War on Gaza, settler violence forcing 'Israel' into deeper isolation
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As the genocide in Gaza persists and incidents of settler violence escalate, “Israel” finds itself increasingly isolated on the international stage.
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Pro-Palestinian rally demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza in Washington on November 4, 2023. (AP)
"Israel" is confronted with a looming "diplomatic tsunami" on various fronts due to the genocide it is committing in Gaza and the unprecedented surge in settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, acknowledged Peter Beaumont, a senior international reporter, in an analysis published by The Guardian on Friday.
As the US and European capitals continue to announce sanctions almost monthly in response to settler violence, with an expanding scope noted by The Guardian, there are indications that additional targets are being considered.
The sanctions implemented thus far have primarily focused on individuals and extremist settler groups. Recently, attention has been directed toward a contentious associate and advisor of Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right police minister.
The US decision to delay a shipment of heavy munitions to "Israel", driven by Benjamin Netanyahu's push for a full-blown invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, coincided with Ireland and Spain, reaffirming their commitment to formally recognizing Palestinian statehood.
In Europe, there is increasing momentum for a trade embargo on products originating from Israeli settlements, as per Beaumont.
Dive deeper
Alexander de Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, currently holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, is rallying support from like-minded allies to advocate for a trade ban. He argued that "Israel" has violated human rights provisions outlined in the EU-"Israel" association agreement.
Meanwhile, Turkey, with its historically intricate relationship with "Israel", has declared a comprehensive trade ban on the entity. However, there were reports this week suggesting Ankara might grant a three-month exemption for Turkish traders, although these claims were refuted by Ankara.
In South America, "Israel" has faced a wave of countries severing diplomatic relations or reducing contacts. Colombia has joined Bolivia as the second South American nation to sever ties with "Israel".
Concurrently, "Israel" faces scrutiny on multiple legal fronts. The International Criminal Court is reportedly deliberating on issuing warrants for senior Israeli officials, while the International Court of Justice, the UN's principal legal body, is examining a complaint lodged by South Africa against "Israel", accusing it of genocide and incitement to genocide.
"A “diplomatic tsunami” against Israel – a warning first coined by the former prime minister Ehud Barak while he served as defense minister under Netanyahu – has been much threatened but until now never meaningfully implemented," Beaumont said.
In the author's view, "Israel's" conduct during the war on Gaza, coupled with a significant uptick in pro-settler violence in the occupied West Bank, has exacerbated longstanding frustrations with Netanyahu's staunch refusal to entertain any advancements towards Palestinian statehood.
Despite explicit warnings, such as those issued by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in March, cautioning against Rafah's invasion in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu's government has persisted in its course of action.
"And while senior Israeli officials have tried to be bullish in the face of international pressure, saying they will fight on alone, many of the moves have real-world consequences for a country facing economic problems because of the war," Beaumont explained.
A shift in the diplomatic landscape
In a recent Haaretz column, Dahlia Scheindlin contended that prior sanctions against "Israel" amounted to mere "bad vibes". Still, the landscape has shifted with Turkey's trade ban threat and the US decision to delay heavy munitions delivery. She suggested that international exasperation has been building up over time.
“All of this been brewing years. Israel has been behaving in a self-defeating fashion like bull china shop,” she said as quoted by The Guardian.
“As is so common with paradigm shifts, Israel has not been seeing all the things going on below the surface," Scheindlin stressed.
“It should be said, however, that Netanyahu himself did start diversifying his portfolio of international allies to the less democratic world ........”, she added.
Long story short, "government lawyers in multiple capitals are already considering whether there should be a new round of sanctions and against who and what, amid questions whether key institutions in settlement building such as the Israeli regional council in the occupied territories and the settlement division of the World Zionist Organization should be in the sights of those designing sanctions," according to Beaumont.
