The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Middle East

  • Middle East: When will the wars end?

    Middle East: When will the wars end?

    The Middle East has been a hotbed of conflict for decades, with wars and skirmishes erupting over issues like land, borders and rights. Over the decades, the region has become a complex web of alliances, rivalries, and power struggles, with global powers like the United States, the UK, France, China and Russia pursuing their own interests and agendas. Regional players like Qatar and Turkey have also been vying for influence, with some making efforts to broker peace deals.

    The recent escalation between Israel and Iran has only brought the region to a boiling point, again drawing in global powers. In this volatile landscape, the question of when the wars will end is complex; it is rooted in deep-seated historical and cultural tensions shaped by colonialism, imperialism and arbitrary borders drawn by Western powers.

    To understand the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, it’s essential to examine their historical origins. A historical analysis is necessary to contextualize the multitude of conflicts plaguing the region today and determine the factors perpetuating this cycle of violence. The region’s complex politics have roots stretching back centuries, predating the Ottoman Empire and the fall of Constantinople, which marked significant turning points.

    Right now, and, unlike the era of the Egyptian President Abdel Gamal Nasser, when pan-Arabism fostered regional unity, the Middle East today is characterized by fragmentation. The potent Sheikhs and Emirs, who give priority to their grip on power and strategic alliances with the US, view Iran as a threat to their interests. As such, they are unlikely to support their neighbour, which exemplifies the enduring relevance of the divide-and-rule framework in contemporary Middle Eastern geopolitics.

    The Iranian issue lays bare the West’s hypocrisy and duplicity. Put bluntly, the roots of today’s conflicts can be traced back to the August 19, 1953 coup that ousted Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, who championed national sovereignty and resource control. Ironically, his efforts to reclaim control over Iran’s resources could be seen as an earlier iteration of ‘Make Iran Great Again,’ long before the phrase became a catchphrase in a different context. With Mossadegh successfully ousted from power, the US subsequently initiated Iran’s nuclear programme under the Shah’s puppet regime.

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    Given this history, the US and its allies’ calls for the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear programme ring hollow. The critical question to ask is: who started it in the first place? Nonetheless, the enduring nature of these conflicts is tied to unresolved issues, particularly resource control and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which requires a two-state solution. As Dwight D. Eisenhower presciently warned in his January 17, 1961 farewell address as the 34th president of the United States, perpetual conflict serves the interests of the military-industrial complex. Of course, it highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to geopolitics.

    The Arab-Israeli War (1948)! The Suez Crisis (1956)! The Six-Day War (1967)! The Yom Kippur War (1973)! The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)! The Gulf War (1990-1991)! The Iraq War (2003-2011)! The Syrian Civil War (2011-present)! The Yemen Civil War (2015-present)! The recurring Israeli-Gaza conflicts! The Israel-Iran conflict, which has seen periods of escalation and ceasefire! But when will the wars end and when will the Middle East heave a sigh of relief?

    Again – and realistically, too – lasting peace in the Middle East seems as elusive as a mirage in the desert. The conflicts are as complex as the region’s geopolitics, and quick fixes are about as effective as a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. Diplomatic efforts, like the latest ceasefire brokered by the US, offer temporary reprieves, but it’s like putting a lid on a boiling pot. The pressure is still there!

    A durable peace requires more than just diplomatic Band-Aids; it demands a deep understanding of the region’s tangled history, politics and cultures. Until the powers-that-be give precedence to dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding over their own interests, the Middle East will remain a perpetual battleground, fuelling the military-industrial complex’s eternal hunger for conflict.

    The Israel-Iran conflict offers valuable lessons for Africa and Nigeria. One key takeaway is the importance of handling complex geopolitical relationships and maintaining strategic alliances. Africa and Nigeria can learn from Israel’s experience in building strong alliances and leveraging diplomatic relationships to advance national interests.

    The conflict also highlights the need for national security and investment in security infrastructure to protect against external threats. Furthermore, economic resilience and diversification are crucial for stability and prosperity. Israel’s thriving economy, built despite significant security challenges, is a testament to the importance of innovation and investment in human capital.

    Diplomacy and dialogue are essential in resolving disputes, as demonstrated by various diplomatic efforts to address the conflict. Africa and Nigeria can benefit from prioritizing diplomatic engagement and regional cooperation to address security and economic challenges. Moreover, regional stability and cooperation are vital for promoting economic development and combating terrorism, as evident from the impact of the conflict on the Middle East.

