Kesonyü V Yhome
Casualties pile up along Israeli-Lebanese border as tensions run high in the middle-east in the wake of the latest round of violence in the region. Incessant Israeli airstrikes on the one hand and retaliating Hezbollah rockets on the other continue to cause serious concerns in the region as well as amongst the international community.
The root of the Middle East confrontations
Violence in the MiddleEast is nothing new. In fact, the saga of Middle-East imbroglio has a hoary history. In recent times, Israel’s conflict with the neighbouring Islamic states had dawned in the 1950s and 60s. The Zionist state had problems with Palestine since its formation in late 1940s, the problems continue till today. In 1956, the Suez crisis brought Israel and Egypt face to face, and again in 1967, Israel- Egypt confrontation left Israel in possession of the West Bank of River Jordan; the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula (Israel later withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982). Again in late 60s the Israel annexation of the Golan Heights from Syria marked an inevitable conflict with Damascus. In the early 80s, Israel captured a 15 Km- wide strip of land along its northern border in Southern Lebanon and after designating it a security zone- Tel Aviv- an Israeli militia called the South Lebanon Army (SLA) was formed. This event led to the emergence of the Hezbollah army.
Emergence of Hezbollah
The Hezbollah, a radical Lebanese guerilla army, was formed in the wake of the Israeli invasion of Southern Lebanon in the early 80s when the now bed-ridden former Israeli premier Ariel Sharon was defense minister. With the formation of the SLA, the Hezbollah accepted Israel’s challenge and revolted against the Israeli forces. There have been clashes and skirmishes between the two groups since then.
Israel suffered high casualties in January 2000, when it lost seven soldiers and the following month, the new chief of SLA was assassinated in a car bomb attack by the Hezbollah. The former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak had earlier promised to make peace with Syria and Lebanon and had specifically pledged withdraw Israeli troops from Lebanon by July 2000. However, following serious setbacks suffered at the hands of the Hezbollah, Israel unleashed multiple airstrikes bombing the Lebanese power plants in February 2000 plunging most of Lebanese into darkness.
The latest round of Israeli-Lebanon conflict had been sparked by the abduction of two Israeli soldiers by the Hezbollah fighters and killing of 8 other Israeli soldiers about 10 days or so ago. Israel blames Lebanon for harboring and financing the guerilla army against its people and territory. Since then, Israel had inflicted the heaviest damage on Lebanon since 1882 invasion to expel the guerillas. Casualties are mounting as Israeli warplanes continue the offensive. Hezbollah has responded by attacking Israel naval vessel off Beirut, killing four sailors and firing hundreds of rockets across the Israeli-Lebanese border killing dozens of Israeli civilians.
Israel has waged new strikes against Lebanon while Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has declared that his country would continue to “operate in full force”. The latest Israeli attacks included radar installations, rocket warehouses and bunkers.
Prospect of a prolonged confrontation
A poll published in the daily Yedioth Ahronoth showed 86% of Israelis affirming that the army’s attacks on the Lebanon were justified while only 10-14% voted for cessation of violence and preferred to start negotiations. On another count, 58% of them believed that the offensive should continue until the army killed Sayeed Nasrallah. The Hezbollah leader Nasrallah is now chief target of the Israeli authorities. (An Israeli private TV channel reported that he was wounded in Israeli raids on July 16).
On Monday last, Ehud Olmert addressing the Knesset, issued three conditions for a truce with Lebanon- Hezbollah must return the two soldiers abducted in a cross-border raid last week; stop firing rockets at the Jewish state; and cede control over southern Lebanon. Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni reiterated her government’s demands that the soldiers captured should be freed and that the Hezbollah should be disarmed.
On the contrary however, Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets into northern Israel. Several had landed in the city of Haifa while five casualties were reported in a rocket attack on the Israel town of Safed. Attacks have also been reported in Israeli cities of Saknin, Rosh Pina and the border town of Kiryat Shmona.
Under these circumstances, a truce between Jerusalem and Beirut cannot be expected so early. Israel is now considering ground offensives and with Beirut vowing to retaliate, an early breakthrough is not very much in the picture. The international community can afford to waste no time to bring about an early breakthrough to end the ongoing crisis. All efforts need to be made to avoid any escalation of violence that would only sink the region into deeper crisis.
Serious political and economic implications
The Middle East is a highly sensitive and strategic region both in terms of geo-politics as well as global energy security. Hence any threat to the political and economic stability in the region can send shockwaves in the neighbouring and world community at large. An expeditious end to the face-off is therefore all the more relevant. Political ‘trust deficit’ between Beirut and Jerusalem would do not good to the already unhealthy Israeli-Islam relations. Besides, instability in the region can adversely affect global economies owing to concerns of abnormal supply of fuel and energy. These concerns apart, the deteriorating Israeli-Lebanon relations have a potential to spill over to other ties in the region. The worsening situation can adversely affect the thawing Israel- Palestine marathon entanglement. Besides, any further violence in the region could potentially bring Jerusalem and Damascus face to face- again not a happy prospect either. Peace in the region is the cry of the day.
Threat of a humanitarian crisis
The evacuation of foreigners from Lebanon is being stepped up as Israeli warplanes carry out more airstrikes. Tens of thousands of people are set to leave Lebanon by land, sea and air. The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian disaster in Lebanon as people flee their homes. Over one lakh Lebanese have already fled to Syria. Basic amenities and essential commodities like food, clothing and aid are running inadequate and are not reaching people on time. Families with children, the old and the sick are moving out of their homes to escape the strikes. Chaos is slowly building and the economy is starting to destabilize.
“It’s already very bad and it is deteriorating by the hour” remarked Jan Egeland, UNs top humanitarian official, on the exacerbating situation in Lebanon. The humanitarian crisis appears to create more problems than was witnessed during the 16 years old civil war between Christians (42%) and Muslims (57%) in Lebanon.
With both Israel and Lebanon (Hezbollah) reluctant to stretch out the olive branch, the UN needs to pull out all the stops to try and bring the two parties to the negotiating table. Durable political solution cannot be bought by circumventing healthy negotiations. Violence can only throw he situation into deeper problems. Intense diplomatic efforts need to be pursued.
Humanitarian measures need to be taken up on a mission mode. Evacuation and rehabilitation measures need to be heavily stepped up. The innocent civilians, as always, continue to bear the brunt of the face-off. Official records show that over 200 Lebanese offensives and dozens of Israelis, mostly civilians have been killed since the latest offensives in the past week or so.
Lasting peace has been elusive in West Asia. The future of Middle-East has never been certain. The fresh round of violence in the region has painted the picture more vague and unpredictable.
