Palestinian conflict affecting Muslims worldwide
June 15th, 2007 by ashish
The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has always claimed to be an eyesore for all Muslims worldwide. In numerous discussions and speeches over the years, this issue has always seen as a core issue that affects Muslims worldwide. You pick up radicals in London, in many parts of the Middle East, a number of them will always claim that the unsettling of Palestinians is a core issue and is the primary cause of grievance.
Well, this argument just exploded. It turns out that the Palestinians are a divided house, and capable of far more brutality towards each other than the Israelis have ever been alleged to do. Throwing fellow muslims off high-rise buildings, publicly executing them, invading hospitals to attack wounded people, branding each other as collaborators, all of each these are geared to create a massive split in the Palestinian cause. This clash between Hamas and Fatah has wounded the cause like no other; and the ramifications can be felt worldwide.
Right now, the situation is as bad for the Palestinian cause as it can be. The Palestinian Government has been dissolved by the President Mahmoud Abbas (something he is legally entitled to do). Hamas refuses to accept this, and controls the Gaza strip militarily, which essentially means that the Gaza strip has in effect separated itself politically from the West Bank. Mediators have egg on their face (the Saudis only brokered a peace 3 months back in the holy city of Mecca, which means that agreements and pledges made in the holy city have been broken). The ‘Organization of the Islamic Conference finds itself helpless to do anything.
What could be worse? Hamas refuses to broker peace and implements a strict Islamic rule in the Gaza strip, sends in more suicide bombers into Israel (after converting the Gaza strip into a bomb factory), and then Israel invades the Gaza strip again (this time with the tacit concurrence of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the US, and more importantly, Fatah).
Refer to this feeling of inability to do anything expressed by Malaysia:
Malaysia warned the Hamas and Fatah groups Friday that their infighting in Gaza is playing into Israel’s hands, and destroying plans for an independent Palestinian state. “We’ve got Muslims killing Muslims,” he said. “It’s a killing field for everybody.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah declared a state of emergency, fired Haniyeh and said he would install a new government, replacing the Hamas-Fatah coalition formed just three months ago.
the 57-country Organization of the Islamic Conference, currently chaired by Malaysia, is in “a state of hopelessness” as Hamas and Fatah have ignored its previous peace efforts.
“The OIC can make 101 moves, but as long as there is no will to resolve it internally … it will not solve the problem,” he said. “We hope there will be a situation of give-and-take, to find a solution that will benefit the Palestinian people.”
Can this actually improve? Unlikely. Hamas will not accept a solution that will ask it to give up its gains, and it sees taking over of Palestinian security forces as a big step. Israel will never accept a Hamas run and influenced security service.