    To conclude, the conflict’s global implications stress the need for African nations to manage global power dynamics effectively and build strategic partnerships to advance national interests. In this context, it is noteworthy that both the US War Powers Resolution and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (Section 5(4)) provide checks and balances on executive power, promoting accountability and responsible decision-making in matters of war and national security.

  • Middle East: Israeli tail wagging American dog

    Middle East: Israeli tail wagging American dog

    The recent denial by the Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, that the United States did not know beforehand, Israel’s attack on Iran was an obvious lie which President Donald Trump cleared not completely the following day when he said he was briefed by Mr Bilyaminin Netanyahu the Israeli prime minister a day before but he did not say if he gave the go ahead.

    Of course, the Europeans are not having a part in the Israeli war on Iran, the third Israeli war on its enemies in one year, if one adds this current war on Iran to the Israeli war on Gaza and on Hezbollah in Lebanon.

    Europe is more concerned with Russia’s war on Ukraine which poses existential threat to Europe.

    It seems however that since Trump was elected president of the USA, the role of Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in global security has almost become irrelevant in world affairs. Trump has almost individually appropriated foreign policy operations whether in Europe but most particularly in the Middle East. All the remonstrations of the Europeans and Canada with Israel over its murderous campaign against a defenceless people in Gaza and Lebanon made largely of women, children and old men have been ignored.

    America has been dragged in, to support Israel in Lebanon and in the constant bombing of Syria until there was a regime change in Syria and Hezbollah has been rendered useless as part of Iranian front against Israel and now Israel has decided to remove the troublesome presence of Iran in the Axis of evil as Israel is concerned.

    Earlier on when Israel and Iran exchanged blows during the dying months of the Biden administration, the United States in October 2024, Europe, even Jordan and Egypt tried to intercept Iranian missiles and drones from hitting Israel but in the current situation, the European countries principally Britain, France , Germany and Canada and their allies in the Middle East kept their distance and called for  de-escalation of the conflict because they felt Israeli attack on Iran was unjustified especially when America was involved in negotiations with Iran over the issue of the Iranian  rapid uranium enrichment a precondition for making nuclear weapons.

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    Israel was more concerned with the issue because it poses existential threat to her. This reluctance on the part of Europe to jump on the bandwagon of military campaign against Iran restrained the combustible Donald Trump who first said America was not connected with the Israeli attack. This was also reinforced by Marco Rubio’s disclaimer that Israeli attack was a unilateral decision with no American input.

    We now know the American president was involved from the beginning. But Trump wants to intervene on the side of Israel apparently reluctantly because the MAGA movement supporting him is against American military entanglement in the Middle East. Trump also sees himself as a “PEACE PRESIDENT” who would rather face the task of developing America and making Americans rich through his policy of high tariffs against the rest of the world whether, as his critics say, makes economic sense or not .

    This is where we are. Trump departed before the end of the G-7 conference in Canada to go back to Washington where he has been making threats against Iran and asking people to vacate immediately, Tehran, the 10 million-peopled capital of Iran apparently as preparatory to America unleashing B52 bombers to drop huge bombs that can penetrate down the depth of where the uranium enrichment laboratories are buried.  Trump while arriving in Washington threw caution to the winds and said “we control the air space of Iran and we know where the Ayatollah is hiding and we have not decided to take him out yet”,

    This means that America and Israel may decide not only to get rid of the nuclear infrastructure but also effect a regime change. It seems they may go for both. It will not be easy if America intervenes by putting troops on the ground because one cannot win a war without ground troops to secure the victory of air campaign. Iran is not going to be an easy country to conquer.  However the American administration has begun deploying its military assets into the Persian Gulf and had flown military planes to the centre of the conflict in the last few days.

    Whatever the case may be, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), the UN agency based in Vienna has however warned that busting nuclear facilities buried deep down the earth and releasing radioactive materials come with tremendous risk. This is a warning to gung-ho Republicans who want to bomb Iran to ashes to be careful of wilfully or unwillingly poisoning the environment in the Middle East and elsewhere because the global environment is one.

