Israeli administration enjoys “unlimited” support by the US in its war on Gaza, Washington still refuses to clearly call for a ceasefire in the Strip, despite thousands of civilian casualties.
The draft resolution, which was vetoed after being submitted by the US to the UN Security Council on 25 October, said “the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October are strongly condemned” and that countries have the right to self-defence.
It also highlighted the need for a “humanitarian pause in hostilities” instead of a ceasefire, and said sustainable aid should be provided to Gaza.
On the other hand, the draft resolution submitted by Russia to the UN Security Council on 16 and 25 October regarding the immediate declaration of a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza was vetoed by the US.
Defending Israel’s “right to self-defence,” US President, Joe Biden, said: “We are ready to provide all support to the Israeli government and people.”
Pentagon spokesperson, Sabrina Singh, said on 18 October that they gave Israel “the security systems it needs to neutralise and effectively push back Hamas.”
Responding to a question during his speech on investments at the White House on 24 October, Biden announced that they could discuss a ceasefire only “after all the hostages held by Hamas are released”.
During his visit to Israel’s capital, Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said: “These are difficult days, but we’re here, as we’ve been, as we remain, in solidarity with Israel. We stand strongly for the proposition that Israel has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself and to do everything possible to make sure that this 7 October can never happen again.”
In his remarks in Jordan’s capital, Amman, on 4 November, Blinken said: “It’s our view that a ceasefire now would simply leave Hamas in place, able to regroup and repeat what it did on 7 October,” he said.
The US administration has reiterated that it “does not set any limits” on Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
“We are not setting red lines for Israel. We continue to support their security needs, and this will continue,” White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator, John Kirby, said on 27 October, when the number of civilians killed by Israel reached 7,326.
Only after the Palestinian death toll topped 11,000, the US administration changed its tone and began to give veiled messages that could hardly be called a warning to Israel.
Germany becomes biggest supporter of Israel with historical burden
Germany, under the historical burden of committing genocide against the Jews in World War II, has steadily voiced its unconditional support to Israel since the country’s establishment.
Germany, Europe’s greatest power, resolutely opposed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
On 12 November, German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, completely ignored the situation of civilians in the face of calls for a ceasefire from the Arab and Islamic world. Scholz said: “I do not think it is right to demand an immediate ceasefire or a long pause (in Gaza) because that means Israel allow Hamas to recover.”
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German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, also supported Israel, saying: “For Germany, Israel’s security is non-negotiable. Addressing the plight of the Palestinians does not, in any way, contradict this clear and unshakable stance.” With this statement, she showed that nothing humane should be expected from her country.
Britain did not change its support for Israel
For the situation after 7 October, the British government quickly decided to deploy two Royal Navy ships and maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel.
British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who visited Israel on 19 October, ignored the indiscriminate killing of thousands of Gazans in Israeli bombardments when he told the Tel Aviv administration, “We want you to win.”
On 10 November, the spokesperson for British Prime Minister reiterated that they did not support calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and claimed that they did not want a possible ceasefire to benefit Hamas in the current situation.
Britain succeeded in this by working hard with the US to prevent the UN Security Council from taking a ceasefire decision.
The British government has taken its support for Israel so far as to seek to suppress the voices growing among people against the massacre in Gaza. Suella Braverman, the former British Home Secretary, who was replaced by James Cleverly last week, described the demonstrations in support of Palestine held in London as “hate marches”. Braverman, who intended to ban the demonstrations, was dismissed from her post on 13 November as the reactions in the country increased.
EU has not yet called for ceasefire
The EU has still not called for a ceasefire in the face of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen’s unconditional support for Netanyahu during her visit to Israel on 14 October, her failure to mention the situation in Gaza and her lack of calls to avoid civilian casualties drew rebuff within the EU.
During the demonstrations in support of Palestine held one after another in European capitals on the same days, the EU’s attitude began to be harshly criticised.
EU Council President, Charles Michel, said the tragic scenes that emerged in Gaza due to the Israeli siege and failure to meet basic needs and the devastation caused by serious bombardment raise alarm bells in the international community. He added that the extraordinary EU summit coincided with an Israeli hospital attack on 17 October, which killed 500 people.
Even after this incident, the leaders of the EU institutions did not mention that Israel had violated international law and committed war crimes.
Source : MEMO