Global Citizenship: Human rights in Palestine - Coursework Example

Global Citizenship: Human rights in Palestine The current struggle between the Israeli and the Palestinians is a complexscenario with its roots touching far and wide in history. The strife between these two has been amongst the longest lasting and with very explosively devastating effects. It is characterized by to gross violation of human rights, deaths, diseases, displacement, refugees and suffering. Many historians date the conflicts to have dwelled from the 20th and 21st centuries. In a bid to bring a solution to this long enduring war, many sectors have supported the solution of have the two countries existing on their own, independently. Popularly known as the two-state solution, it involves having an independent Palestinian state and an independent Israeli state. Most of the citizens both in Palestine and in Israel root for this same solution. The end of this struggle would put an end to constant abridging of human rights in Palestine and it territories. There has been a lot of bloodshed due to Israelis’ airstrikes to Palestinians. Cameras have shown mass destruction to the Palestinians, children dying, expectant mothers dyeing. The whole war is just appalling; it calls for drastic measures to end it. It is further saddening that as America continues to condemn the war, it has glossed over the ills which Israel is committing and gone ahead to support it. It is pleasing that supporters for the Palestinians has been rising sharply recently. One of the key supporters is the Jordan King Abdullah II. King Abdulla visited the West Bank recently to in an action to express his support to the Palestinian people. President Mahmud Abbas has been thrilled by the immense support he received in his bid for the UN to recognize the Palestinian state. The people of Jordan clearly spelt out their displeasure against the plans of the Israeli to construct new settler homes in thousands to retaliate to the Palestinian move. This included their plans at the beginning to revive contentious projects in the eastern part of Jerusalem. That project was meant to cut the west bank from eastern part of Jerusalem. The foreign affairs minister, Mr. Nasser Judar said that they reject the settlement policy as Arabs, and expect the whole world to do so. The king’s support went a long way to heighten and boost the strength of Palestine in the UN. As expected, this support did not go down well with the Israeli. Jordan, in the Middle East is one of the countries which had signed an agreement of peace with the Israeli government. That explains the significance of this king’s support. Iran is another ally who has been instrumental to President Abbas’ authority. Iran affirmed and reiterated its support for the resistance planned by the Palestinians against the American-friendly Israel. This happened when the Hamas prime minister of Gaza paid a visit to the first vice president, Mr. Mohammad Reza. Mr. Rahimini in a rally in Tehran reaffirmed that Iran will not step back in its plan to support the rights of the Palestinian people. He recognized that the Palestinians are innocent and have been oppressed. He said that Tehran will stretch itself as much as possible to make sure that the Palestinian oppression comes to a halt. He had strong terms against the Israelis and vowed that they will give their best to ensure the downfall of the Zionists. They faulted the Israel accusations that the Islamists who control the Gaza strip are terrorists (Presse). The Israeli government also accused Iran as being their main supplier of arms. Iran has never recognized the state of Israel since the Islamic revolution and supports the Palestinian and militants battling to free themselves of the oppression Israel. Iran is one of the countries which have rooted against the two-state solution. They have suggested that the best solution for this crisis would be a referendum done by Palestinians of all religions only. Afterwards Hamas went forth and cut a deal with Fatah, its rival. Fatah controls west bank. The two were to form a government of consensus ruling the two territories. Israel strongly opposed this marriage. Syria, being an Islamic state has strategically and consistently supported the Palestinians. Syria is actually one of the countries which the United States has labeled as terror states. They have pursued a strategy to aid the Palestinian Authority in uprising against Israel. Syria has provided political support, practical backup and assistance in carrying out retaliatory attacks inside Israel. The strategy had a multiplicity of goals. Since they teamed with Iran, the first goal was to strengthen and reinforce the Syrian-Iranian axis in the Middle East. The second one was to weaken the Israeli government by damaging her economy and strengthening the Islamic influence. Syria (and Iran) endlessly faulted the way the United States had defined them as terrorists. They said that their motivation was to defend what was right, and that their activities were a form of humanitarian aid. Syria was displeased that America and its supporters swept the ill the Israeli were committing and only judged that it is the Palestinians who were in the wrong. The accusation that Syria and Iran were transmitting propaganda did not also lack it criticisms. Syria came clear that it was preaching peace and attention should be shifted to what the Israeli fighters were doing to Palestinian people. What they were interested in was their fare share and they would stop at nothing until they get Palestine which is free from oppression from the Israeli airstrikes, shootings, and violation of human rights. Turkey in another valued supporter of the Palestinians. President Mahmud Abbas has expressed his gratitude for Turkey’s support which saw Palestine obtain an upgraded United Nations status (Turkish Weekly). President Abass in his address to the Turkish parliament said that they want to give peace a chance. He further explained that he is calling on the Israeli government to keep their part of agreement and duty. Turkey was the first country President Abbas paid an official visit after obtaining an upgraded United Nation status. Abass also hailed turkey for their effort as their foreign minister took an active role in New York (Turkish Weekly). For a long time, the Saudi Arabian Kingdom has the main provider of financial support for Palestinian Authority. Saudi Arabia is a key ally of Palestine. Over and above offering immense financial assistance, it was in the forefront in supporting it to acquire United Nations recognition. There are a number of committees which were formed to support the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia