By Palestine Chronicle Editors
While Israel continues to pound Gaza, killing civilians at a ratio of one every five minutes, events elsewhere indicate significant changes happening in the strategic scene in the Middle East and beyond. These are some of the events that matter most.
Aside from the hardened position of Washington and a few of its Western allies, namely France and the UK, the international community’s position in general seems to be either softening or turning against Israel.
There are several strategic developments that happened in terms of language and action in the last 24 hours that are worth noting.
Israel Attacks Guterres
In terms of language, a statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has raised the ire of Israel, simply because he dared contextualize the October 7 events within a larger political framework.
“Hamas attacks did not happen in a vacuum,” Guterres said at the UNSC Emergency meeting on Tuesday.
Though Guterres had “unequivocally” condemned “acts of terror by Hamas”, the mere mention that history had existed prior to the October 7 attacks, and numerous massacres have been carried out by Israel since then, did not sit well with Israel and its mouthpieces at the UN and elsewhere.
Gilad Erdan, Israeli Ambassador to the UN, has called for the immediate resignation of Guterres, saying that he is “not fit” to lead the UN.
Why this event matters?
This event is important because it demonstrates two things: One, that the likes of Guterres, who has always been quite careful in addressing Israeli crimes in Gaza, are now fed up with the ongoing genocide; two, that Israel, due to the blind American support it receives at the UN, is so empowered that it demands the resignation of the Secretary-General of the world’s largest international institution.
Erdogan: Hamas is Liberation Movement
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is finally using some strong language in his criticism of Israel and its ongoing war crimes in Gaza.
Historically, Erdogan has been a solid supporter of Palestinians, making its support of Gaza in particular a rallying cry in his election campaigns, and victories.
That position had softened in recent years, however. In a meeting last September in New York, Erdogan assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Turkey is looking forward to strengthening its bilateral ties and investments in Israel. In that meeting, little mention of Gaza and Palestine was made.
Even following the Israeli war on Gaza, Erdogan’s position appeared somewhat ‘balanced’, failing to match that of China and Russia.
“We have always said and continue to say that we disapprove of letting a single innocent person get harmed, whether in Israel or Palestine lands,” Erdogan said on October 10.
In his latest comments, however, the Turkins position has hardened, possibly under pressure of Turkish public opinion, which has solidly stood at the side of Palestinians.
“Hamas is not a terrorist organization. It is a liberation group, a group of mujahideen fighting to defend its lands and people,” Erdogan said on Wednesday, while condemning Israel’s “crimes against humanity”.
Why this event matters?
This event is important because Turkey has influence over other Muslim countries in Asia and the Middle East. A stronger Turkish position is likely to be followed by stronger positions by these countries.
Hamas is a ‘Liberation Movement’: Erdogan Slams Israel’s ‘Crimes against Humanity’
The Zikim Operation
On October 24, members of Al-Qassam Brigades “naval force” stormed an area called Zikim, south of Asqalan (Ashkelon).
Some news reports indicate that Hamas’ ‘frogmen’ managed to penetrate at least four kilometers deep inside of Israel.
It is unclear what happened then, since the only source of information available on subsequent events comes from the Israeli military.
Why this event matters?
This event is important because it indicates that not only is the Palestinian Resistance able to carry on with the fight in Gaza itself but also that it has the capabilities of fighting inside Israel itself.
How Hamas ‘Frogmen’ Managed to Enter Israel, Clash with Military
Axis of Resistance
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Resistance movement showed a photo of a meeting bringing together the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, Ziad Nakhaleh, and the Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri.
The statement said that the groups “agreed to continue daily and ongoing coordination and monitoring of developments.”
Why this event matters?
This event is important. Not only it highlights the growing unity and coordination between a group known as the ‘Axis of Resistance’, but also because it sends a message to Israel that the battle in Gaza is being managed in Lebanon, and that the battle in Lebanon is being managed in Gaza.
And that, ultimately, Palestinians are not alone.
Hezbollah Leader Meets with Top Islamic Jihad, Hamas Officials to Discuss Situation in Gaza
(The Palestine Chronicle)
