HAVING completely annihilated and decimated Iraq, Syria and Libya, and with its latent involvement in the atrocious war in Yemen, the imperialist United States is once again — yet once again — in clear violation of inter-national norms and conventions with respect to happenings in Palestine. It is abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity, which in itself is a crime.

Riding on the back of Israel, its proxy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Washington is flexing its military muscles to gobble up further territory and ensure access to further resources, blurring the lines between colonialism and imperialism. It is the new foot-on-the-ground version of imperialism being practised by the US through Israel, its surrogate in the region.

Despite the current support for the Ukraine war against Russia, the imperial superpower has the rapacious will, the finances and the military prowess to unilaterally push its way on course to strengthen the apartheid regime in Israel.

After thrusting Western institutions, like the European Union (EU) and Nato, to exert influence over Ukraine, it seems the triumvirate of US, EU and Israel is now on a renewed mission to subdue Palestine. This they want to do through a policy of ethnic cleansing with the Jewish state’s pipe dream of forming ‘greater Israel’ after subsequently occupying Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Israel’s defence budget, including the substantial US aid it gets, is believed to be around $23.6 billion. Alongside its mammoth wartime size, being a nuclear power, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have a very capable modern air force. It is equipped with advanced aircraft like F-15s, F-16s and F-35s. It also has its famous Iron Dome missile defence system that is designed to shoot down incoming projectiles; the type that Hamas is currently firing.

To a great extent, the Israeli military does depend on its partnership with the US. President Joe Biden has already pledged to stand by Israel, seemingly giving the green light for a continued operation, including ground incursion.

Hamas, in contrast, has a lot more willpower than military power. There is a qualitative discrepancy in pretty much every category of equipment; it is a relatively primitive force. Unlike Hezbollah, which has adopted some of the trappings and capabilities of a conventional military, Hamas is still more of a resistance force that cannot easily defend terrain against the IDF. It does not have much of a credible anti-armour capability. besides, it still lacks precision in terms of the rockets it uses. So, there is obviously a massive asymmetry in terms of specific military capabilities.

The question is: what Israel’s war aims are? Are they to simply destroy the infrastructure? Is it regime change in Gaza? The ground incursion has already started. If Israel does not have the notion of greater Israel in sight, why is this apartheid regime asking for the displacement of all Palestinians from Gaza? And, even more critically, why is Washington sitting back in its rocking chair merely watching?

Faisal Habib
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2023