The BBC ever so carefully described Israel’s bombing of (UK and US ally) Qatar on 9th September as simply a “strike on senior Hamas leaders” who just happened to be situated in Doha. They report that the government of Israel states for the record that “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility”.
Two Qatari nationals were killed in the bombing in addition to members of Hamas. As Calum Miller, our Foreign Affairs spokesperson, rightly said in Parliament: “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s willingness to strike Doha will undermine efforts to secure the release of the hostages still held in Hamas’ captivity.”
Israel’s attack cannot be justified on the grounds that a legitimate military target long in hiding had just resurfaced. Qatar has hosted Hamas’ political leadership since 2012 – with the implicit blessing of both Israel and the US. No reasonable person can draw a conclusion other than that this was an attempt to derail peace talks: “it’s thought likely the targeted Hamas leaders were in the middle of discussing their formal response to the US ideas (about how to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement)”.
Hamas has committed and defends the committing of war crimes. Its constitution continues to call for the destruction of Israel. Hamas’ fighters and military leadership are legitimate targets in war, but the alternative to some kind of peace deal – the complete elimination of the organisation – cannot be achieved without the genocide of the Palestinian people. Hamas’ awfulness is in this case irrelevant: you only attempt to assassinate the people you are negotiating with if you have no intention of reaching an agreement.
Israel continues to attack the new Syrian government too, complicating efforts to bring peace between different armed factions, to secure the safety of minority communities and damaging the forces that will be needed to defend the country from the ongoing threat by the extremists of the so-called ‘Islamic State’. Israel has extended its occupation of Syrian territory into and beyond the UN buffer zone and harasses and attacks Syrian civilians, undermining the authority and legitimacy of the government, which has never retaliated against Israel and continues to assert that it has no desire for conflict with its neighbour. It is hard to escape the conclusion that Israel prefers that Syria descends further into chaos, war and absolute poverty rather than its people be given the chance to create a better future – one that would enable millions of Syrian refugees to return to their homes.
It’s time to drop the pretence. Israel is a rogue state. Its government clearly considers itself to be above the law, unfettered by legal or diplomatic norms, and without any need to pursue peace. Israel has got so used to there being no consequences for its crimes, that you can see why Israel’s cabinet believes it can publicly commit to an explicitly expansionist and genocidal policy direction over and over again. (And the problem isn’t just a few particular ministers. Yair Lapid, leader of our supposedly liberal sister party Yesh Atid congratulated the “exceptional” attack on Qatar.)
If we are serious in wanting to bring an end to the current carnage, let alone in our commitment to a lasting peace and two state solution, the UK Government and our allies are going to have to do more than issue statements of condemnation. We are going to have to take concrete steps to force Israel to make a choice between constant war and diplomatic and economic isolation. I’ve been encouraged that Ed Davey has been more vocal recently, and to see Calum Miller urging the Government to sanction Netanyahu himself, but we’re going to need to be bolder at our upcoming conference. We have to be seen to move on from ‘both-sidesing’ when the circumstances require us to, and to stand up for international law, human rights and genuine efforts to seek peace.
* Jonathan Brown is a member of the Chichester Liberal Democrats, is Vice Chair of the Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine and Chairs the Liberal Democrats for Free Syria.