    One thing that bothers me is the way Israel has been empowered by the current and even the Biden United States’ administration to shape the Middle East the way it wants irrespective of what the other countries want. Because of this, Israel arrogates to itself the moral right to decide about who is right or wrong in the politics of the Middle East. Gone are the days when the whole world stood with Israel on issues of morality on  politics of the Middle East and when Israel was famous for taming the desert and turning  the Israeli desert to green agricultural pastures and producing first class medical drugs and equipment. These days Israel is known for its military conquest and its policy of might being right. Israel, because of the history of the holocaust, has the right to defend itself but when does this right become the right to brutally conquer and kill Palestinians who like the Israelis are merely struggling to be free?

    The slaughterhouse which Gaza and the West Bank of the River Jordan have turned into need to be closed down for ever. Someone needs to speak up about the need to stop the slaughter of Palestinians by the Israeli army and the two suffering peoples – the Israelis and Palestinians need to live in peace either together or separately.

    If Donald Trump brings the weight of the United States behind Israel, the question then is what becomes of the recent apparent success of Trump’s policies in the Arab world? No matter the historical differences that exist between Arabs and Iranians (Persians), the tie of Islam despite the differences between the dominant Sunni and Shia Islam respectively in most of the Arab world and Iran, the ties of geography, history and Islam are stronger than the temporary binding of contemporary times.

  • Combustible Middle East

    Combustible Middle East

    To every perceptive international relations expert, it was clear that when the Palestinian group Hamas stepped on the tail of the Israeli adder two Octobers ago, the Middle East would change in ways no one could have predicted years ago. With Gaza’s Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Yemen’s Houthis serving as Iran’s proxy armies and imperial teeth in the region, Israel has picked up the gauntlet and struck all the proxies and their master severely in the past few months. But it is getting much worse, and the Middle East may change more radically than it has done so far.

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    Last week, by blitzing Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities and decapitating a section of its military leadership and injuring its national pride, Israel has in short declared war. Iran’s response, including how the tit for tat escalates, will determine just how fundamentally and radically the region will change. The notable thing about this latest fiery exchange is not who is right or wrong, but how immoderately Iran talked itself into a bind from which it cannot easily extricate itself, especially being encompassed by neighbours fearful of its imperial agenda than Israel’s zionism. Expect political tragedies, including endangered governments, at the end of this crisis as the situation gets very costly, bloody and messy in both Iran and Israel.

  • How to restore peace in Middle East, by Tinubu

    How to restore peace in Middle East, by Tinubu

    Reflecting on the protracted Middle East crisis, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday urged world leaders to bring peace to the troubled region through a concerted action.

    He also said the Israeli-Gaza war would abate, if the international community could embark on decisive action beyond the current empty condemnation.

    President Tinubu said the challenges in those troubled zones had imposed the moral duty to find lasting solutions to the war of attrition.

    Speaking at an extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh the President called on the international community to take concrete steps to stop what he described as “Israeli aggression” against the people of Gaza.

    The one-day summit was a follow-up to the Riyadh Summit last year. It was attended by Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States.

    Highlighting the prolonged suffering of Palestinians, President Tinubu emphasized that the crisis has inflicted immeasurable harm on innocent lives.

    He said the scenario had imposed a shared responsibility on nations that champion justice and human dignity.

    Quoting President Tinubu, his spokesman Bayo Onanuga, said leaders have a moral duty to seek a swift and sustainable resolution to the conflict in a way that upholds the sanctity of human life and humanitarian values.

    Tinubu stressed that the time for empty condemnations had passed, insisting that only a meaningful and coordinated action could bring lasting peace to the region.

    He condemned the military, political, or security objectives that prioritise strategic gains at the expense of civilian safety, urging world leaders to reject approaches that lead to widespread human suffering.

    Reiterating Nigeria’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, President Tinubu affirmed the country’s support for a two-state solution, where both Israeli and Palestinians can co-exist in security and dignity.

    He described the solution as a viable path to lasting peace in the region.

    President Tinubu said: ‘’The conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering on countless lives.

    ‘’As representatives of nations that value justice, dignity, and the sanctity of human life, we have a moral obligation to collectively bring about an immediate end to this conflict.

    ‘’It is not enough to issue empty condemnations. The world must work towards an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has persisted for far too long. No political aim, no military strategy, and no security concern should come at the expense of so many innocent lives.”

