Tag: Palestine

• By Mike Kebonkwu

“Let the eagle perch and let the kite perch; if one says no to the other, may its wings break”.  This Ika proverb from Delta State is reminiscent of the Israeli – Palestinian crises. The war between Palestine and Israel is a larger Arab – Jewish problem; it is not a religious war about Islam or Christianity, after all, the Jews are not Christians.  Gaza has become a human tragedy of the 21st Century.  It has brought out clearly the inability and failure of the United Nations system to maintain global peace.

There is also exposure of world superpowers led by closet dictators, supremacists, mavericks and narcissists who are unable to distinguish between their own personality and the state.  Fighting over land and territory demonstrates lack of knowledge of our transient journey on earth.   It is often said that the world can satisfy our needs, but not our greed.  This is also a truism of our phenomena existence.

Palestine has become desolate and a scotched-earth, reduced to rubble in an unlimited war as collective punishment by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).  This was the outcome of the atrocious invasion by the murderous Hamas terrorists who launched attacks on sleeping Israeli villages.  Hamas wants to liberate Palestine from the apartheid system imposed by Israel through arms struggle.  Bombs and missiles have continued to rain on the people of Gaza like sulphur while the world watches the images of starving and bleeding population, women children and elderly.  What the people need is not recognition of the State of Palestine.  You cannot recognize what already exist!

The people want the war to stop; they want an end to the siege and killings. Palestine exists before the formation of United States of America and Britain and before the modern history. The existence of the State of Palestine is a matter of historical Biblical record before Christ (BC). It has a growing population within defined geographical boundaries with recognized authorities and government. In international law, Palestine meets the necessary requirements for recognition as a state even though it has no national currency.  One does not want to talk so much about international law or its twin brother, International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that have been grossly misread and distorted by scholars and the media even in its impotence.

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The histrionics of endorsement of State of Palestine by some countries at the just concluded United Nations General Assembly is diversionary and hypocritical.  The state of Palestine exists de facto and de jure by every objective test.  That some imperialists ignored or pretend that it does not exist does not change that reality.  Israel is an occupation force in Gaza and Palestine.  That is one side of the story.

The other side of the story is the legitimacy of the State of Israel to defend itself and population, and the imperative of its rights to exist and defend that right at all cost in the midst of hostile neighbours that do not want to recognize that right. Putting the Middle East crises in perspective, it is a different thing to different people.  Europe and America see it through the prism of trade, commerce and security.  They want the lucrative gold and oil businesses to flourish on the one hand, and to prevent invasion of terrorists in Europe and America. 

To the Asians, Middle East represents shared value, religious brotherhood and solidarity. For Africans it is about bigotry and fanaticism wrapped in false genealogy that because you are a Muslim, you are therefore Arab, or because you are a Christian, you are joint heir and soul mate to the Jews.  This is brainwashed religious mentality and sedation, period!  Any African who wears the toga Arab or Jew and take side in the Middle East conflict because of religious affiliation is probably sick in the head.  There are still so many like that  in our midst.

The current war between Hamas and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) was orchestrated by bloodthirsty and murderous Hamas terrorists who invaded Israeli villages unprovoked; killing scores and abducting hundreds others, raping and dehumanizing the people. Some international media domiciled the Middle East is complicit in the escalation of the crises by its narrative and reportage acting as propaganda machinery for Hamas as freedom fighters. The propaganda has continued without any prospect of changing the reality on the ground.  The war may end today, but the scars on the people and demography of the Palestine is eternal. 

The war in Gaza and Palestine is therefore a proxy war.  The weapons of war came from the same sources; Europe, America and Asia to both Hamas and Israel. The Arab countries led by Iran supply all the weapons and training for Hamas and provide safe haven for the leadership where they plan and execute the war in Gaza. In war and combat, it is important to size up your adversary correctly and judge his temperament and mindset rather than bank on sympathy in the event he gains upper hand.  The battle may be prolonged; Hamas with its entire support base is no match for Israel.

