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IOL News
03-08-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
The winds of change are blowing in favour of Palestine
Israeli activists gather at HaBima Square for a protest march towards the Israeli Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on July 22, 2025, denouncing the ongoing food shortage and forced displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Abbey Makoe The tide is turning – and at a blistering pace – for the recognition of the Palestinian statehood by a growing majority of the nations of the world. As of this year, 147 out of the 193 UN member-states officially recognize the State of Palestine. At the end of a widely publicized conference on the Middle East held in New York this week, 15 predominantly Western nations undertook to recognize the Palestinian statehood. Represented by their ministers of foreign affairs, the following countries nailed their colours to the mast, once and for all. They are: Canada, France, Australia, Ireland, Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Portugal, Norway, Spain, Slovenia, Malta, San Marino, Andorra, and Luxembourg. Why does this matter? It matters the most because, for far too long, the plight of the Palestinian people has been ignored by the bulk of the nations of the world. Let me paraphrase: The suffering of the Palestinian people has been aided and abetted by the vast majority of the world's most influential countries. The unfolding drastic changes in global relations once more prove a pertinent point: Evil can never triumph over good, no matter how long it takes. There have been times, times too many to count, when the temptation to give up the pursuit of Palestinian freedom appeared too appealing, and appeasing. The father of Palestinian freedom, Yasser Arafat, and hundreds of thousands of other Palestinians had lived and died for a free Palestine. As is the case with the blood of freedom fighters, their blood is never shed in vain. It nourishes the course for which men, women, and children give their lives. It expedites the attainment of the goal of liberty and freedom. The spirit of the more than 60,000 Palestinians who have been mowed down by the machine guns of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and their drones lives forever. Their blood nourishes the Palestinian tree of liberty. So, too, is the blood of the unaccounted-for thousands of Palestinians whose bodies continue to rot under mountainous heaps of rubble that is a testament to the relentlessly merciless bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The world is finally reawakening from slumber, regaining consciousness, and the sense of righteousness. Countries such as South Africa deserve a loud mention in defense of the Palestinian course for self-determination. So, too, are countries such as Russia, which, from as far back as the days of the Soviet Union, has recognized the Palestinian statehood and the UN declaration of the two-state solution as the safest pathway to a permanent basis for a peaceful coexistence of the peoples of Israel and Palestine. The 15 nations wrote in a joint statement that has captured the attention of the international community: 'We ...have already recognized, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognize the State of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two-state solution.' They explicitly called on the other member-states of the UN to join them in the push for the global recognition of the State of Palestine and the establishment and institution of the two-state solution, where apartheid Israel would cease to keep the Palestinians under the yoke of oppression. This shift in momentum towards ending the suppression of the rights of millions of Palestinians needs to be maintained. The fear of US hegemony has been overcome, and it appears to have finally been broken by its one-time enforcers. The public announcement by the French President Emmanuel Macron that Paris will officially recognize the State of Palestine when the UN General Assembly convenes in September shook the diplomatic cover and insulation that Tel Aviv has thus far enjoyed, with the apparent absence of conditions for several decades. Macron's pronouncement triggered different reactions from different quarters. First, and predictably, the US President Donald Trump poured scorn on France's move. But elsewhere – in Britain, to be specific – Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced heightened pressure to emulate his French counterpart. Traditionally, Starmer's Labour Party has been regarded as leftist and pro-poor, although in modernity, the party's actions have proved a far cry. Under immense pressure, the UK Prime Minister followed closely in the footsteps of his French counterpart when he announced that Britain, too, would recognize the State of Palestine when the UN General Assembly convenes in September. His condition not to follow through on his threat would be dependent upon Israel ending the 'appalling situation in Gaza', he said. Additionally, Starmer demanded that Tel Aviv must stop the expansion of the illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories and allow the UN to resume the distribution of aid in Gaza. Knowing Israel as we know it, the conditions are highly unlikely to be met. Therefore, we can expect the UK to join the growing chorus of UN member-states recognizing the State of Palestine. This development would inevitably create an unprecedented challenge for both Israel and the country's Big Brother in the form of the US. The worst-case scenario is that Washington would be as isolated as Israel amidst the rapidly changing geopolitical architecture. There would be sanctions against the political leadership of Israel and a highly likely trade embargo. The hegemony of the