    President Tinubu urged parties in the conflict in the Middle East to respect the principles of proportionality and the basic rights of civilians, which are consistent with global  legal and diplomatic frameworks.

    He added: ‘’In a rules-based international order, States have the right of self-defence. But self defence must take proportionality into account, in line with global legal, diplomatic – and moral – frameworks.

    ‘’An entire civilian population, their dreams and futures, cannot be dismissed as collateral,’’ he said.

    Explaining Nigeria’s principled and consistent stance on the two-state solution, President Tinubu described it as a beacon of hope, representing the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and peace.

    He stressed: ‘’It is not just a diplomatic article of faith; it is a vision grounded in the principles of equality and mutual recognition.

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    ‘’Achieving this vision requires a commitment to dialogue and respect for history. We all know this conflict did not begin on October 7, 2023. It can only be resolved through principled compromise, based on appreciation of the proper context.

    ‘’This conflict, in the cradle of history, is so visceral that the ripples of division spread far and quickly. The corrosive impact of the images of endless violence, repeated on a billion smart phones around the world is huge. We need to find new pathways to peace, without delay.”

    President Tinubu commended King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for convening the summit, describing it as a vital opportunity to renew diplomatic efforts and work toward a sustainable peace.

    He assured that Nigeria given its own experiences would continue to support international efforts that advance peace and stability in the Middle East. 

    ‘’Our own experiences, domestically and regionally, have taught us that identity politics are no substitute for respecting the nuances of diversity.”

    Presideto Tinubu said ‘’the path to reconciliation may be fraught with challenges, but it is through honest conversation that we can foster understanding.”

    He added: ‘’The international community has the opportunity to bring to bear new thinking on this most relentless challenge.

    ‘’It is our duty to engage in this dialogue with sincerity and resolve, recognising the complexities that each side faces.’’

    President Tinubu called for the establishment of a secretariat to implement the resolutions of the Summit.

    He urged the leaders to mandate a select Heads of Government to canvass support globally and oversee the implementation of the Summit resolutions, providing regular reports to a joint OIC and Arab League leadership until permanent peace is achieved in the Middle East.

    Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon, including the targeting of civilians and the continued violation of the Al-Aqsa mosque.

    He also condemned Israeli ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from delivering relief aid to Palestinians and the displacement of Lebanese people.

    The monarch emphasized the importance of preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    The Crown Prince highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting Palestinian statehood based on the 1967 borders, international recognition and the establishment of a Global Coalition with the  European Union and Norway.

    He urged more states to join the Global Coalition.

  • Nigerian in Under 50 Awards List for Middle East, Africa

    Nigerian in Under 50 Awards List for Middle East, Africa

    Founder of Institute of Counselling in Nigeria (ICN), Dr. Tolulope Oko-Igaire, has been named as one of the top 50 under 50 women founders in Middle East and Africa.

    The awards, which held during SheEO Leadership Bootcamp in Doha, Qatar, from May 9, was organised by Female Founders Initiative Middle East and Africa.

    Oko-Igaire was honoured for her contribution to counselling and mental health in Africa, and spreading knowledge through her institute. 

    ‘‘This honour recognises achievements of women entrepreneurs in our region and celebrates their contributions to industries and inspiring future generations’’, the organisers said, noting the award celebrates determination and resilience of women founders. 

    Oko-Igaire said the  recognition would spur her to keep contributing to counselling and mental health awareness. 

    ‘‘I am honoured… I will continue to contribute to making the world a better place by passing the knowledge of counselling and mental health and helping those in critical conditions to health’’, she said.

    [opularly known as The Fixer, she is one of Africa’s sex therapist and mental health practitioners, and instrumental to growth of counselling and mental health awareness in Nigeria and Africa.

  • Gathering storm of major blow-up in the Middle East

    Gathering storm of major blow-up in the Middle East

    It is generally known to observers of the situation in the Middle East that there are two armed camps watching each other and ready for war if their interests are threatened. One group is allied around Israel, and the other around the Islamic republic of Iran. Israel and Iran are directly involved, while others from a distance can afford to prevaricate while Israel and Iran do not have the privilege of distant observation or armchair strategic  analysis and planning. This fact makes the place dangerous for big power confrontation, with the tendency of being dragged into a conflict without proper consultation and consideration  The issues around which a state of belligerency can be declared is the threat to the existence of Israel on one hand, and on the other hand an existential threat to the Shia regime in Iran . This was not always the case until Iran became a Shia theocracy  in 1979, justifying its own raison detre as the destruction of Israel .

