THE situation in the occupied territories over the past few days has been incendiary, with tensions boiling over as enraged Palestinians bravely face the brutish might of the Israeli settler state. There is no one trigger for the latest cycle of violence; instead, a combination of developments have come together to form an explosive cocktail that has just exploded in front of the world. Among the most recent of these events is the imminent expulsion of Palestinian residents from the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. In one video, an Israeli settler with an American accent has the gall to tell Arab homeowners that if he doesn’t steal their house, someone else will. Israel had also placed restrictions on Palestinians’ access to Masjid Al Aqsa during Ramazan in the name of Covid-19 precautions, enraging worshippers. Moreover, a provocative march by an extremist Jewish group in the holy city chanting “death to Arabs”, as well as the observance of so-called Jerusalem Day, which is supposed to ‘celebrate’ the Israeli occupation of the divided city in 1967, next to the walls of Haram as-Sharif, also did much to fan the flames. But perhaps the last straw was when Israeli security man arrogantly stormed Al Aqsa, injuring hundreds of worshippers and desecrating the mosque. Hamas fired rockets at Israel in response and now a vicious full-scale assault has been launched on Gaza by Tel Aviv, in which a number of children have been killed.
The lava that has just exploded in Palestine was brewing for years. Amongst the main triggers of Palestinian anger was the recognition of Jerusalem — a disputed city as per international law — as Israel’s capital by Donald Trump, which effectively gave Tel Aviv’s leaders the green light to trample on global conventions. Then of course there was the rush by many of the Palestinians’ Arab ‘brothers’ to establish ties with Israel, despite the fact that the Jewish state had no intention whatsoever of respecting the two-state solution. And during all this while, nothing was done to stop rapacious Jewish settlers from devouring more and more Palestinian land. Now, with the storming of Al Aqsa — a national and religious symbol for the Palestinians — it is clear to the Arabs that Tel Aviv has been itching for a fight. From here on, the international community, particularly Israel’s Western backers and its Arab friends, must convince Tel Aviv to halt the slaughter of Palestinians, or deal with the consequences of a new intifada.
PM’s Saudi visit
PRIME MINISTER Imran Khan has concluded a productive visit to Saudi Arabia at a time when bilateral relations between the two countries required a much-needed boost. According to official accounts, the prime minister held wide-ranging talks with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and also met a number of other important persons including the secretary general of the OIC.
Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa had reached Saudi Arabia a few days prior to the prime minister’s arrival to pave the way for the crucial visit. The army chief has been playing a central role in Pakistan’s engagement with Saudi Arabia and his presence in this meeting was proof that national security matters like Afghanistan and wider Middle East issues figure prominently in the bilateral relationship. This is important because the relationship has experienced strains in the recent past over a number of issues including Pakistan’s refusal to participate in the Yemen conflict.
Ties also witnessed tension when last year Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi resorted to uncharacteristic public criticism of Saudi Arabia for its lukewarm support of Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. While Pakistan had a genuine justification for both actions, Saudi Arabia was said to have taken exception. On the Yemen issue, it was Pakistan’s parliament that refused to send troops for the conflict, and that turned out to be the right decision. On the Kashmir issue too, Islamabad’s grievance against Riyadh was rooted in strong reasons. However, going public with this grievance may not have been the best strategy. Mutual relations grew frostier when Saudi Arabia — in a rather unprecedented move — demanded immediate repayment of a loan it had extended to Pakistan last year. It was only through China’s help that Pakistan was able to do this.
Against this backdrop, it is important that both countries make a concerted effort to improve their relationship. Swiftly changing events in the region as well as the ongoing process of withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan require Islamabad and Riyadh to closely coordinate their efforts on all fronts. Prime Minister Imran Khan has done well to visit Saudi Arabia at this important juncture and it is hoped that his visit can inject fresh vigour into the relationship.
However, at the same time, it is very important that Pakistan take no step, or agree to any demand, that can have an adverse effect on national sovereignty. Pakistan must take independent decisions, free from pressures and expectations, while keeping its national interest supreme. No doubt Saudi Arabia wields enormous influence on Pakistani policy, and the large number of Pakistani expatriates working in Saudi Arabia contribute a lot to the economy, but Pakistan has always followed a balanced policy in the Middle East and must continue to do so while according a high priority to Saudi Arabia.
SOP violations
ON Monday, Sindh Police officials were given a well-deserved slap on the wrist by a judicial magistrate in Karachi for not following government-mandated Covid SOPs. This happened when the police presented in court some 300 people, arrested for flouting SOPs over the weekend, to seek their physical remand. The judge first admonished the officers for not providing the ‘suspects’ with face masks, thus exposing them to unnecessary risk, and then told the police officers that they themselves were liable to be arrested for flouting SOPs. The detainees were released and the judge also sought a reply from those who had ordered the registration of FIRs against them.
There is no doubt that the ‘stay home-stay safe’ restrictions are more than justified at a time when the Covid numbers look threatening. But it is unfortunate that, ever since the pandemic began, both the federal and provincial governments have undermined their own authority by delaying tough decisions or taking them and then easing them partially or fully, or turning a blind eye to violators. The messaging has been very faulty and inconsistent — encouraging the public to think that there would be no consequences for not following the rules. For instance, although in the initial months the Sindh government took the lead in emphasising SOPs and imposing lockdowns, it has since been unable to effectively restrict the movement of people. Having said that, an arresting spree by the police is not the way to persuade the public to stay at home. For one, little is known about the circumstances under which the arrests took place. And for law-enforcement authorities to lock people up to save them from imminent danger and then exposing them to it anyway, and flouting the SOPs themselves, is simply absurd. For its part, the public has also been careless in following government directives which have been issued for their own protection. We will only be able to see the end of the pandemic if each and every one of us plays their part.
