New Worker Banner

The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain

Israel spurns calls for peace

by our Arab Affairs correspondent

Major airlines are suspending all flights to Israel as the Arab resistance steps up the fight against the Zionists in Gaza and along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. In Jeddah top Muslim diplomats said Israel was “fully responsible” for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran at an emergency meeting of the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Co-operation. The Iranian leaders say they will avenge the death of Haniyeh at a time and place of their own choosing. Turkey has broken ranks with its NATO allies to formally submit its declaration to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and Britain, France and the EU have condemned a senior Israeli minister for suggesting it might be “justified and moral” to starve people in Gaza.

In Israel, the skies are unusually quiet these days. In normal times 132 airlines used Israeli airports. Now just 24 remain. And in Israeli West Jerusalem a bunker has been prepared for Netanyahu and other senior leaders should war break out. The bunker, reportedly built almost 20 years ago, can sustain hits from a range of existing weaponry, has command and control capabilities, and is connected to the Israeli Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Gaza continue, with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Tehran for talks with the Iranian leaders while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan.

Although the Chinese have condemned the assassination of Haniyeh they also say that retaliatory action leads to a vicious cycle, and violence begets more violence, exacerbating conflict. People’s China will strengthen solidarity with the Arab countries, and work with all parties to avoid further escalation and deterioration of the situation. The complexity of the situation requires joint efforts from all parties, especially the USA and Israel, to address the current crisis and avoid escalation.

The only way to avert a major war in the Middle East is to end the fighting in Gaza. But efforts to get Israel to comply with the UN call for a cease-fire are faltering in the face of American indifference and the fanatical Israeli leader’s determination to crush the Arab resistance.

Just this week Moshe Ya’alon, the former chief of staff of the Israeli armed forces, condemned Netanyahu, saying the Israeli premier is ready to “sacrifice” the Israeli captives held by the Palestinian resistance to appease far-right members of his cabinet who oppose a ceasefire.

Ya’alon singled out Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of pushing to displace Palestinians during the war. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, who recently said it might be “justified” to starve Gaza’s entire population to free Israel’s captives, are both key players in Netanyahu’s coalition and have previously threatened to abandon him if he makes concessions to end the war.

Einav Zanguaker, the mother of hostage Matan Zanguaker and a prominent activist for the captives’ release, said “[Director of Mossad, Israeli intelligence] David Barnea, [Director of the Israeli Security Service] Ronen Bar – stop co-operating with the criminal prime minister. His hands are awash in the blood of the victims, and if you continue – yours will be too. Tell the public what you tell us behind closed doors – that Netanyahu is not interested in a deal and doesn’t want the hostages home. He wants war.”