US not the only one to blame for Israeli aggression

The US declaration supporting illegal settlements by Israel is yet another example of the curious justice of annexing other's land and then claiming title to it.   Deviating from the earlier US position of treating settlements in occupied territories as illegal,  state secretary of the Trump administration Mike Pompeo made a statement which was not much of a surprise.  For even otherwise, the US has been a major source of support for Israeli at international level.

The radical right-wing administration of the US under Donald Trump has consistently whitewashed the atrocities of the Zionist state and even encouraged them.  Trump who in 2017 recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, opened the US embassy there in 2018.  Further,  America stopped the US its share of aid to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).   In another provocative and unilateral act,  the US recognized Israeli's claim on the Golan heights in March this year.  With the latest decision to endorse Israeli settlements,  the administration has only reinforced its support to aggression,  which in turn lends further support to further injustice, in a clear defiance of international law.  Even when it stood steadfast in its support for Israel at the United Nations, ever since 1978,  the US had stated that setlements were against international law.  But now America has forsaken its own conviction in favour of Zionist interests.

The new decision is widely seen as having isolated the US at a world level.  However, Israel has naturally welcomed the decision, especially in the backdrop of Israeli prime minister Netanyahu and his opponent Ganz both making Palestine-bashing a hot topic in the election campaigns there. At the same time, almost all countries,  including pro-Zionist ones,  stand opposed to the unlawful settlements of Israel.

Both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council disapprove of the settlements.  The fact that Canada,  which has always stood by the US while voting against the Palestinian right to self-determination 14 times since 2006,  has this time ditched the US and voted for Palestine,  represents a strong response to the US change of stand.  Add to it the take of the European Union and Human Rights Watch who have repeated that Israeli residential constructions in Palestinian land is unlawful.  Bernie Sanders, the probable candidate for the US president election of 2020,  has also reiterated his stand. Over a hundred Democrat members of US Congress also have condemned the US change of policy.

The UN laws and resolutions on this subject are unambigulous.  According to the fourth Geneva convention (Art 49),  an occupying country should not accommodate its people in occupied land. Therefore,  the Israeli settlements in West Bank,  East Jerusalem and Golan heights are a violation of international law.  For that very reason,  world powers cannot endorse that act,  except the rogue nations that interpret  laws in line with their interests.  And now when Jewish settlers, whose number has already reached 6.5 lakh,  are allowed to continue there and Israel giving green signal for further settlements,  that signals denying Palestinians their right to their land of birth,  an act which no one respecting rule of law can accept.

That said, even countries that see wrong as wrong,  stop short of making any effective move on the issue,  which puts a question mark on their good intentions.  This constitutes a tacit approval for Israel continuing with status quo ante,  meaning support to Israel.  The US change of stance does not at all affect the legal status of the matter;  but the indifference of other countries turns out to be a greater betrayal than that of US.  Luxembourg had suggested that the European Union's response to the Trump administration's injustice should be by recognising the Palestinian state,  but so far no party has come out in support of that suggestion.

What is more,  even countries that have registered their opposition to the US shift,  such as Britain, France, Germany,  Belgium and Poland have been careful not to mention the name of America,  and - equally significantly - do not talk about an action plan for Palestine.  And when a resolution denouncing the US came up before EU,  Hungary had no hestitation to veto it.

The BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions - boycott of Israeli products,  not making investments there and sanctions against Israel) line of resistance has been spreading across various populations,  but neither the UN nor world powers lend open support to it.  As for the UN,  it termed the US stance as just 'unfortunate' and kept quiet.   It is in the hypocrisy undelying such inaction and indifference that Israel,  and now the US, get away with their unlawful acts.  Viewed thus,  the apathy of the global community is not more creditable than the injustice by the Zionist side.