Hunger in Gaza: is the West doing enough?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of widespread starvation in the Gaza Strip. According to the organisation, the lack of aid deliveries and violence and chaos during food distribution are leading to ever more deaths. The dire situation was also sharply criticised in a statement published on Monday in which 30 countries called for an immediate ceasefire. Commentators discuss whether the circumstances warrant more than just appeals to Israel.
Berlin must suspend weapons deliveries
Der Spiegel calls for a fundamental reorientation of Germany's policy towards Israel:
“Anyone who thinks that because of Germany's history it must stand by Israel's side even when it commits serious crimes is perverting this responsibility. ... The German government should suspend arms exports until the war is ended. ... Until further notice, the German government should also put an end to the series of state visits, hugs and symbolic declarations of loyalty to Israel during which it pretends that everything is as it always was. And it must support the International Criminal Court - even when it takes action against members of the Israeli government. This war must finally end.”
Trump can end this if he wants to
If Washington put its foot down it could make things happen, The Economist comments:
“White House pressure has ended most of Israel's wars since independence in 1948. Granting it so much latitude in this conflict has demonstrated that America is still essential. Mr Trump's furious intervention in June brought the Israel-Iran war to an end. He must immediately deploy that anger and muscle for the good of Gaza.”
A historic step by France
La Repubblica comments on Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will officially recognise Palestine as a state at the UN General Assembly in September:
“The president is taking a historic step. ... Macron reiterated the urgency of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the renunciation of violence by terrorist groups, especially Hamas, and the need to build the State of Palestine and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of everyone in the Middle East. France joins the list of more than 140 countries that have already granted recognition, but it is the first G7 nation to take this step.”
How Europe's press has failed
For El Periódico de Catalunya, the false restraint of many media outlets is also partly to blame for the situation:
“The clamour of criticism is welcome, but it comes too late. ... So late that it's hard not to see these media as complicit. ... The false desire for objectivity has led many media in Europe to apply a standard to this war that is light years away from that in other conflicts, such as the one in Ukraine. In Gaza, the European press was reluctant to call things by their name. Until the evidence was so brutal that it had no choice.”
No peace without pressure
Appeals to Israel are not enough, news website In puts in:
“Clearly, as long as Israel is not under any real pressure, as long as it continues to be treated as an ally, dialogue partner, trading partner, investor and, of course, recipient of military aid, it will not stop its acts of violence - at least not while Netanyahu's far-right government remains in power. Worse still, the voices in Israel calling for ethnic cleansing here and now will continue to grow louder. That is why the time has come to make it clear that without real pressure there can be no peace and the situation will only get worse and worse.”
Impose arms embargo on Israel
Writing in Le Monde, a collective of lawyers accuses Israel of using hunger systematicatically:
“As experts in international humanitarian law, we condemn the use of famine as a weapon of war, the misappropriation of aid for the purpose of ethnic cleansing, and the genocidal policies being carried out against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. ... France and the European Union must punish those who deliberately organise hunger by obstructing access to humanitarian aid, and impose a total arms embargo on Israel. In addition, the International Criminal Court must intensify its investigations into these practices and consider charging those responsible for this organised famine with genocide.”
Express the powerless rage
NRC notes that the Dutch are becoming increasingly frustrated over their government's inaction:
“Rarely has the lack of humaneness been as visible as it is regarding Gaza. The feeling of powerlessness is everywhere. The vast majority of Dutch citizens want the violence to stop, but they see that it is only getting worse. ... It's not just a matter of exerting influence but also of giving voice to the powerless rage that continues to build up. Gaza is today's moral benchmark, the Vietnam of our time. This must be reflected in Dutch policy.”
Wanton devastation
Israel is clearly not just fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Irish Examiner complains:
“An estimated 90 percent of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged and most of its more than 2 million people displaced. Such a level of wanton devastation must surely be deliberate policy. The amount is so catastrophically high that any claims of targeting Hamas militia or tunnels or hidden arms caches every time cannot be credible. The country's politicians and military keep saying they are protecting civilians, but such protests ring depressingly hollow given that civilians are the ones dying by the legion.”
The problem is Hamas
Israel should not be demonised over this, warns The Daily Telegraph:
“If Britain and the other signatories are serious about seeking an 'unconditional and permanent ceasefire' in Gaza, as the statement says, then they should focus their efforts on the following: Forcing Hamas and its supporters in Iran to acknowledge the inevitable and accept that the terrorist organisation's continued presence in Gaza must end. ... If Hamas retains even the slightest influence in the territory, the Israeli people would be at risk of another devastating terrorist attack. This is why Prime Minister Netanyahu insists that there can be no peace in Gaza as long as Hamas remains there.”
Terrorists do not deserve support
Kronen Zeitung criticises Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger for signing the declaration:
“This is tantamount (albeit probably unintentionally) to backing the terrorist organisation Hamas, which so far doesn't seem willing to agree to any ceasefire. It is no coincidence that Germany and the EU's foreign affairs representative [Kaja Kallas] have not signed this declaration. And that Austrian Chancellor [Christian] Stocker remains silent on the matter.”