US is gradually crumbling as things stand in the world. The reconfiguration of the international world order has seen the emergence of new poles of power, such as BRICS, and the enhancement of the South-South solidarity. The Trump administration's tariff wars have also undermined the status of the US as a dependable leader of the so-called Free World. In addition, the emergence of China as a global leader of note has caused unprecedented schism in the collective Western domination of world affairs. As international relations scholars note, the rapid reconfiguration of global affairs bears implications of monumental significance. In my view, the sudden changes in diplomatic posture and narrative against the hitherto untouchable Israel are a game-changer. To borrow from McMillan, 'the winds of change are blowing'. The 55 countries that are yet to join the 147 that recognize the State of Palestine would not stick to their positions for too long. Liberty, equality, and freedom are some of the fundamental basis on which a just world order is built. The denial of the rights of the Palestinians by Israel cannot be permanent. Ask us in South Africa who were born and bred under apartheid. No matter how long oppression lasts, it too has a beginning and an ending. As for the Palestinians, the end of their long Israeli-induced misery is nigh. The excuse to annihilate the Gazans until the hostages are returned is too myopic an argument. The fundamental causes of apartheid in Israel ought to be tackled. As they say, violence suits all those who have nothing to lose. Life, all of it, is precious. Palestinian lives would soon be put on par with those of the Israelites under international law. When that happens, the impunity with which Israel has maimed and oppressed their fellow human beings in the land of Palestine will end forever. After all, it is what humanity expects. Strength and power to all nations that insist on a two-state solution where Israel would be held accountable for its excesses wherever they rear their ugly head, as is currently the case in Gaza and everywhere across the besieged Palestinian territories. *Abbey Makoe is Founder and Editor-in-Chief: Global South Media Network ( The views expressed are personal. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
This week, the poster boys for toxic masculinity have been all over the news. Israel, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, continues to starve the people of Palestine. Its brutal actions, which have flattened neighbourhoods, killed tens of thousands of people, and decimated hospitals and schools, amount to genocide, according to many experts, writes Aaratrika Bhaumik in this explainer. For some, Israel's response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, may not have been entirely unexpected. Back then, Major-General Ghasan Alyan from the Israeli Defence Ministry warned in a video, 'Human beasts are dealt with accordingly. Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza – no electricity, no water, just damage. You wanted hell – you will get hell.' The mastermind of the Hamas attack was also a ruthless, bloodthirsty man 'married to the Palestinian cause', Yahya Sinwar. As Stanly Johny said, on the rise and fall of Sinwar, 'violence defined his method.' Sinwar was killed in 2024 by the Israeli Defence Forces, but the scores between Israel and Hamas have still not been settled. All this bluster — which Netanyahu described best in 2014 when he said, 'A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do' — has nearly wiped out an entire region. In a 2019 academic paper titled Masculinity, war and militarism, Claire Duncanson wrote, 'Boys and men are socialised into thinking that being tough, being aggressive, being in authority, in control, are important markers of being a man.' She quotes various feminist scholars as arguing that 'men do not dominate in the world's militaries because they are naturally more violent, aggressive and tough,... but because in many cultures... proving oneself on the battlefield has been deemed an important way to prove oneself a man.' Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has organised photoshoots of himself riding horses bare-chested, or walking through the wilderness brandishing a gun, and who continues to wage a war against Ukraine, is one of the prototypes of this stereotype. With their blind (or perhaps calculated) rage and thirst for revenge, Sinwar and Netanyahu, who have together brought Gaza to its knees, are the others. Elsewhere, U.S. President Donald Trump, whose government has been aiding Netanyahu in the war, had yet another emotional outburst this week. On July 30, he hit his 'friend' India with a 25% tariff along with an 'unspecified penalty' for buying Russian oil and weapons. Trump rode to power calling several women, from Kamala Harris to Nancy Pelosi, 'unhinged' and 'crazy'. But today, by terming India's economy 'dead', he is the one putting painstakingly built India-U.S. ties at risk. The Hindu editorial says that 'something does seem to have shifted in India-US relations'. One of the primary objectives of patriarchy is the expansion of power. And this relentless pursuit of power without principles is causing moral bankruptcy, as Ashwani Kumar lamented in this piece earlier this month. Men with the most power around us are clinging on to it by doing whatever it takes: bullying, waging war, killing innocent people. Where are the compassionate women and men and a leadership of empathy and care that the world so desperately needs? It is all too clear that decision-making, especially on world issues, cannot be left to the whims of manchildren who mask incompetence and insensitivity with bravado. Toolkit In this photo essay, Ritu Raj Konwar captures the hustle and bustle of Ima Market, which is run entirely by women in Imphal, Manipur's capital. The market hosts 5,000-6,000 women vendors, who sell vegetables, fruits, textiles, toys, fish, spices, and utensils. Male shopkeepers and vendors are not allowed to set up or run stalls in this centuries-old market, which serves to empower women socially and economically. Wordsworth Femi-genocide: This month, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, called for immediate global action to halt the unfolding 'femi-genocide' in Gaza. Alsalem said that existing concepts in legal and criminal frameworks can no longer adequately describe the scale and nature of the crimes inflicted by Israeli forces on Palestinian women and girls. 