Karol Balfe: The US must end arms sales to Israel
People rush to landing humanitarian aid packages dropped over the northern Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Picture: AFP via Getty Images
While the world waits with bated breath this week to see if a temporary ceasefire will be agreed upon for Gaza, ActionAid and allies in the Ceasefire Now campaign are this Thursday calling for a global day of action to end arms transfers to Israel.
It is almost seven months since the sustained bombardments by Israel started on Gaza. Almost seven months of unthinkable horror, death, starvation, and destruction on a besieged people.
It is right that the horrific attacks by Hamas on October 7 and the pain they caused in Israel be condemned, particularly the horror for hostages and their families. But the catastrophic Israeli response is not self-defence, lawful, or in any way morally justifiable.
A brutal violence has been inflicted on an occupied people, a people already living under blockade and denied a state and a life of dignity.
To date this atrocity has seen over 34,000 Palestinians killed, 70% of them women and children. The entire population has been starved. Famine has already taken hold and, unless there is immediate food distribution at scale, the consequences will be unimaginable.
We have not seen a famine at this scale since the Second World War. Despite empty promises of opening new access points for aid by Israel and a small but welcome increase of some items, aid piles up at the border. In some cases, this aid is literally 10 minutes away from those who are slowly dying from hunger, disease, and malnutrition.
Gaza has been destroyed. Its health system has been systematically attacked, with hospitals and heroic medical staff targeted whilst desperately trying to treat the wounded. Its schools, mosques, universities, courts, and fertility clinics obliterated.
There are thousands of orphans and amputees maimed for life. We can see their anguished faces, desperately foraging for food and mourning their dead. Their childhoods and lives destroyed forever.
The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestine Territory, Francesca Albanese, and the International Court of Justice have stated that this is plausible genocide, one of the gravest war crimes imaginable. In fact, by day nine of Israel’s assault on Gaza, there were already more deaths (2,670) than Israel’s previous deadliest war against Gaza, in 2014 (2,251). It was clear where this was going.
The response from most governments has been desperately lacking. They have failed to take serious actions to stop Israel, with some notable exceptions.
The sickening reality is that the countries who have the power to stop this carnage, have not, most particularly the US.
The US is Israel’s largest funder and backer, providing over 60% of its military support. Biden and his administration have been a disgrace. His administration has demonstrated utter disregard for Palestinian life, disregard for their obligations under the Genocide Convention and disregard for the UN Security Resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire.
In contrast with this failure of leadership and moral bankruptcy from Biden — young people in the US have demonstrated their moral voice through protest. Outraged by violence and war crimes their protests and solidarity are inspiring. The militarised police crackdowns we’re now seeing show that the US ruling class thinks there is more to fear from students sitting in tents protesting genocide than from genocide itself.
Supplying arms to Israel supports its plans for a ground offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza where more than one million Palestinians — most of whom have fled from the north since October 7 — are corralled in a small area living in atrocious conditions, awaiting their fate. This would be a catastrophic bloodbath.
The rest of Israel’s arms come from Canada, the UK, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Australia. Some can be credited for their temporary arms suspensions. These countries know well there is a clear risk that weapons directly and indirectly exported to Israel will be used to commit serious crimes and to kill civilians in Gaza. Some have been forced to stop as a result of legal action.
Very significantly, the UN Human Rights Council demanded a halt to all arms sales to Israel.
Closer to home, Ireland has consistently called for a ceasefire. More recently Ireland joined the case with South Africa to the International Court of Justice. This is welcome, but unbelievably trade with the EU and Israel continues, despite the fact that the EU Israel Association Agreement has a clause on respecting human rights.
Regardless of any regional tensions, the fact remains — arms sales to Israel must stop. This is a complex issue, but equally simple.
With no action on stopping arms transfers, people all over the world are starting to shout. And to shout loud.
In an echo of the Vietnam War in the 1960s, student protests on US university campuses over Israel’s war on Gaza show little sign of letting up. The ActionAid and Allies Ceasefire Now day of action on Thursday is an opportunity for people to mobililse in global solidarity and to demand accountability from governments involved in the arms trade.
The US must feel the pressure, show humanity, and halt arms sales to Israel. If this happened the carnage would end. Aid would get in, and fewer Palestinians would die. The process of seeking accountability for atrocities can then properly begin. Such accountability is essential to restore the basics of international law that we see being destroyed before our eyes.
