UN & Middle East peace

Pakistan OBSERVER, Tue, May,29, 2007.

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema

For the last 40 years, Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank and Syrians of Golan Heights have lived under the foreign military rule. The last four decades have witnessed many efforts, particularly from the outsiders to resolve the dispute but unfortunately nothing positive has so far come out of these efforts. The Arabs and the Israelis have fought four wars and each time UN was able to secure what is generally regarded a temporary peace but was unable to resolve the issue and secure the much desired peace.

The continuing conflict between the Arabs and Jewish state of Israel has been a principal source of instability in the Middle East. A former foreign minister of Pakistan, Sir Zafarullah Khan who represented Pakistan in the UN General Assembly debate on the Palestinian Question in 1947, once remarked: “The Palestinian Question has been the source of instability in the Middle East for the last two thousand years; and it is likely to remain so in the next two thousand years.” Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, the two sides have fought four wars, each being more devastative than the previous one and unleashing new forces of instability in the region; thus rendering the problem of regional stability more difficult and complicated.

The First Arab-Israel War, which broke out immediately after the announcement of the establishment of the state of Israel on May 15, 1948, resulted in the defeat of combined Arab armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria; and occupation of Arab areas in excess of the areas allotted to the Jewish state by the UN General Assembly. The outcome of the First Arab-Israel War profoundly altered the political and strategic situation in the Middle East. Israel emerged victorious in the conflict. 

The First Arab-Israel War created permanent tension between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The Arab states refused to recognize the state of Israel and there were continuous border skirmishes involving the Israeli forces and Arab Fadayeen operating from the neighboring Arab countries, particularly Egypt. It was due to this reason that when Britain and France attacked Egypt in October-November 1956 to punish Gemal Abul Nasser for nationalizing Suez Canal, Israel also jumped into the fray and occupied Gaza and Sinai Desert up to the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. Although Israel, as also Britain and France, had to withdraw from the areas they occupied during the war under international border, it led to further deepening of animosity between the Arabs and Israel. It is true that Israel was able to sweep across Sinai by inflicting crushing defeat on the fleeing Egyptian forces; but its gain amounted to nothing. At the end of War, it was still left with insecure borders on both Syrian and Egyptian fronts. 

This border insecurity was one of the chief reasons behind the outbreak of the Third Arab-Israel (June) War in 1967. In this War, which proved to be largely one sided affair, Israel sought to solve its security problem with the occupation of Gaza, Sinai, West bank, East Jerusalem and Golan heights. At the end of war, Israel proclaimed its determination never to part with Jerusalem and return to pr-June 5, 1967 position of borders. But Israel’s bid for secure borders proved only to be a mirage as there was a greater mobilization of anti-Israel forces not only in the Arab world; but also throughout the Muslim countries. The capture of Jerusalem by Israel, in fact, transformed the Middle East conflict from an Arab issue to a wider problem in which the entire Muslim world became involved. It was in the aftermath of 1967 War and the capture of Jerusalem by Israel that the Muslim countries gathered together at the platform of OIC. The security of Israel faced new challenge from a determined Palestinian liberation movement led by Al-Fateh and other radical Palestinian groups. On top of it within the span of a little more than seven years, there was another war between Israel and the Arabs-the Ramadan or Yom Kapoor War that added new complexities to an already complex problem of Middle East.

The 1973 Arab-Israel (Fourth) War was significant for the following three reasons: One, it ended the myth of invincibility of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and once again proved the vulnerability of the Jewish state to a combined attack of the Arabs from across the borders. It clearly dawned on the Israelis that the doctrine of secure borders and military superiority could not guarantee the security of the Jewish state. In the initial phase of the War, the Israeli forces suffered large-scale casualties and were on the verge of defeat at the hands of advancing Egyptian forces and attacking Syrian troops. The tide was turned only through the massive airlift of US arms and weapons ordered by President Nixon during the second week of October 1973.

Secondly, the War exposed the total dependence of Israel on the United States for its survival. Since its establishment in 1948, the United States has been the principal source of financial and military assistance for Israel. Israel has been the largest recipient of US economic assistance. But the 1973 War demonstrated the total dependence of Israel on the military help from the United States. 

Thirdly, the War made it clear beyond any doubt that the United States would at no cost allow the defeat of Israel at the hands of neighboring Arab States. The worldwide alert of American forces in response to reported Soviet military movements in Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean and supply of heavy and light arms and weapons to hard-pressed Israeli forces demonstrated the total US commitment to the security of the state of Israel. Fourth, the October 1973 War, paradoxically enough, created a yearning for peace in both Israel and the Arab countries as both sides became convinced that Middle East problem could not be solved through war. 

Ever since the Palestine dispute started, the role of the UN has not been very impressive. Perhaps one reason for such a meek role is the strong determination to prevent everything that could prove to be detrimental to Israeli interests. Nevertheless the international community expects a much more assertive role of the UN. The last major effort by the UN along with EU, US and Russia was to offer a road map for the resolution of the dispute but nothing came out as Israeli government remain not only adamant to retrain what they have, over the years, acquired from the Arab lands but also blatantly brushed aside censure from various quarters. It also constructed a wall despite the construction of wall was declared as illegal by the world court. 

Indeed the record of the UN has been extremely dismal but the time has now come for UN to be little more active then what it was during last almost five decades. Perhaps what has generated signs of hope is linked with the recent process of rethinking in US. After a very long time the US has shown interest in talking to Syria and Iran, countries with vital interests in regional peace and stability. 

Undoubtedly the Palestine-Israeli dispute will continue to remain as a major source of instability for global peace. The UN must undertake bold diplomatic moves and focus on the resolution of this dispute. The offers by Islamic countries spearheaded by King Abdullah should be seriously considered and if Israel is not willing to withdraw from Arab territories and opt for a two state solution, then the UN in collaboration with both the Islamic world and the US must exert collective pressures on Israel one hand and consider mutually acceptable alternatives on the other. Already the world is weary of Israeli relentless refusal along with irrational American support for Israel which is rapidly eroding American global influence. The US cannot afford to ditch its own interests because of Israeli haughtiness.

The writer works for Islamabad Policy research Institute.