By Dr. Katja Hermann
The war against Iran is also causing fear and anxiety among people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This renewed escalation is hitting a population that, after years of brutal war in the Gaza Strip, is just beginning to catch its breath.
With the start of the war, all crossings into Gaza have been closed, preventing people from entering or leaving, and blocking the delivery of urgent food and relief supplies to the Gaza Strip. Not only have the flowery speeches about the “New Gaza” fallen silent, but all promised aid funds have also been frozen. Instead, Israeli attacks on Gaza continue, and people continue to die, this time beyond the media’s attention. Aid organizations are already warning of another famine; food, medicine, and fuel have long been in short supply.
In the West Bank, you can hear the sirens and explosions in Israel. Dozens of rocket fragments have already fallen here, causing so-called collateral damage. Among the population, there is a mix of tension, helplessness, and cynicism. Worse than the situation in the air is the violence on the ground. With the start of the war, Israeli forces killed more than 8 Palestinians. In addition, it tightened the military blockade of cities and villages, and it is now even more difficult than before to move between places. People cannot get to work, or can only do so via complicated detours; ambulances are stuck at checkpoints for hours; and delivery traffic has partially ground to a halt. In addition, there are increased checks and searches everywhere. Radical settlers are exploiting the war to carry out increasingly frequent and brutal attacks on people, animals, and infrastructure.
The current shift in focus toward the war with Iran must not lead to ignoring the situation in Palestine or dismissing it as “collateral damage.” Even if it may sound like a mantra: The international community, which is all too eager to appear before the cameras with ever-new promises and pledges, must persuade Israel to abide by international humanitarian law and the agreements reached so far in Gaza. With regard to the West Bank, it must urgently work to stop and sanction the settlers’ brutal actions. Aid payments alone will not make a safe and dignified life in Palestine possible.
Dr. Katja Hermann, Director of the Palestine & Jordan Office of the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung