Issue from Wednesday, January 10, 2024P
Innsbruck (OTS) – In the Middle East there is a threat of the Gaza war expanding to Lebanon. The entire region could then go up in flames. A political logic is pressing, beyond the devastating logic of war.
More than three months after the Hamas massacre in Israel – in which around 1,200 people were killed and 250 abducted to the Gaza Strip – and the Israeli army’s subsequent ground offensive in the sealed-off coastal strip, war is still raging. The Gaza Strip has now turned into a field of rubble, the devastation is enormous, the civilian population lacks food and medical care, aid organizations speak of hell on earth. But there is no end to the war in sight. The Hamas leadership remains entrenched underground and is unwilling to give up for the good of all. On the other hand, Israel continues to bomb and accept the deaths of thousands of civilians.
And now there is a threat of further escalation that would eclipse the previous bloodshed. On Israel’s northern border, Israel’s army and the Shiite Hezbollah militia have been fighting for weeks, which are now threatening to escalate. An open war between Israel and Hezbollah would have dramatic consequences for Israel’s security – Hezbollah, which has been upgraded by Iran, is said to have more than 100,000 rockets, bombs and other missiles – and would mean the death knell for Lebanon, which is already economically devastated. In addition, the entire region could go up in flames, the neighboring Arab states are in danger of collapsing, and anger is growing on the Arab streets. And Europe would probably have to prepare for a new wave of refugees.
But there are still forces that rely on escalation. They rely on the logic of war to ensure their political survival. A game with fire with unforeseeable consequences. It is high time to focus on political solutions – without the hardliners on both sides. They shouldn’t have a voice anymore. The international community would have to put pressure on this. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians is possible if there is the political will for it. This was already shown by the Oslo peace agreement 30 years ago. Only the implementation was prevented.
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