The Gaza Crisis: A Test for International Law and Global Conscience
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (West Asia conflict, UN, International Court of Justice - ICJ, Global South), World Geography (Location of Gaza).
Mains:
GS Paper 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests; Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
GS Paper 4 (Ethics): Ethical issues in international relations; Conscience; Moral values.
Key Highlights from the News
The article argues that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening, and the world needs to intervene urgently.
Discussions about whether Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide have become politicized. A verdict from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) could take years.
However, the facts on the ground in Gaza are horrific: approximately 60,000 people killed, 90% of the population displaced multiple times, and systems for food, health, and sanitation destroyed.
It is suspected that Israel is deliberately using starvation as a weapon of war.
The article alleges that Israel's ultimate goal is ethnic cleansing, confining Palestinians to a "humanitarian city," and then pressuring them to leave the country.
Around 30 Western countries have strongly condemned Israel, but Israel's main supporters, the US and Germany, have not signed this statement.
The article suggests that Global South countries like Russia, China, and India should pressure Israel and that international peacekeepers should be sent to Gaza.
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