THIS refers to your editorial ‘Israel snubbed’ (Jan 17). Coming soon after the historic UN Council resolution, the Paris conference adds little to the point already made. It is unlikely to lead to a clear-cut two-state resolution at the UN Council because John Kerry has already promised Israel the vetoing of any such resolution. Moreover, the incoming Trump administration is an even stronger supporter of Israel. As for Britain, refusing to sign the ‘mild’ communique issued after the conference and having earlier equated any criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, it has clearly revealed its true colours.

It is now for the international community to demonstrate the will to take definite, practical steps to bring about a two-state solution, starting with sanctions against Israel and strengthening of the BDS movement. After all, the international community is ever so willing to impose sanctions on other countries.

And if we do not see any significant movement in this direction in the near future, the natural inference would be that responsibility for fooling the Palestinians in particular and Muslims in general, has now been passed on from the US to France and its allies.

Riazul Hakeem Hashmi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017