    The issues of religion is fundamental to the proper appreciation of the situation of the Middle East. It is home to the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, each laying claim sometimes to the same shrine – of course, with different interpretations. The  economic, strategic and religious importance of the Middle East and the place of Israel in protecting the interests of America and the West generally is intertwined with the defense of Israel  by America and the West, which feels obliged to do so as an obligation to it because of the West’s feeling of  vicarious responsibility for the holocaust during the Second World War. Iran enjoys  support either incipiently or openly  because of its  economic and strategic importance   and relevance  to countries like  Russia, China, Pakistan; and increasingly to India and the Muslim countries of the far east like Indonesia and Malaysia that are increasingly trying to challenge the western political and economic hegemony in the world .The Middle East is a keg of gun powder ready to explode at any time and every war there brings the world near  to a general conflagration because of the various interests ranging from  access to oil, gas military bases,  and because of religious and historical  considerations and aspirations.

    What happened on Saturday 13th of April, 2024  when Iran sent 300 waves of drones, cruise missiles and inter-ballistic missiles into Israel has its justification in the Israeli attack on an Iranian consulate building in Damascus  on April 1, leading to the death of important military officers, some of the rank of brigadier-general. This  Israeli attack on a diplomatic building was  in violation of international diplomatic protocol, which sees embassy buildings as sovereign territory of the sending country – in this case, Iran. Up till now Israel has not openly claimed that it was responsible for the attack, presumably because of the embarrassment of violating international law. Israel can, of course, justify the attack on the grounds that Iran military officers and personnel were in Damascus to direct Hezbollah in Lebanon to attack northern Israel in its mutual war against Lebanon, which has led to hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and Israelis fleeing their homes for safety in other parts of their country.

    Whether legitimate or not, this was the immediate casus belli for the state of belligerency which the Iranian regime declared that it would retaliate.  In similar situation when the American military killed the Iranian General Soleimani in a targeted drone strike on 3rd January, 2020 in Baghdad, Iran  in retaliation launched missiles against US military bases in Iraq, wounding 110 American troops. In the same vein, It became a matter of honour for Iran to take the step it took in sending the waves of  missiles and drones into Israel.  It appears Iran warned Israel of what was coming at it, so that the damage could be minimised. The arsenals were apparently shut down by a combination of Israeli, American, French, British – and  incredibly, Jordanian forces  for Iranian violation of its airspace – thus leading to no serious damage in Israel, which made President Joe Biden to phone the Israeli Prime Minister Bilhaminu Netanyahu not to embark on military retaliatory action because the United States apparently felt Iran’s attack was for the country’s internal propagandist purpose and not something to seriously hurt Israel. This reading of the Iranian action sounds reasonable, but Israel may not buy the American logic. The fact that the attack on Israel came directly from Iran, from Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon and Shia-controlled Iraq, and  from Houthis-controlled Yemen,  and Syria – all Iranian protégés – makes Israel position of being surrounded by enemies on all fronts makes Israeli decision to strike back understandable.

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    The confrontations between Iran  and Israel before now was through Iranian-sponsored allies and not by Iran itself. On the other hand, Israel had previously carried the war to Iran by assassinations in Iran  and elsewhere of scientists and military personnel involved in the development of Iranian nuclear program on the grounds that there is no nicety in the war that posed the question of life or death  to Israel, because it justly believes that the Iranian nuclear program was directed at making nuclear weapons aimed at the destruction of Israel. The  prime minister  of Israel has openly declared it that Israel will never allow Iran to make nuclear weapons. How he hopes to do this without a general war in the Middle East or universal nuclear disarmament remains to be seen. This is where we are at the time I am writing this article, but it is clear to me ,that we are at the cusp of a dangerous period in global history because if Israel attacks Iran frontally, Iran has promised to hit back.

