© Associated Press
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Israeli Ambassador to Sofia Yoram Elron thanked Bulgaria today for being one of the few countries to have voted against the UN decision to investigate the Israeli-Gaza conflict.
“We will not cooperate, we will continue to defend ourselves” in the face of this “scandalous decision”, which “does not mention either more than 400,000 rockets fired from the strip towards Israel or Hamas,” Elron told reporters. organized on the occasion of the visit of the Director for Southern Europe to the Israeli Foreign Ministry Uri Rothman.
In front of reporters, Rothman commented on the situation after the 11-day conflict in which Israel bombed Gaza in response to a rocket attack by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad over tensions in East Jerusalem.
UN voted last week to launch an investigation and this was condemned by Israel. The UN Human Rights Council voted in favor by a majority of 24 to 9 votes.
However, no European country supported such an investigation – neither Bulgaria, nor the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany or the United Kingdom. Israel has already condemned the decision.
Criticism of the Jewish state by foreign leaders and human rights activists is mainly that the response to the Hamas rocket attack is disproportionate, as innocent civilians, including dozens of women and children, have died. Israel says the group, which controls Gaza and is recognized by the EU and the United States as a terrorist organization, endangers the lives of its citizens, but is also responsible for using civilians as human shields in the infrastructure of tunnels. transports and stores its thousands, largely homemade or aided by Iran, missiles.
There were also comments inside Israel that tensions with Hamas were escalating on purpose to make it difficult negotiations with which the country can have a new government after a total of four elections in two years. Israel rejects criticism and asks who would not respond if 4,000 rockets were fired at it.
The big challenge is the future of Gaza
Meanwhile, ten days later the truce achieved with Egyptian aid between Israel and Hamas, diplomatic efforts for a lasting settlement of the conflict continue, and with them the even more urgent problem of rebuilding Gaza. After the bombing, dozens of buildings with thousands of residential and commercial sites were destroyed, according to UN estimates. In many neighborhoods of the city of Gaza there are difficulties with water supply and electricity, parts of the sewerage network have been destroyed.
After reiterating Israel’s position that Hamas’ actions were mainly aimed at hurting Israelis and exercising full control over the Palestinian Authority (where Fatah rules and whose elections have been postponed), Rothman noted that the country he is looking for ways to create stability in Gaza, but Hamas is “threatening stability”.
“The big challenge is to help the population without supporting Hamas.”
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Director for Southern Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel
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This position is practically shared by other countries, although it sounds different – the United States statedthat they are willing to give hundreds of millions of dollars for the strip, but it should not help arm the group or encourage it to use its missile arsenal.
© Associated Press
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Rothman’s visit follows an Israeli-Egyptian diplomatic marathon – in Cairo was Foreign Minister Gabi Eshkenazi, the highest-ranking Israeli to visit the capital for years. In Israel was the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel. Al Arabiya TV sources from Cairo say for two proposals made by the Arab state – for a conference on the reconstruction of Gaza and a new peaceful dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians.
What does Israel think about this? Rothman said “the only way to reach an understanding with the Palestinians is to prevent Hamas from positioning itself internationally,” as the Islamist movement’s goal is to seize the cities of the Palestinian Authority.
Asked by Dnevnik if he could confirm the information about the Egyptian proposals (which would hypothetically involve Hamas in the dialogue) and what is his country’s position on such formats, he explained: “We are worried that Hamas will use the truce, “although” there is no place in the international arena. “
Does this mean that Israel will not join Hamas? Rothman made it clear that this was not necessarily the case, and mentioned the talks (which are being reported in both Egypt and Israel) on the exchange of abducted prisoners with Gaza groups.
“We rely on each other”
Rothman drew attention to the fact that in the current situation with Hamas, cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and Fatah continues on a daily basis. “We rely on each other, no matter how much this is not reported in the international media,” he continued. In addition, “while we are in the West Bank, we can prevent the rise of Hamas in the Palestinian Authority,” Rothman said.
Hamas, meanwhile, has stepped up support in the West Bank after launching thousands of missiles at Israel. Amid a blow to their popularity in Gaza over economic problems and the coronavirus situation, the movement has managed to gain support in other Palestinian territories on the crest of a wave of protests in East Jerusalem over measures over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threat of Palestinian eviction. “Sheikh Jarah” at the request of Israeli organizations.
© Associated Press
– The Izeddin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, march through a refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip on May 28.
So the movement managed to make up for some missed opportunities – The postponed Palestinian elections for a decade and a half were due in April, but Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas postponed them, citing Israel’s refusal to hold a vote in East Jerusalem. This came at a time of Fatah’s weakness, as dissatisfaction with the aging, seemingly irreplaceable Palestinian leadership was brewing.
However, the election will take place one day and Hamas could gain power in the West Bank. The question of how Israel can deal with this situation did not have a specific answer beyond the fact that the election process is in the hands of the Palestinian leadership, but before that Rothman drew attention to changes in the Middle East and a new look at Israel in the last decade. .
He also pointed out the successes of the so-called Abraham’s agreements, led by former US President Donald Trump, led to normalization with four Arab countries – Morocco, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain (especially in the last two battles, there was no criticism of the operation in Gaza). But how does Israel view the UAE’s proposal to mediate in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute? According to Rothman, his country welcomes any such initiatives, but it is good to keep in mind that it is able to talk to the Palestinian Authority on its own.
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