has to date given over four billion US Dollars to assist the Mujahedeen. This included the Al-Quds Intifada and the Al-Aqsa. Also, Saudi Arabia donated to the tune of one Billion US dollars for the furtherance of Intifada, commonly known as Jihad. Jihad is the resistance which the Palestinian fighters were to carry out against the Zionists. Prince Ibn Salman headed the committee which was charged with the responsibility to support the Palestinians. This committee was formed in 1947 after the war between the Arabs and the Israeli. In 1990 the then King Abdul Aziz ordered the prince to organize a national campaign in the Saudi Arabian Kingdom. The responsibility was to assist the Palestinian freedom fighters (Stanlinsky). The committee was also to support the family members of those participating in the war. It has donated to the tune of 298, 784, 151 Riyals. In the year 2000, a summit was held in October in Cairo and it was agreed that the Saudi Arabian Kingdom to establish additional funds. One which was to be valued at two hundred million dollars was to be set aside for the families of the fighters who die in the course of their duties. The second fund worth eight hundred million dollars was to be set aside for a special purpose. It was to finance projects to aim at preserving and maintaining Islamic desirable characteristics in Jerusalem. This was in the long run going to help the Palestinians to free and give themselves liberation. With all the bloodshed boiling down from this dispute between Palestine and Israel, with all the Palestinians losing their life in the Israeli attacks and ambushes, the United States has consistently supported Israel. The Americans support is very ironical. The Israeli government is well endowed; it has powerful missiles, fast airstrikes and very lethal bombs. These are up against the rather weak Palestinian fighters. It is clear that this fight is not proportionate, it is expected that America should put more matters to consideration before enlisting their support to Israel. There are many significant complexities which the Americans have refused to accept it this dispute. As Americans strongly blame those who started the war, they are surprisingly marveling the powerful arms of the Israeli government as they are propagating the war. Event the Europeans are shocked by stance America has taken. Israel is supposed to be seen as the oppressor state, but on the contrary America has sugarcoated their perception about them to end up with a favorable opinion that Israel and Palestine are both guilty, but since Israel is stronger, it chooses to support Israel. This brings to the attention the way Americans see things. A large number of Americans support the Jews. This is contrary to most Europeans who in rent survey have showed that they support the Palestinians. That begs the question of why the Americans are sympathizing with the Israeli people. Many historians recognize that there has been a characteristic unending love between America and Israel. This can be traced back in history from the American presidents. Attempts to explain this relationship reveals that it trickles from many issues secondary to the actual conflict between the Palestinians and Israeli. It dates back to the early evangelical Christian movement. Evangelicals are found to be almost inherently supporters or sympathizers of Israel. There has also been a talk that the neoconservatives lay their support to Israel so that America plays a more powerful role in controlling the world. During the past decades (over six decades), Israel and America has looked to each in their efforts to grow. From the United States, Israel has benefited from inspiration, military and financial support, diplomatic support and political friendship. The US has in turn admired Israel for its effort in successfully following the western democratic tradition, its attractive economic growth and development, and the spirited fight against enemies who are uncompromising. Therefore there is chain of values and practices shared. This has motivated the Americans to support Israel despite the over 75 million Arabs against three million Israelis. The early developing America has been influenced by the Jews. The constitution is one of the tools which reveal this influence. The Jews are also credited to have directly contributed to the American Revolution. President Calvin Coolidge hailed and appreciated them that they kept their teachings and orders from their prophets. He further expressed that ‘the Jewish faith is the faith of liberty.’ One of the first original seal design for the united States showed the Israelites across the red sea. It showed pharaoh pursuing them and on the other side was the leader, mosses. “Rebellion to Tyrants and obedience to God” was the motto. Liberty in the American culture boils down from the Old Testament in the Bible. It is therefore very unlikely that America does not support Israel. Their relationship is buried deep within their skin. The violating of the human rights by the Israeli has been profound. In its recent action in Gaza against the Palestinian militants, it killed twelve civilians. This was a violation of war laws. In November, the troops from the Israeli air force killed 10 members of the same family; among them were children and women. Israel was supposed to explain why it attacked a home of civilians and killed the brutally like that. In counting there are over 160 Palestinian people were murdered and over 1200 were injured owing to Israeli attacks in Gaza that November. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has standing for far too long, it is about time that a solution is found. A solution to this conflict will be central finding the solutions to the other conflicts in Middle East. Palestine has attracted support from various factions. It has received increasing support financially, militarily and politically. Many countries showed support in Palestine’s bid to earn recognition in the United Nations. Wars are very expensive; any country participating in war may require support. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been one of the key providers of financial assistance. A huge channel of their assistance however goes to finance the war of post war events rather than in implementing development projects. The gross bloodshed and breaching of human in Palestine need to end. Works Cited Presse, France. AlterNet. 2011. Web. 11 December 2012 . Stanlinsky, Steven. Saudi Financial Support to the palestinians. 3 July 2003. Web.11 December 2012 . Turkish Weekly. Abbas Expresses Gratitude for Turkeys Support to palestine. 11 December 2012. Web. 11 December 2012 . Read More