Lebanon’s destruction

The POST, Sun, July,30, 2006.

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema

The indiscriminate blasting of Southern Lebanon for the last almost three weeks and the killing of over 600 civilians in Lebanon has still not been able to move the so called international community. Is there an international community? Who constitute the international community?  Theoretically it is recognized that all members of the UN collectively form what is called the international community but in practice it consists of few powerful countries only.

Among the members of international community the most powerful member is the United States which ostensibly seems to be delaying the implementation of all proposals aimed to secure a quick ceasefire. This, of course, has already generated the impression that it is with the blessing of the US the Israelis have embarked upon invasion of Lebanon. While it is a well known fact that Israel is acting as the advance post of the Americans in the Middle East, total support and active encouragement to destroy the Southern Lebanon on the grounds to fatally cripple Hizbullah is invoking considerable concerns among many countries.

What is being ignored is the total disregard demonstrated by the Israelis for the internationally accepted norms that are sustaining the incumbent international political system. All rules and regulations are being blatantly violated which in turn are gradually eroding the very basis of the international system. Another aspect which is being discussed by many revolves around the inability of the UN to secure a ceasefire. Headed by a noble peace prize winner, the UN appears to be weakening rather rapidly. Admittedly no resolution in the Security Council would pass until all the permanent members support it, but initiative within the UN can still be pursued.

The blatant violation of laws governing the conduct of warfare along with the shredding of  international humanitarian laws have not yet been able to inject urgency among all those who could easily secure the desired ceasefire. The killing of innocent civilians and particularly women and children is bound to impact upon the attitudes of many. The Israeli air raids have not only targeted hospitals, roads, bridges, residence building but have not even spared babies, children and women who have no connection with Hizbullah.

Israel has been inflicting collective punishment upon the innocent civilian’s citizens of Lebanon for crimes they did not commit. How can an ordinary citizen cause the eviction of well entrenched Hizbullah? It would also be naïve to assume that the massacre of Palestinians would have no impact upon the Lebanese who not only sympathize with the cause of the Palestinians but are also host to more than four hundred thousand Palestinian refugees.

Undoubtedly Israel is indulging in Palestine ‘what is generally referred as the ‘State Terrorism’. A state not only carefully plans to undertake a systematic extermination and persecution of the target individuals or groups but also tends to project such action as routine response. Since the state has the legitimate authority to employ force in order to impose its decision, its brutal acts are just projected as incidental excesses. It is obvious when the state acts against any particular group; it feels justified to undertake such an action in the greater national interest of the country. However when a state commits excesses repeatedly, it becomes a subject of controversy. Admittedly very few governments of particular bend indulge in state terrorism and very often governments that may reverse the policy and opt for more peaceful means succeed such governments.

A systematic extermination of important individuals who are spearheading a movement against the established authority is often interpreted as state’s efforts to eliminate them and weaken the movement. However it needs to be highlighted that in some cases the movement is a genuine freedom struggle and state’s attempt to crush the movement is not viewed sympathetically. But on the other hand the states that are opposed to such freedom struggles and are involved in the processes of crushing the movements, they always tend to project them as terrorist movements. This is precisely what the Israeli authorities are doing against the Palestinians.

If one views almost all Israeli brutal acts perpetrated against the Palestinians in the light of above mentioned definition of state terrorism, one would quickly reach the obvious conclusion that Israel is indulging in state terrorism against both the Palestinian and now against the Lebanese. Not only it has once again occupied vast tracts of Lebanese land but it is also indulging in killing spree. Nobody can either justify such behavior or condone the ruthless killings of innocent civilians. Not only Israel has violated the borders in order to inflict punishment and weaken Hizbullah but instead of punishing the Hizbullah she chose to inflict collective punishment on all Lebanese. Perhaps that is why many Humanitarian groups are describing the Israeli’s current brutal suppression as war crimes.

A related question is also being debated currently which revolves around those who condone or allow its persistence without lifting a finger. One expects that whenever such acts take place, the international community would immediately come down hard on the perpetrators. But one does not see any such development with regard to current bombing of Southern Lebanon despite the passage of awful three weeks. On the contrary the main actors are delaying an effective action to quickly put an end to such atrocities.

The failure of world diplomats to reach a decision in Rome regarding ordering immediate ceasefire has also been misinterpreted by the Israelis as endorsement of their action in Lebanon. Instead of looking at the meeting with concerns as world’s diplomat gathered to find a way out, the Israeli appeared to have interpreted the inabilities of the diplomats in Rome as a sign of division which in turn facilitates them to continue with their brutal pursuits.

Again what needs to be understood here is that the death of so many innocent Lebanese may transform many survivors, who were hitherto neutral players, as strong supporters of the Hizbullah. In many ways the Israeli methods are providing opportunities to militants to quickly capitalize over the hate caused by the deaths of so many innocent civilians and secure even greater support among the neutrals. It appears that the Israeli brutal bombing is also facilitating both insiders to extend support and to outsiders an opportunity to make inroads.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this ugly development is that faith in fairness and justice is fast evaporating. It has now become quite clear that the powerful control the international political system and rules of the game are changed in accordance with shifts in their policy pursuits. Admittedly the operative international political system is deemed to be anarchic and not a representative of a perfect order but even the less than perfect incumbent order is fast eroding with violations such as that have been demonstrated by the Israelis along with the lack of quick appropriate response by the international community. It is time for the international community to wake up and prevent the killings of innocent Lebanese civilians.

Israel is known to be an expansionist state which has been violating all international norms on the grounds of its own security. It has occupied territories since 1967 and is unwilling to return the forcibly acquired territories irrespective despite the existence of the UN security resolutions. Since the international community has not yet been able to influence Israel to have those territories vacated, Israel is once again on road to acquire more-once again in the name of security. When will the world wake up?

The writer works for Islamabad Policy Research Institute.