Israel, US blamed for prolonging Gaza conflict

Embargo demand

French President Emmanuel Macron became the latest prominent Western figure to publicly call for an international arms embargo against Israel amid rising Middle East tensions despite overwhelming calls for a cease-fire.

However, Netanyahu hit back on Sunday with a video on X saying "shame" on Macron and other Western leaders who were calling for the arms embargo against Israel when his country was "defending itself on seven fronts" against "the enemies of civilization", referring to Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Last month, the British government announced it was suspending exports of some weapons to Israel over concerns they could be used to break international law.

Belen Fernandez, a columnist at Al Jazeera, noted in her article published on Wednesday that as Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for the latter's assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Sept 27, and the killing of Hamas' political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July, Biden instructed the US military to assist Israel in neutralizing the missiles.

While many an international observer "has sounded the alarm that the US could now be 'dragged' into a regional war", in reality, the US is "not really being 'dragged' anywhere" but rather, it is "in a position entirely of its own making", she said.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute cited the US, Germany and Italy as major arms suppliers to Israel. In the years 2019 to 2023, the US accounted for 69 percent of Israel's arms imports, upon which the Israel Defense Forces heavily rely.

As Washington carries on with its military and political support while contradictorily calling for a cease-fire in the process, there have been some opportunities to reverse the dreaded course for the past 12 months, as advised by international courts and the UN.

In January, the International Court of Justice issued provisional measures in a Genocide Convention case brought by South Africa in relation to the situation in Gaza.

The measures included Israel taking immediate steps to prevent its military from committing acts considered genocidal and to enable the provision of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

In May, the court additionally ordered Israel to "immediately halt its military offensive" in the Rafah Governorate. The same month, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan also sought arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders.

On Sept 18, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding Israel bring to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months.

The resolution also calls on states to cease the provision or transfer of arms, munitions and related equipment to Israel.

Despite some of these advisories and warnings, not much has changed and the US continues to prioritize Israel's right to "self-defense" despite security dangers spreading.

Haydar Oruc, a former researcher at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Turkiye, blames the US political structure for being under Jewish lobby, including the evangelicals who "put Israel's interests ahead of those of the US" and consider it a "religious duty to serve Israel".

"We are witnessing that the rulers of Israel are also aware of this power they possess and that they are pushing their influence on the US to the limit," Oruc said.

However, the current "irrational relationship between the US and Israel is causing great damage to the global system and its institutions" because Israel has not complied with any UN resolutions nor injunctions issued by the International Court of Justice.

"Similarly, due to US pressure, the International Criminal Court has been unable to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and (Israeli Defense Minister) Yoav Gallant," Oruc said.

Yousef from Jenin said the one year of fighting in Gaza meant Israel has "failed to achieve its declared objectives in liberating its prisoners and hostages from Palestinian guerrilla fighters".