    Unfortunately, the situation in the Middle East  has deteriorated to this level at a time of elections in the United States. The Jewish lobby in the US is so powerful that it can determine who wins or loses a presidential election. Both the Republican and the Democratic parties are beholden to the Israeli interests who have manipulated, whether rightly or wrongly, to present Israeli interests as those of the US. There are considerable American investments in Israeli economy, but particularly in its scientifically efficient research in medicine and military science and innovation from which the American military industrial complex benefits. It is this complex relationship between Israeli and American education, the military,  banking, finance, Artificial intelligence – the whole gamut  of futuristic development – that elevates the American-Israeli relationship to a situation where the Israeli tail wags the American dog. I think  President Biden did well to warn Israel that America will not join Netanyahu in waging an holy war against Iran, and what America says will be echoed by the leaders of the G-7. Israel may go on a tit-for-tat with assassinating Iranian scientists and military men in and outside Iran, and Iran would reply accordingly.

    What this Iranian attack  means is telling Israel  that it is reachable directly from Iran. This introduces a new element to the equation and this will be factored into Israeli determination not to allow Iran to become a nuclear weapons state.  One of the results of the situation now in the Middle East is that it frees Israel from any restraint in  its war in Gaza, and the Palestinians would bear the consequence of the whole world being seized with  preventing an Israeli – Iranian war rather than being concerned with what happens to the Palestinians in Raffah where the Israeli  military will mercilessly deal with them with no protest from the rest of the world. If the tragedy in Gaza leads to an Israeli agreement to a two-state solution, the case and cause for war between the Arab states and Israel may be removed for ever and Iran would have been isolated, because it would be a case of being more Catholic than the Pope.

  • How United States is fuelling the crisis in Middle East

    How United States is fuelling the crisis in Middle East

    By Disu Kamor

    In an assault on the occupied Gaza Strip in May of 2021, Israel deployed hundreds of bombs, missiles, and shells, killing over 240 Palestinians and wounding more than 1,900 others. More than half of the dead were civilians, according to the Israeli think tank Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre. The vast majority of the weapons used during the military assault were either made, funded or subsidized by the U.S. and in the aftermath of what majority of U.S. media referred to as “military incursion”, humanitarian projects, multiple hospitals and water treatment facilities and dozens of schools were all destroyed.

    Although it was the former U.S. President Jimmy Carter that first referred to Gaza Strip (what used to be Gaza City is now Gaza Strip due to land theft by Israel), as “world’s largest open air prison”, the blockade of the Gaza Strip by land, air, and sea (by Israel and Egypt), has made the Strip, the same size as Cape Town or Detroit, the most densely populated areas in the world. To restrict Palestinian movements, in 1995, Israel built an electronic fence and concrete wall around the Gaza Strip, virtually ending interactions between it and other Palestinian territories. In 2001, Israel bombed and demolished the Gaza airport, only three years after it opened.

    In the midst of all these, United States stores its largest stockpile of weapons in Israel and makes them readily available to Israel, which Israel has used at least twice. Also, the U.S. maintains some military personnel in Israel, which periodically conduct exercises with Israeli occupation army — most recent of which was this past July. In addition, it provides at least $3.8B to Israel annually as military aid. Immediately there first Hamas rocket fell on Tel Aviv during the current crisis, President Biden offered “iron-clad” support to Israel, while tacitly urging it to respond to Hamas’ “enough is enough” attacks with the same “shock and awe” strategy it, the United States, used in Iraq.

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    In breath-taking statements, the United States officials, from the Congress to the State Secretary, condemned Hamas “terrorist attack” on poor Israel. As usual, the routine statements apply the principle of cause and effect to immediately justify Israel’s need to “defend itself” in a manner that de-contextualizes Palestinian militancy, thereby depriving the latter of any semblance of legitimacy. The nursery rhyme from Israel’s strongest ally was once again: Israel must defend itself. And Hamas must bear responsibility for the “unprovoked” attack on Israel and Israeli civilians. These statements rarely, if ever, consider Palestinian violence to be the effect — only the cause. 

    But let us be clear about something. Hamas is never the issue, or the problem here. Hamas was only founded in 1987, as an organization to resist occupation that was already close to two decades old when it was founded. The problem is Israeli illegal occupation of Palestine which is nearly 60 years old, Israel’s inhumane treatment of the Palestinians, expansion of illegal settlements, settlers violence and provocation, desecration of holy sites, denial of right of return, and policies of apartheid and oppression with absolutely no consequences or accountability. These are the problems. Once there is no occupation, there will be no resistance to occupation. But no one should delude himself that the oppressor is entitled to peace from the oppressed. 

