Armenia must stay neutral in relation to Gaza events

PanARMENIAN.Net - Another question is how adequate Tsahal's actions are. It is possible that Israel hasn't reached its goal, and hardly can it reach it until the Palestinian Government stops relying on Hamas. However, there is a delicate point here - Hamas is not a totally terrorist grouping as is it considered by many people, but a social-political movement that won the Palestinian elections in 2006. It proved to be a strong blow against Israel and a shock for the Administration of US President George Bush. Ideological views of the movement, no matter how distasteful this might be to Israel and to the West, are shared by a considerable part of the Arabic population, from Morocco to Iraq. As some observers believe, each day of the conflict increases the political influence of Hamas, consolidates its followers in other countries and its main sponsor Iran.

"Iran gives Hamas enthusiastic support but discreetly. It is trying to position itself as the regional superpower, while also trying to generate maximum leverage before expected talks with the incoming Obama Administration. To achieve those goals, though, Iran needs Hamas to declare at least a moral victory in its war with Israel. Then, Israel and Washington's Arab allies would be weakened, and without Iran's having to get involved in battle", The New York Times reports.

Iran's position in the war is quite explicable like that of Turkey's. In spite of the «friendship» with Israel, Ankara spoke in support of the Palestinians and many people were surprised at this open demarche against Tel-Aviv. However, one needn't be surprised. Turkey's move was quite predictable and pretty characteristic of Turkish foreign policy that positions itself as the leader of Turkic world and as the regional power. In this respect Turkey cannot simply support the "Cast Lead". The other day the Arabic paper Al-hayat published in London reported that Hamas leadership might agree on billeting Turkish troops on the Sinai Peninsula. The suggestion was voiced by Turkish Prime-Minister Erdogan who has lately visited Damascus and talked with Head of Hamas Political Office Haled Mashal

Egypt is determined to contribute to the armistice too. However, Hamas is sure that the Egyptian initiative has no chances, as Egypt suggests cease-fire but does not promise withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza Strip. According to the peace treaty signed in 1979 between Israel and Egypt the territory of the Sinai Peninsula was to be a demilitarized zone. The treaty was denounced by the Government of Ariel Sharon. But under new conditions Egypt got a chance to billet huge military units along the border of Gaza Strip under the pretence of struggling against smuggling of weapon. In fact, however, the Egyptian army restrained flows of refugees from Gaza Strip to the Sinai Peninsula.

Certainly, Israel should defend its citizens against rocket attacks and suicide-bombers but it can defeat Hamas only through political means. Palestinians, who do not traditionally have a passion for religious fundamentalism, should be convinced of the necessity to choose more moderate leaders, for instance from the secular Movement "Fath". Otherwise they will have to make up with the existence of Hamas.

Meanwhile, the world community has split into two rather clear-cut parts: one supports Israel and, however strange it may seem, their number is not so large; the other one is the Islamic population of Europe and the USA, a well-organized union of people that are excellent at arranging protest actions. If we also take into account the «traditional» anti-Semitism, Israel simply has no right to cease the military operations at least for its own protection. That is why Israel is now getting ready for the third stage of anti-terrorist operations in Gaza Strip. According to the data of Israeli reconnaissance units, at least 300 activists of Hamas have been killed in the operation. Majority of them were specialized in producing rockets and bombarding the Israeli territory. The number of Palestinians killed is over 850. The Israeli side has suffered losses too. So far diplomatic attempts to resolve the conflict have produced no result. Israel is determined to enlarge the battle-front in Gaza Strip, despite the pressure of international community demanding an immediate cease-fire in connection with the serious humanitarian situation and death of peaceful population.

There is also the UN Resolution calling to an armistice. But like all the UN resolutions, this one does not and cannot solve anything either. Unfortunately the end to the Israeli-Palestinian war is not yet in view. Neither the RF nor the USA can influence it, let alone the EU that is trying to play its own game in the Near East. The position of Europe is quite clear - most of the emigrants from Palestine and generally from the Islamic Near East live in Western Europe.

As for the attitude of Armenia, in our opinion she must stay strictly neutral at least because there is rather a large Armenian Diaspora living there and in case of indiscreet moves by the Armenian Government they will be the first to get the blow. We all still remember the meeting between Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization Yasser Arafat in 2000, after which the Jewish lobby began to oppose the Armenian one especially in the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

According to Arthur Sasounian, publisher and editor of The California Courier, infuriated at Turkey's criticism on the war in Gaza, Israel might recognize the Armenian Genocide. "There is little possibility that Israel might change its recent position of denying the Armenian Genocide, but the Jewish lobby in the USA may not meet Turkey's expectations on opposing the Congress resolutions on the Genocide. The Jewish lobby used to serve as a means for blocking such resolutions," Sasounian writes.