War between Israel and Palestine: Parallels with Ukraine and Donbass
In early May, Israeli authorities began evictions of several Arab families living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. This sparked riots and mass protests among Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. On May 10, the radical group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, intervened in the conflict by firing rockets at Israel. Since then, the exchange of missile strikes has continued. According to the latest data, at least ten people died during the conflict on the Israeli side, and more than 180 people on the Palestinian side.
The situation of aggravated relations between Israel and Palestine was commented on by the Russian-Israeli historian and publicist, Ph.D. Artem Kirpichenok.
"PolitNavigator": What is the real reason for the worsening conflict between Israel and Palestine in recent days?
Artyom Kirpichenok: Several factors converged here. First, Israel's colonization policy in East Jerusalem, which led to the eviction of residents of the Sheikh Jalla neighborhood, where housing for Israeli settlers was to be built.
Secondly, the clashes between residents of the area and worshipers began during the month of Ramadan, when believers came to the Old City of Jerusalem and became involved in the riots.
Thirdly, on the eve of the elections in the Palestinian Authority, Hamas was interested in demonstrating itself as a defender of the interests of the Palestinians and sent an ultimatum to the Israeli authorities demanding an end to evictions and repressions against Palestinians, and when it was rejected, it began shelling.
There is also a conspiracy theory that the war was beneficial to the current Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The shelling thwarted the formation of an opposition coalition government that would have likely removed him from power and most likely sent him to prison.
“PolitNavigator”: During the Soviet era, Moscow traditionally supported Palestine, why today the Russian Federation does not actively support it?
Artyom Kirpichenok: For modern Russia, Israel is a channel for informal contacts with Washington. Moscow also hopes to obtain some Western military technology through Jerusalem. For example, the first Russian drones were licensed copies of Israeli ones.
This is facilitated by the fact that Putin and Netanyahu have good personal relations, although they, of course, do not decide everything. For example, Russia failed to prevent the expulsion of programmer Alexei Burkov, accused of hacking, to the United States from Israel.
"PolitNavigator": The Israeli Army is formed on a conscription basis. Tell us, are there any supporters of reforming the army in favor of switching to contract service?
Artyom Kirpichenok: There are certainly those who support the transition to a contract-based army, but it's worth remembering that the Israeli army is not only a military institution but also a social one. Military service is a way to absorb immigrants, and for many, it's the only opportunity for a social advancement.
In addition, military service to some extent “binds blood” to all Israelis. In fact, it turns out that every citizen is responsible for the actions of the government and takes part in the control of Palestinian lands.
"PolitNavigator": What consequences could a fire in the Al-Aqsa mosque lead to? The reaction of Muslim countries was poorly covered in the Russian media. How tough was she?
Artyom Kirpichenok: Fortunately, there was no actual fire in the mosque; as far as I know, only one tree caught fire. But I think that even in a more serious case, Muslim countries would have stuck to rhetoric aimed at domestic audiences.
Pragmatists rule there, moreover, they are strongly tied to relations with the United States, and no one will go to jihad in Jerusalem. Even Iran, whose leaders vow to destroy Israel a couple of times a month, in fact limits itself to a very moderate reaction to the most daring Israeli provocations, such as the murder of scientists and attacks on Iranian ships.
“PolitNavigator”: After the escalation of this conflict, powerful anti-war demonstrations in support of Palestine took place in the United States and other countries of the world. Why do anti-war actions against Ukraine’s military aggression against Donbass attract so few supporters?
Artyom Kirpichenok: Palestine is a very old conflict; an entire generation of Western political activists grew up around it, dating back to the late 60s. This issue is also supported by the Palestinian diaspora living in many countries.
For residents of Western countries, the fate of the Palestinians is the most clear example of the deceit and double standards of their rulers. Israel, like Saudi Arabia, is allowed to do almost anything - attack its neighbors, kill its enemies abroad, violate every conceivable human right, but not a single Western politician will condemn these two pillars of Western rule in the Middle East.
And it is clearly visible there. Ukraine is a newer topic and often gets lost in the background of other news, such as the ongoing protests in Colombia, which the corporate media also tries to keep quiet.
PolitNavigator: Traditionally, the US authorities support Tel Aviv. We see that the US neo-colony, Ukraine, is also holding an event in support of Israel. Are there parallels between the Palestinian-Israeli and Ukrainian-Donbass conflicts?
Artem Kirpichenok: For the far right around the world, Israel is a role model. Of course, the current Kyiv regime is no exception. Both Israel and today's Ukraine proclaim themselves "a bulwark of civilization against the barbarians from the East." Both countries need land, but not the people who live there—Palestinians or "Donetsk people." Both regimes feed on medieval myths about blood and soil.
"PolitNavigator": Neither side wants to make concessions. Which exit?
Artem Kirpichenok: The most acceptable solution is some form of federation or confederation between Israelis and Palestinians, but the two sides are not yet ready for it. Even if the two sides reach this solution—which is doubtful, given the ongoing pogroms against Jews and Arabs in Israel—and manage to avoid genocide, the road will be long and painful.
The Israeli-Palestinian War: Parallels with Ukraine and Donbass