    Everyone agrees that Israel is in violation of international law. This is not an ethnic issue; it is not a religious issue or even a difficult legal issue. The legality of settlements and the right of return of refugees are basic principles of international law.

    When an honest person applies the basic principles of justice, equity and fairness to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you get unambiguous answers about who is right and who is wrong. Nevertheless, the problem is that when it comes to enforcing the law, the mechanisms of international law are weak. The United States vetoes international law despite international public opinion and on countless occasions, has vetoed UN resolutions acting, alone and lonely, against the international consensus on the solution to the conflict.

    Although nothing that Israel does is called terrorism by the United States and its Western allies, prior to these “enough is enough” attacks by Hamas, 49 Palestinians were killed during the three-day Israeli assault on Gaza between August 5 – 7, 2022, 17 of whom were children, and in February of this year alone, 30 Palestinians were killed in cold blood by Israeli occupation forces and settlers. Israel has refused to cooperate with any international investigation, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the US sanctioned the officials of Hague-based court for opening the door to a probe into alleged Israeli war crimes. Crimes that these Western countries that are queuing up to condemn Hamas, with their supine media, refuse to highlight, talk less of condemn. 

    The U.S. spent many years organizing different roadshows it called “Peace talks” between the Israelis and Palestinians, but as a dishonest peace broker, the only purpose the “peace talks” served was to provide opportunities and excuses for Israel to steal more lands. The periods provided the clearest proof that U.S is irredeemably compromised and incapable of acting with integrity. No country attacked Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur war, and none today would dare – given its military strength, nuclear arsenal, and close ties to America and the West. The justification of Iran’s threat to Israel’s existence, which Israel and United States uses to continue to arm Israel, is therefore a lie. Iran has not attacked any of its neighbours in the last 200 years, even though United States has incited, sponsored and armed many neighbours against it, including Iraq in the 80s. In comparison, Israel is occupying territories belonging to at least three countries, and the U.S. according to the words of late Rev Martin Luther King (Jnr), “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world”. The late Rev made this claim in the light of the vivid images depicting the carnage inflicted on Southeast Asian civilians by America during the Vietnam War, which saw hundreds of thousands dead.

    The U.S. remains the most important destabilizing force in the entire Middle East region, and its role and dominance in this region for decades continue to represent a major threat to peace and security in that region and the world. 

    Peace is possible in the Middle East and Israel has a choice. Going around persuading some Arab rulers to normalize relations with Israel is not going to normalize relations with the Arab street. The choice that Israel has is of accepting Palestinian rights under international law and jettisoning its exclusivist, racist and imperialist ideology, and militarism. The choice to secure its people’s future in a shared Israel/Palestine as equal sovereign nations to live in peace each seeking its own destiny. This is also the international consensus on how to resolve the problem. If it continues its present policy of ruthless repression of indigenous Palestinians and denying them self-determination, it will only continue to cultivate an intensified and unyielding native resistance which U.S. vast military power will not be able to repress. The vast U.S military power which could only spend 20 years and billions of dollars to replace Taliban with Taliban in Afghanistan.

    • Kamor is chairman, Muslim Public Affairs Centre.

  • U.S. gets nothing protecting Middle East — Trump

    U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S. could not continue to be the “Policeman of the Middle East”, explaining his rationale for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Syria.

    Trump, in a series of tweets also said “we have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency”.

    The U.S. President said: “After historic victories against ISIS, it’s time to bring our great young people home!

    “Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer.

    “Russia, Iran, Syria and others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing their work. Time to come home and rebuild.

    “Does the U.S. want to be the Policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing?

    “Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight Russia, Iran, Syria and many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving, despite what the Fake News says.

    “Because now they will have to fight ISIS and others, who they hate, without us.

    “I am building by far the most powerful military in the world. ISIS hits us they are doomed!”

    Trump said the U.S. war against ISIS in the Middle East was stepped up during his administration adding, “we have won against ISIS”.

    “We’ve beaten them and we’ve beaten them badly. We’ve taken back the land and now is the time for our troops to come back home,” he said.

    He regretted the U.S. personnel who were killed in the fight to defeat the terrorists, saying, they were killed fighting for the U.S. and also the whole world.

