Gaza stands between acknowledgement and oblivion

Once again, “concern” has graced the rhetoric of official United Nations statements about Palestinians. Following a visit to Gaza, the UN Special Coordinator, Robert Serry, elaborated upon the ramifications of the Israeli-enforced blockade, expressing “concern” about hardships and lifestyle deterioration. However, the rhetoric conformed to the incessant inconsistencies, attempting, erroneously, to define Israel’s settler-colonialism in Palestine as a conflict between equals and fragmenting decades of unsavoury consequences into instant snapshot updates. The tactic allowed Serry to avoid addressing the constant human rights violations perfected by Israel to make sure that it receives the least possible international condemnation.

Commencing with a biased overview since so-called Operation Pillar of Defence in 2012, Serry deplored the erosion of the negotiated ceasefire. “The United Nations condemns the rise in violence, and all parties must act in accordance with international law,” he intoned. Exhibiting consistency with reports by corporate media, rockets fired from Gaza are the UN’s main concern, making sure that Israeli violence can be categorised as mere retaliation. Distorting the concept and consequences of violence when applied to Israel and Palestine remains a focal point for UN discourse. Israel has already normalised violence by incorporating the perfected practice into a predictable routine for which it is chastised mildly but never opposed.

Acknowledging the socio-economic deterioration faced by Palestinians in Gaza is also discussed against a backdrop of Israeli benevolence. The decrease of imported construction material has delayed UN construction projects. While “expressing hope” that Israel will ease the blockade so that the work can continue unhindered, thus acknowledging its oppression, Serry added, “The recent decision to allow the entry of 1,000 tons of cement and other construction materials for flood relief is a positive step.” Flood relief has become another humanitarian weapon for Israel and its international allies, allowing Israel to escape accountability for the conditions which preceded and exacerbated the damage unleashed by the winter storms. The euphemism should be interpreted correctly as another example of the correlation between humanitarian aid and humanitarian rights abuses, a tactic which Israel has applied consistently since the creation of the settler-colonial state.

Another aspect which Serry’s statement highlights is the enforced dependence upon foreign aid. Despite acknowledging the effectiveness of aid only as a short term solution, the blockade is not addressed directly; hence there is no reference to the empowerment of Palestinians in Gaza. When referring to the policies of the Zionist state, short term solutions have proven to be permanent, as the colonisation process approved by the international community demonstrates. Serry also fails to acknowledge the Hamas government, depicting a population lacking leadership, ambiguously detached from the alleged security of the West Bank and obliterating the presence and impact of Israel as a violent intruder upon Palestinian territory.

Ultimately, according to Serry, “only the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate Palestinian Authority, based on the PLO commitments, can pave the way to a durable solution for Gaza, as part of political progress towards peace.” The UN has effectively expressed its desire that Palestinians be content with the PA as a political misrepresentation of the people, rather than acknowledge the indigenous population’s right to resistance as enshrined within international law.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.