'What is happening to Palestinian women and girls is not collateral damage of war,' she said. 'It is the intentional destruction of their lives and bodies, for being Palestinian and for being women.' Ouch! Now girls are marrying at the age of 25. By then, many, not all, have been in relationships with multiple men. By the time a woman is 25, she is fully grown. It is only natural that by then, her youth has slipped away somewhere. Aniruddhacharya, also known as Pookie Baba People we met Rohin Bhatt is a lawyer in the Supreme Court. In 2022, Bhatt had asked the then Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, to modify the appearance slips for lawyers in the apex court to include an additional column for people's pronouns so that they may be correctly used in orders and judgments. When asked how much further courts have to go to become more gender-sensitive, Bhatt points out problems of both infrastructure and attitude. As a queer lawyer, he says he is typecast. 'I am often called an 'LGBT lawyer' who does 'LGBT cases' but my work is so much more — across civil, criminal, and constitutional law,' he says. Bhatt imagines that in a truly inclusive space, he and others would be seen as 'not just lawyers who do queer cases, but as good lawyers in our own right who can argue other briefs with equal expertise, in addition to queer rights cases.'
Middle East Eye
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Thousands of Israeli protesters demand deal to release captives, end war on Gaza
More than 60,000 Israelis took to the streets in Tel Aviv demanding an end to the war on Gaza and a captive exchange deal. Speaking at the rally, Einav Zangauker, the mother of Israeli captive Matan Zangauker, accused the Israeli government of thwarting the process for a deal. "Israel is setting unrealistic conditions and without real feasibility. We will not return our children if the Israeli government doesn't put a real proposal on the table," Haaretz reported Zangauker saying. "If, instead of putting a comprehensive agreement on the table, the Israeli government decides to expand the military operation, it will issue a death sentence to the living hostages and exhume the dead," she said, adding that "we must force the government into a comprehensive agreement to end the war." A demonstrator speaks on a megaphone during an anti-government protest calling for action to secure the release of Israeli captives, outside the Israeli Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on 2 August, 2025. (AFP)
The Age
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Netanyahu's coalition rattled as ultra-Orthodox party exits over conscription bill
Tel Aviv: An Israeli ultra-Orthodox alliance of parties that has been a key governing partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was leaving the coalition government, threatening to destabilise the Israeli leader's rule at a pivotal time in the war in Gaza. United Torah Judaism's two parties said they were quitting the government due to a long-running dispute over a failure to draft a bill to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students from military service. The issue has long divided Jewish Israelis, most of whom are required to enlist, a rift that has only widened since the war in Gaza began and demands on military manpower grew. The departure of an alliance that has long served as a kingmaker in Israeli politics doesn't immediately threaten Netanyahu's rule. But, once it comes into effect within 48 hours, it will leave the Israeli leader with a razor-thin majority in a government that could now more heavily rely on the whims of two far-right parties. Those parties oppose concessions in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas and have themselves quit or threatened to quit the government over moves to end or even pause the war in Gaza. The political shake-up comes as Israel and Hamas are discussing the terms of a truce for the 21-month war in Gaza. Despite heavy pressure from the United States, Israel's top ally, and mediators Egypt and Qatar, there is no breakthrough yet in the talks. Loading An Israeli Defence Ministry proposal to force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a small and largely devastated zone controlled by its military in southern Gaza threatens to derail the latest efforts to forge a truce, The New York Times has reported. A spokesperson for Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who the Times says first floated the idea last week, declined to comment on the reports, as did Netanyahu's office. Another recurring sticking point has been whether the war ends as part of any truce, and Netanyahu's far-right parties oppose ending the war while Hamas remains intact. United Torah Judaism's departure has a window of 48 hours before becoming official, meaning Netanyahu can still find ways to satisfy the two parties and bring them back into the coalition. But Shuki Friedman, vice president of the Jewish People Policy Institute, said the gaps between the draft law currently on the table and the demands of the parties were still wide, making a compromise unlikely during that time.