Israel is a small country with equally small population but she is battle tested and never weary, with vigilant population, surrounded by hostile neighbours who merely tolerate its existence only because they have not been able to locate the secret of its’ strength just like the Biblical Samson and the secret of his strength.  Israel reserves the right absolutely to defend itself and population.  If Hamas did not invade Israel on October 7, 2023, the ongoing destruction in Gaza would not have started; this is not a justification but Israel also has to rescue the hostages and prevent further attacks on its territory.

The crises in Gaza is not about recognition of the State of Palestine; it is about stopping the senseless war and killing of the innocent people.  It is about recognition of the right of Israeli to live and co-exist side by side with its Arab neighbours and Palestine; it is about stopping and disarming the murderous Hamas terrorists. 

You cannot talk about collective action against Israel; in any case, there is no basis for that under the UN Charter properly understood.  Hamas is an ideology that cannot be killed in one battle; but they should not be allowed to rearm and regroup if there must be peace between Israel and Palestine.

In the just concluded United Nations General Assembly that held in New York, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov  condemned Israeli continuous operation in  Gaza.  He lectured member states on the United Nations Charter and its violation by Israel and he received ovation.  This is the same Russia that is engaged in similar invasion and operation in Ukraine just for expansionism.  The members walked out on Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu because they would not want to hear that Israel had to defend its country and citizens from murderous terrorists.  The United Nations has virtually become impotent in the face of new and emerging power blocks in global politics, and with President Donald Trump frittering away the goodwill of the United States of America.

In 1988 the Palestine National Council proclaimed the establishment of the State of Palestine in a meeting in Algiers which was recognized by many countries but not the West and Europe. The State of Palestine does not need the endorsement of Europe or the West because its existence is a matter of fact.  Whatever recognition you give to Palestine and all the protests in every city capital in the world is not going to bring back over 6000 dead and the entire infrastructure that have been reduced to rubble.  The recognition is mere cosmetic if it does not stop the killing.  The West and Europe send weapons to both Israel and countries in Middle East who use Hamas as proxy to bring the weapons to Gaza.  The crises in Middle East and Gaza is quite complex and underscores the hypocrisy of America and Europe in global politics.  For us in Nigeria, if there is any lesson, it is to stop promoting tribal and ethnic militias, and terrorists!

•Kebonkwu Esq is an Abuja-based attorney. He sent this piece via mikekebonkwu@yahoo.com

• By Senator Iroegbu

On Monday September 22, French president, Emmanuel Macron addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York and formally recognised the State of Palestine. Coming after similar moves by the United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, Belgium, and others, the announcement has been hailed in some quarters as a historic step toward justice. To others, it is reckless diplomacy that rewards violence and undermines security.

Macron’s words were deliberate and forceful. “The time has come to free the hostages, to stop the bombings, to end the massacres, to seize peace before it slips away forever. One life is worth one life.” He framed recognition as both a moral duty and a strategic necessity—an attempt to salvage the dying two-state solution and re-anchor diplomacy in a conflict where Gaza’s two million residents face starvation, disease, and despair. France, alongside its allies, is betting that moral clarity, backed by aid, diplomacy, and multilateral engagement, can tilt the balance toward peace.

But Israel sees it differently. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar branded the recognition “dangerous,” warning it indirectly legitimises Hamas. The fear in Tel Aviv is that unilateral recognition undermines Israel’s security, emboldens extremists, and weakens the negotiation table. Israel has even threatened to annex more of the West Bank—a move that could escalate the crisis rather than calm it.

Macron, however, insists recognition is a blow against Hamas and a victory for moderates willing to pursue peace. He outlined a three-phase plan: an immediate ceasefire and hostage release; stabilisation and reconstruction of Gaza under a transitional Palestinian administration with international backing; and final-status negotiations on borders, security, and Jerusalem, paving the way for a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Supporters of the move argue that recognition empowers the Palestinian Authority, aligns Arab and European states, and injects urgency into stalled talks. Critics counter that it bypasses genuine negotiations, creates false hope for civilians who need governance rather than gestures, and risks deepening instability. The truth lies somewhere between symbolism and substance.

