The Gaza Strip tug-of-war is on
21 Nov 2012 4:44 AM IST
That the conflict between Israel and Hamas has intensified in Palestine is distressing. The most recent provocation is the Israeli attack on Palestinian targets in the Gaza strip, which is not the first of such attacks and has taken place for the fifth consecutive day.
It, however, appears, from newspaper reports, that the conflict is not one-sided. It is as if the old conflict in Palestine over the issue of land and borders has revived despite the many attempts to reconcile the two sides. In this current conflict several hundred people have lost their lives, though the precise numbers of the dead and wounded is not clear. While many would like peace to descend on this part of West Asia, there seem to be strong forces not keen on a solution to the Palestinian problem.
Israel and the Palestine have been at loggerheads over this particular strip of land, other than the other border issues, with both laying claims to various parts of the territory in dispute.
The two seem to be eternally locked in conflict despite the many attempts to bring about peace and to make them smoke the peace pipe. It would certainly have been easier to solve this issue through peace talks and negotiations, which however, has not happened.
As is well-known, this conflict has also reached India in recent times. Earlier this year an Israeli diplomat’s wife, Tal Yehoshua-Koren, was seriously injured in an attack in New Delhi, which has been pinned on Hamas. She was in the car, on her way to pick up her children from school, when the blast took place. It is a sad reality that the police have not been able to make much headway in the case.
However, it can easily be seen from this incident that this conflict has international dimensions and should not be allowed to escalate. Therefore the world should make every effort to prevent an all-out war.
It, however, appears, from newspaper reports, that the conflict is not one-sided. It is as if the old conflict in Palestine over the issue of land and borders has revived despite the many attempts to reconcile the two sides. In this current conflict several hundred people have lost their lives, though the precise numbers of the dead and wounded is not clear. While many would like peace to descend on this part of West Asia, there seem to be strong forces not keen on a solution to the Palestinian problem.
Israel and the Palestine have been at loggerheads over this particular strip of land, other than the other border issues, with both laying claims to various parts of the territory in dispute.
The two seem to be eternally locked in conflict despite the many attempts to bring about peace and to make them smoke the peace pipe. It would certainly have been easier to solve this issue through peace talks and negotiations, which however, has not happened.
As is well-known, this conflict has also reached India in recent times. Earlier this year an Israeli diplomat’s wife, Tal Yehoshua-Koren, was seriously injured in an attack in New Delhi, which has been pinned on Hamas. She was in the car, on her way to pick up her children from school, when the blast took place. It is a sad reality that the police have not been able to make much headway in the case.
However, it can easily be seen from this incident that this conflict has international dimensions and should not be allowed to escalate. Therefore the world should make every effort to prevent an all-out war.
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