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Israel furious after France orders black partitions at Paris air show over Gaza war, tensions with Iran
France's government ordered black partition walls erected around Israeli defence industry exhibits at the Paris Air Show displaying offensive weapons, because of the war in Gaza and rising tensions in the Mideast. Israel's Defence Ministry demanded an immediate reversal of the decision. A French appeals court had ruled Friday against activist groups who sought to block Israeli companies from participating in the show due to Israel's actions in Gaza. The Paris Air Show, held at Le Bourget north of Paris, is one of the world's largest and most prestigious events for the aerospace and defence industry. The black walls appeared overnight ahead of the show's opening Monday, visually isolating Israeli booths from dozens of other international exhibitors. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said the decision was made to allow Israeli companies to display their aviation technology but no offensive weapons, "given the situation in the region, the extreme tensions ... given France's diplomatic choices, notably concern about Gaza." Bayrou said the Israeli Embassy and companies were informed in advance of the restriction and that some complied, but others didn't. As a result the displays were covered up, "I hope temporarily." The Israeli Defence Ministry said the demand to remove offensive weapons displays came at the last minute. 'The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition — weapons that compete with French industries,' the ministry said in a statement Monday, calling the action 'ugly and improper.' An array of offensive weapons are on display elsewhere at the Paris Air Show, among the most prominent being French, including its Rafale fighter jets, cruise missiles and other hardware. Bayrou officially opened the air show Monday, visiting several stands, and as he spoke, his voice was partially drowned out by the roar of overhead aircraft. A French official said the decision came from the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security, under the prime minister. The official said Israeli exhibitors were told weeks ago that they couldn't exhibit offensive weaponry, and that the walls were erected as a last resort when five didn't comply. Four others did and are allowed to exhibit. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to discuss the details. The French prime minister drew a distinction between Israel's recent attacks on Iran and its actions in Gaza. "I have never underestimated the risk that Iran and Iran's preparation of nuclear weapons creates for the whole region, for the whole world," Bayrou said. 'The situation in Gaza, it touches, it injures, it repulses a large number of our compatriots, including those who are friends of Israel," he said. Israel's actions in Gaza since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, have drawn protests and concerns in France, especially the blockage of humanitarian aid in recent months. Sylvain Pavillet, a lawyer working with the air show organisers, said the final decision on which countries are allowed to exhibit lies with the French government, not the show itself. Two women angry with the French decision drew an Israeli flag and graffiti on the black partitions around the stand for Israeli company Rafael, accusing the French government of discrimination. Security personnel then covered up the graffiti with black plastic. Shlomo Toaff, head of Rafael's air defence systems division, said he couldn't even enter his company's small display area Monday morning. 'These weapons are used by the Israeli government in a legal way in order to to protect our people and in order to free the hostages," he told the AP. 'We hope that maybe somebody will come to their senses and reopen our show," he added. 'Anybody that is for a free world, free business, freedom of speech should be outraged by this.'
