( Prof.Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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The incidence of Israeli military boarding into one of the six vessels of Gaza aid flotilla with humanitarian aid killing nine civilians and wounding many has been condemned worldwide. The assault will certainly complicate the Obama administration’s efforts to improve ties with Israel and may even distract from the push to sanction Iran over its nuclear swap program with Turkey. Thus Iran has become a beneficiary from this incident.
Israel is already having a complaint when U.S too consented for the outcome of the just concluded NPT review summit at New York wherein the NPT regime had stressed Israel to join the Treaty but excluded from the Regional conference for CBMs in Middle East to be held in 2012. Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Barack Obama are having interface with each other at Washington on Tuesday 01 June, 2010 to discuss mainly on the peace process with the Palestinians and the resolution of the NPT review summit.
The timing of the Israel’s attacks on vessels in Gaza will add dimensions to the agenda for Obama’s meeting with Binyamin Netanyahu as a part of “kiss and make-up” session.
Iran, whose nuclear ambitions deeply concern Israeli leaders, must be happy. The latest disturbance will cause a unique harm to bilateral relations between Israel and Turkey. Turkey, though a Muslim state, has had close ties with Israel. Since many dead were Turkish nationals, in United Nations, Turkey's foreign minister had urged the UNSC to condemn Israel's raid and set up a formal inquiry to hold those responsible for it accountable. Further Turkey holds one of the rotating seats on the UN SC and was deeply unconvinced of the fresh sanctions pursued against the Islamic republic. Thus the UNSC’s attention will be seized by the Israel’s military assault on the Aid vessel.
At least nine civilians died and 30 more were wounded when the Israeli military boarded one of the six boats in a flotilla that had been seeking to run the Israeli blockade on Gaza, laden with humanitarian aid and activists from numerous countries.
Israel, which insists on inspecting all traffic into Gaza to prevent weapons from being smuggled in, said that armed people on the vessel attacked its soldiers as they rappelled onto the deck. Without high-level attention, the situation in Gaza, the narrow coastal area with 1.5 million people which was has faded from view is now getting undue attention. Apart from the sea raid, there will be focus into the issue of humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli blockade ever since the Hamas militant group seized power three years ago. Although the Obama administration has pressed quietly for less arduous restrictions on trade, it has not questioned Israeli policies. It seems that the U.S Special envoy George J. Mitchell had never been to Gaza despite paying around a dozen trips to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
In contrast to the forceful condemnations against Israel from all quarters, White House had mildly responded mentioning the tele-contact the President had with the Prime Minister of Israel who had expressed "deep regret at the loss of life" and "the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events."
Even before the Monday's incident, Israel was already on an insecure diplomatic situation. After the government was accused of using forged foreign passports in the assassination of a Palestinian militant in Dubai, U.K had expelled an Israeli diplomat in March. Australia had done the same in the last week.
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