Pope for Palestine

Two important developments within a span of 48 hours have put the Palestinian cause back in the limelight. Pope Francis first recognised the State of Palestine to the dismay of Israel, and called upon other countries of the world to follow suit. Second, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon castigated the newly-formed cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for sanctioning new settlements in the occupied territories, and called for an immediate halt to these developments.

The Pope’s and Ban’s efforts coincide with initiatives to address the turmoil in the Middle East, by ensuring that non-state actors do not further destabilise the region. A glance at contemporary history of the Middle East suggests that the Palestinian-Israeli imbroglio is at the heart of disputes. Encroachment of their lands has led to revulsion in the region and beyond. All insurgencies in the world have drawn their inspiration from the Palestinian cause. Similarly, the trend of militancy in the region and elsewhere also has a direct connection to the denial of justice for the Palestinians, as well as encroachment of Arab lands by the Zionist state from the time it was founded in 1949.

Liberating Palestine from Israeli clutches is the first step to end insurgencies. It will tone down unrest in the region, and will show major Western powers in positive light for having prevailed over Israel. Tel Aviv should be stopped from building new settlements on occupied lands in West Bank and East Jerusalem, which is also in contravention of international legislation.

The world had had enough of Israeli aggression, and it’s time the Arab states and the law-abiding Western nations come out with a firm resolve to check Israeli atrocities.