    “Now we’ve won, it’s time to come back, they’re getting ready, you’re going to see them soon; these are great American heroes, these are great heroes of the world because they fought for us.

    “But they’ve killed ISIS who hurt the world and we are proud to have done it, and I’ll tell you, they’re up there looking down on us.

    “And there’s nobody happier or more proud than their families who put them in the position where they’ve done such good for so many people.

    “So our boys, our young women, are men, they’re all coming back and they are coming back now.

    “We won, and that’s the way we want it and that’s the way they want it,” Trump stressed. (NAN)

  • Ford appoints Middle East, Africa chiefs

    Ford Motor Company has announced key global leadership changes.

    Jacques Brent, president, Ford Middle East and Africa, is the new  Director, Product Marketing.

    The appointement took effect from June 1.

    This move is part of Ford’s push to transform its marketing organisation to drive greater efficiency, effectiveness and customer insight – leveraging the latest tools and technology.

    The company also announced that Mark Ovenden,  the Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service, Asia Pacific, will succeed Brent. In this role, Ovenden will be responsible for driving growth in the company’s Middle East and Africa operations across more than 70 markets.

    “We are making key leadership changes that will help us accelerate our growth in Middle East and Africa and reshape our global marketing organisation,” Jim Hackett, Ford Motor Company president and CEO, said

    Brent, 48, will assume responsibility for Ford’s global product marketing, working to improve the product planning process, representing the voice of the customer and closely aligning with Product Development. He will report to Joy Falotico, the Group Vice President, The Lincoln Motor Company and Chief Marketing Officer.

    Brent has served as president, Ford Middle East and Africa, since 2016, coming over from Shanghai, where he oversaw the marketing  of 12 major markets as Vice President, Marketing, Asia Pacific.

    Over his 20-year career, Brent has accumulated deep marketing expertise from serving in multiple global assignments spanning three continents.

     

  • AIESEC alumni Africa, Middle East to begin congress March 15

    AIESEC Alumni Africa and Middle East will hold its maiden joint regional congress from March 15 to 18 at Radisson Blu, Ikeja GRA, the Lagos State capital.

    The theme of the congress is: Positioning for Global Impact – Leadership and Economic Synergy in A Transforming World.

    The regional congress is an annual event for setting the necessary framework and action plans to guide programmes and activities for the year.

    Over 200 delegates are expected to attend the event.

    Confirmed speakers for the event include the Chief Executive Officer of Just Food Limited, Tunde Ogunrinde; Founder of Keexs (the footwear brand) Jide Ipaye and Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, FilmOne and Co-Founder of Filmhouse, Moses Babatope.

    Sponsors of the event include Digitalreality, Just Foods and Afex Commodities Exchange Limited.

    The organisers said the theme was borne out of a need to look outwards and become significantly involved in global citizenship and leadership, creating local and global transformation.

    From leaders of large industries and organisations to entrepreneurs, we are seeking ways to synergise our various strengths, spur innovation and create positive global impact in leadership, business synergy across regions and service to humanity.

    During the course of the congress, the Inspire Africa project will be launched at the gala night dinner/70th anniversary celebration on March 16 at 7 p.m.

    The project proposes to inspire, engage and influence pupils in secondary schools and students in tertiary institutions through storytelling.

    With the help of successful opinion leaders and captains of industries, AIESEC Alumni Nigeria said it would reach over 1 million students across the country within the first year of the Inspire Africa Project, thereby addressing the Fourth and Eighth Sustainable Development Goals of Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth.

    A subset of the project will involve grants of learning tools to secondary schools such as books and computers loaded with a comprehensive coding curriculum.

    AIESEC Alumni is a global network of AIESECERS with a lifelong commitment to a mission of advancing international leadership and understanding for a more unified world.

    A statement by the organisers said: “We are over one million leaders, based in more than 128 countries and active in the Business, Education, Government and Non-profit sectors. Our work reflects AIESEC’s mission of unlocking the leadership potential in every person and creating a positive change in society.

    “AIESEC Alumni Africa and Middle East is the alumni body of AIESEC Africa and the Middle East, comprising of over 50,000 members holding leadership positions in different public and private sectors across over 30 countries. Its mandate is to create and adopt initiatives that will inspire, engage and influence the region with focus on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.”