France’s recognition of Palestine could become the spark that revives the two-state solution—or it could prove another diplomatic mirage. The direction it takes will depend not on speeches in New York, but on the hard work of building peace, disarming extremists, and delivering justice on the ground. That requires genuine commitment from all parties: Israel must embrace compromise rather than endless war; Palestinian leaders must prove they can govern responsibly; and the international community—including Africa—must move beyond rhetoric to sustained action.

Recognition without enforcement risks being an empty gesture. But recognition combined with resources, security guarantees, and political will could become a turning point. History is replete with moments where bold declarations changed the course of nations. The question is whether September 22, will be remembered as such a moment—or as another chapter of missed opportunities.

And that is where Africa must decide its role. Will we applaud Europe’s boldness, or will we step forward to influence the peace process, while pressing the world to pay equal attention to our own conflicts and quests for justice?

France has chosen its path, declaring: “The time has come”. The challenge for Africa is whether we will echo those words not just for Palestine, but for ourselves as well.

So what should Africans make of this moment?

Nigeria and much of Africa have long sympathised with the Palestinian struggle, shaped by our own histories of colonialism, apartheid, and contested nationhood. Our leaders have consistently expressed solidarity with Palestine in international forums, often framing it as a moral duty tied to our own liberation struggles. Yet we also understand the perils of hollow recognition. Diplomatic statements do not feed hungry children, disarm militias, or rebuild shattered institutions. Without enforceable guarantees for security, humanitarian access, and accountable governance, recognition risks becoming another headline that fades while people in Gaza bury their dead.

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Still, dismissing France’s move as mere symbolism misses the point. Recognition can shift international momentum, embolden moderates, and force hard questions: Is the global community finally willing to back words with resources, enforcement, and courage? Or is this just another cycle of lofty declarations while ground realities worsen?

For Africa, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a remote issue. It has ripple effects on our own security and diplomacy. Across the continent, sectarian tensions often flare in response to events in the Middle East, sometimes spilling into violence in our streets. At the same time, Africa has its own unhealed conflicts—from Sudan to the Sahel, from the Horn of Africa to the Great Lakes region—where questions of recognition, self-determination, and sovereignty echo eerily with Palestine’s plight. If France and its partners can push for justice in Gaza, why does the world remain so indifferent to African conflicts that displace millions?

This is where Africa must resist the temptation of passive applause. Too often, the continent stands by on the sidelines, cheering global powers while having little say in shaping the outcomes. Recognition of Palestine should prompt a different response. Africa can leverage its collective diplomatic weight within the UN, the African Union, and regional blocs to insist that any peace plan in the Middle East reflects lessons from our own experiences with post-conflict reconstruction, power-sharing, and reconciliation.

For instance, Africa has pioneered peacekeeping and transitional justice models that could inform Gaza’s stabilisation. The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), despite its flaws, demonstrated how regional actors can take the lead in containing extremist threats while laying the groundwork for governance. Truth and reconciliation processes in South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda remind us that peace is not only about territory or borders, but about confronting trauma, restoring dignity, and building inclusive institutions.

More importantly, Africa must ask uncomfortable but necessary questions: If Europe can recognise Palestine as a moral imperative, why can’t Africa demand equal urgency in resolving its own crises? Why should Darfur, Eastern Congo, or the Lake Chad Basin continue to fester in silence while Palestine commands the world’s conscience?

• Iroegbu is the convener of the Geopolitics Series, a platform that analyses global issues from an African context.

• By Michael Lynk

In 2024, there were a host of startling developments occurring in the Middle East and the wider world that impacted Palestine, most of them unforeseen 12 months ago: the continuation of the unrelenting Israeli genocide in Gaza, the battlefield defeat of Hezbollah and the devastation in Lebanon, the overthrow of Bashar Assad in Syria, the isolation of Iran, the election of Donald Trump, and a series of seminal rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

All of these seismic events make the assignment of imagining what Palestine’s future will be in 2025 a precarious task. Yet, with caution thrown to the wind, we can make some educated guesses on six leading features.

