Israeli atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories go on, yet the international community looks on with indifference.
On 2 July, the Israelis made their biggest incursion into the West Bank in 20 years a major air and ground offensive on Jenin Camp, which shows that Israelis do not believe in peace and justice. Rather, they play by their own rules and consider themselves above the law. Force is still the common dominator of Israel’s actions and decisions.
Egypt has been the most important Arab player due to its influence on the Palestinian issue. It strongly condemned the attack on Jenin refugee camp, repeating its rejection of repeated Israeli attacks on and incursions into Palestinian towns, resulting in the loss of innocent lives through the excessive and indiscriminate use of force. Such attacks are “a flagrant violation of the provisions of international law and international legitimacy, especially international humanitarian law which imposes clear and specific obligations on Israel as the occupying power”.
Egypt has called on the international community to intervene to put an end to Israeli violations and protect the Palestinian people.
The ongoing Israeli escalation against the Palestinians increases the tension, aggravating the suffering of the Palestinian people and undermining efforts by Egypt and regional and international partners to defuse the situation in the occupied territories. It seems that Israeli occupation has substituted the peace process with killing and persecution.
This latest Israeli massacre in Jenin refugee camp, in addition to repeated attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque, raises the level of domination and segregation imposed by Israel on the Palestinian people. It has also exposed the imperialist mentality of Israel which seeks only to inflict violence upon Palestinians with impunity.
Israeli media reported that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defence Minister agreed to make the Jenin incursion a mere ten days before it happens. Also, Israeli occupation forces previously hinted at the possibility of a large-scale military operation in the north of the West Bank and the escalation of Palestinian operations against Israeli targets, which means that the Israeli attack on Jenin was intentional and premeditated, and not imposed by circumstances.
The latest Israeli massacre came at the day in which the Israeli opposition called for rallying and closing Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in protest against a plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to overhaul the judiciary. This raised a wide debate and many inquiries over the timing of the operation.
The international community needs to waken its conscience to protect innocent Palestinians against crimes by the Israeli army. It should take serious action to hold Israel and its officials accountable for the continual violations of international humanitarian law and prevent expansion onto Palestinian territories.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief of The Egyptian Gazette and
Egyptian Mail newspapers
