Weakening global response encouraging Israeli, Indian aggression: experts

ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (APP):The foreign policy experts on Friday said that weakening global response due to systemic failures in global governance under the UN's umbrella was encouraging Israel and India to carry out aggression and human rights violations with impunity.

These views were expressed during an international webinar titled ‘Israeli Actions in the Middle East: Normalizing Aggression and Weakening Response’ organized by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
The speakers observed that Israel thrives on conflict and war, which had been fundamental elements of its creation, consolidation and expansion.
“Israel claims to be a democratic state but harbours colonial ambitions and wants to colonize the remaining Palestinian lands,” they added.
They went on to say that Israel had been working on the Judaization of Jerusalem since 1967 and the Judaization project was still underway which envisioned demographic superiority to consolidate the hold of the Jewish state in the occupied lands.
As such the Arabs in Israel have been relegated to the status of second-class citizens irrespective of their religion as the Christians are also facing restrictions on carrying out their religious activities.
“This is happening because Israel is moving away from the essence of the Oslo Accords and has no intention of giving the Palestinians their due rights. The Zionist actions of the Jewish state are being mirrored in Modi’s Hindutva-fevered India where the religion and culture of the minorities, especially Muslims, are being increasingly targeted,” speakers said.
The speakers were of the view that the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice are unlikely to entertain cases against Israeli and Indian violations of international humanitarian law due to US pressure.
The speakers maintained that though issues like Palestine and Kashmir are local or regional but require a global response. As such international civil society needs to play a meaningful role to highlight the aggression and atrocities perpetrated by Israel and India in the occupied lands.
They also censured the deafening silence of the international community, particularly most of the Muslim countries, which give precedence to geo-economic aspects and national interests rather than taking a stand for justice and human dignity. The speakers suggested that the major Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran should raise this issue at every possible international forum.
The forum was chaired by Ambassador (r) Syed Abrar Hussain, Vice Chairman, IPS, while the speakers included Chair of Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project, USA Dr. Hatem Bazian, Deputy Executive Director, Afro-Middle East Centre, South Africa Dr. Zeenat Adam, president, JUST, Malaysia Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, Al-Mustafa University, Iran Dr. Ali Hossain Zadeh, former dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, QAU Nazir Hussain, and Dr Junaid S. Ahmed, professor at College of William & Mary, USA.