How Hamas attack aims to disrupt growing rapprochement in Middle East

The Abraham Accords and the consequent peace moves among Arab countries and Israel, including overtures between Riyadh and Tel Aviv, were seen as confidence-building

Gurjit Singh

A Palestinian celebrates by a burning Israeli civilian car taken from Kfra Azza kibbutz in Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip, Saturday. The Hamas carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard. AP

My family and I were fortunate that we had a splendid visit to Israel, Palestine, and Jordan and emerged happily, little realising that a war would soon be upon us.

This is in the very region that we had traversed, and I must confess that even though I was on holiday, my trained diplomatic instincts were not averse to picking up signs of political disturbance. But at no time did I really think during my fortnight in the region that this kind of sudden war would restart. For one, the Abraham Accords and the consequent peace moves among Arab countries and Israel, including overtures between Saudi Arabia and Israel, were seen as confidence-building. These were evidence that perhaps a tenuous peace would be maintained in the region.ADVERTISEMENT

In Tel Aviv, where we spent several days, there was no mention of a threat from Hamas or Palestine. There were frequent blockades of roads, police presence, and protests. But these were all internal to Israel. There was a deep domestic conflict over judicial reform and contradictions between the opposition and the minority government. A resolution of this, according to protesters on the ground, seemed distant. At the same time, a large number of Israeli youth and tourists went about their business as if nothing was happening and everything was good. We were told to avoid areas where police blockades took place. But this was not to avoid any terrorist incidents or Palestinian action. It was to avoid protesters who might turn violent. Walking the streets of Tel Aviv or traversing different neighbourhoods did not give us a sense of foreboding.

RELATED ARTICLES

China plays politics of peace, hosts West Asia diplomats to defuse Israel-Hamas warIsrael-Hamas war: Gaza in crisis over prolonged conflict, ceasefire dilemma and shifting objectives

It also seemed that residents of Tel Aviv were also calm and more worried about the domestic cleavages. Comfortable with their growing regional acceptance, they appeared to be looking forward to better lives. Their concern was the dysfunctional government.

Our visit to Jerusalem was more cautious. Parts of it were comfortable, but parts of it, particularly towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Wailing Wall, made our escorts anxious. There were hordes of tourists, but all sticking together. Since it was Friday, there were a large number of Muslims heading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We were clearly told that, as non-Muslims on a Friday, we could not go in that direction. Israeli police were randomly stopping people and checking their credentials. But the flow of people going for prayers to Al Aqsa seemed long but peaceful.

We could go up the Villa de la Rosa, walking the path that Christ undertook, and we reached the Western Wall, where men and women were separated. It was the eve of the Sabbath. There were intense prayers underway along the wall and towards the covered areas alongside the wall. There was a sense of prayer and peace rather than any tension.You May LikeThe Best Term Plan for all Age Groups !HDFC Life InsuranceGet Quote  by Taboola Sponsored Links 

We were warned to keep away from larger crowds and stick to our own family and move ahead. At no time was our visit to Jerusalem impeded though, there was some tension in the air. Muslim interlocutors that we met insisted that the Al-Aqsa Mosque was the target of the Jews and they were going to be denied the right to prayer and access in due course, which they would resist. Having been through that area we took this with a pinch of salt, but the fact that they believed in it was clearly evident.

The visit to Bethlehem, which lies within the Palestinian territory, was more tense. Our guides clearly told us to avoid using the terms Israel, Jews, etc. But as we tried to enter the Church of the Nativity, there were enough locals sidelining us willing to provide easier access to the manager for a payment. The site was crowded with pilgrims and tourists. There were clearly Palestinian police on duty, keeping a lookout, particularly on vehicles coming from Israel or people with Israeli IDs. As Indians, we faced no such scrutiny. The bigger divide here seems to be between the Orthodox Church, which had centre stage in the Church of Nativity, and the Catholic Church, which had an outside church.

Our escorts heaved a sigh of relief when we finally concluded our visit and exited from Bethlehem through the gates that divide Palestine from Israel. We were advised to carry our passports. Neither while entering Palestine nor while exiting were we checked, indicating a sense of comfort and quiet attitude.

Interacting with Israelis in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv invariably leads to more discussions about their internal issues than any problems that they perceive with Palestine. With Muslims in Jordan and in Palestine, there was greater anger against what they perceived to be a loss of their rights and the threat to their access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

While transiting through Bahrain, we had a discussion with some interlocutors because Bahrain was among the first countries to sign the Abraham Accords. They have direct flights from Bahrain to Tel Aviv, and people said things were normal and relations were looking up.

That seems to be the trend among Arab countries.

On our return, while we enjoy the memories of our visit and as we run through our photographs, sorting them out, we are shocked to learn that there is again a war, and this time, it is a massive assault by Hamas from the West Bank. They seem to have breached Israeli defences with relative ease and surprise. Has Israel gone soft? What happened to their legendary state of alertness? Is it really alert today? Keener on a good life than to keep fighting? How did Hamas build such an arsenal without Israeli intelligence catching on? And why did Hamas undertake such a massive strike? Knowing full well that ultimately, they cannot win?

It seems to be a strategy to perhaps disrupt the growing rapprochement between Israel and Arabs, which would leave Palestine in the lurch. A sudden strike, particularly against civilians, undoubtedly classifies the Hamas action as terrorism. India has been quick to side with its all-weather friend Israel at a time of need. This is a crisis the world could well do without.

The writer is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.