Leading scenarios for Palestine’s future

Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency will certainly encourage Israel’s accelerating subjugation of the Palestinians. His major appointments on the Middle East – including his secretary of state, his ambassador to Israel, and his two regional envoys – are all diplomatic gifts to Israel’s far-right nationalist government. His political instincts are all about respecting the strong and disparaging the weak. The only restraint that Trump may impose on Israel would result from his quest for a substantive deal with Saudi Arabia, which is publicly demanding a credible path to Palestinian statehood.

A genuine Palestinian state is further away than ever. In 2025, more Palestinian land will be confiscated, more illegal Israeli settlements will be built, and settler violence, already at record levels, will only intensify. While Trump might restrict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from formally annexing parts of the West Bank, de facto Israeli annexation will continue unabated. The ability of the Palestinian Authority to shape events in its favor will likely shrink even further. As for the comatose peace process, the Palestinians long ago arrived at a traffic intersection, and the red light never changed. It remains red today, its only color.

The genocidal war on Gaza will finally end with a formal ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages, and some Palestinian detainees. However, the unimaginable toll of deaths and suffering among the Palestinian civilians in Gaza will continue, as starvation, infectious diseases, a decimated economy, and a devastated landscape afflict the population. Hamas won’t be completely defeated, but it has suffered a grievous blow in the short run. Israel will push hard to build settlements in the north and for clan warlords to run the rest of Gaza, which Trump might allow. Another great test will be the raising of the $40-60 billion needed for the reconstruction of Gaza; this will create tension between Trump and his Gulf states allies, who will resist paying the lion’s share of the consequences of a war they opposed.

Will the international community face the Palestine issue in 2025?

Respecting Palestine, the United Nations will face some of its most perilous challenges in 2025. The one-year deadline set by the General Assembly for Israel to completely end its occupation of Palestine arrives next September, with Israel and the US committed to defying the obligation. In addition, Israel – with Trump’s backing – is seeking to dismantle UNRWA, the UN agency that delivers education, health, and social services to Palestinian refugees in the Levant. The challenge for Europe and the Arab world will be whether they will defend the UN, its core commitment to successfully resolving the oldest item on its political agenda (Palestine), and the preservation of its largest agency.

Israel’s diplomatic isolation will continue, even as its relationship with its superpower patron will deepen. Its outlier status at the United Nations – particularly at the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council – will see even more lopsided votes against its 57-year-old occupation, its denial of Palestinian self-determination, and its abuse of international law. The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will make him politically radioactive, with heads of state and government that have signed the 1998 Rome Statute refusing to meet him. Pressure will grow within Europe to rethink various trade and cooperation agreements with Israel as a reaction to the war and its horrendous humanitarian consequences.

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Role of international law more important for Palestine than ever

The role of international law in pronouncing on the question of Palestine will become even more momentous in 2025. After the signature rulings by the ICJ and the ICC in 2024, we are likely to see a growing movement to insist upon a rights-based approach to peacemaking in Palestine, replacing the discredited (but still very much alive) realpolitik approach of the Oslo process.

The momentum created by the recent genocide reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch will continue to echo through UN corridors and foreign ministries. But there are also headwinds: Republicans in the US Senate are determined to sanction the ICC for issuing the arrest warrant against Netanyahu, meaning that the viability of the court will require a stout defense by the 124 members of the Rome Statute, particularly from Europe.

As we learned from the past year, there will almost certainly be unexpected surprises in 2025. And while there will continue to be dark times for the Palestinians in the year ahead, the war in Gaza has also sparked a global movement of solidarity – particularly among the young – that will continue to inspire courageous thinking and bold acts. Its lasting impact should never be underestimated.

• This article was first published in www.aa.com.tr