ON THE BOIL

 

ISRAEL-IRAN conflict appears to have reached a new boiling point, with only a faint hope of a solution as both the countries are gearing up harder to teach each other lessons they would not forget. Those lessons would never be learnt for obvious reasons, and the world will continue to be hanging perilously on the tenterhook. This is one ugly reality for which the world powers have not been able to find an antidote. That is why United States President Mr. Donald Trump leaves the G-7 meeting and returns to Washington to be able to take care of the looming crisis.

 

That is also why the Government of India issues an advisory to its citizens in Iran to leave the place at the earliest in favour of safer places anywhere. Obviously, strong suggestion is available in the air that in the next few days, the situation would worsen almost beyond redemption. And by no standard can this be called a good sign. No matter what the official Indian position is on the ongoingIsrael-Iranconflict,butitisveryimportant that theIslamic world learns to accommodate the reality of Israel -- which it has refused todoin thepast threequartersofacentury.Unless that accommodation takes place, there would never be an end to the conflict betweenIsrael and the dozen-plus Islamic countries surrounding it.

 

For, what Israel is fighting is nothing but a battle for sheer survival. In order to to that well, it has, over the decades, strengthened its military machine so much so that it has become one of the world’s leading militarypowers.Nomatter that, theIslamiccountriessurrounding Israel also are plush with a lot of money and a lot of ill-will for Israel. Armed with those, the Islamic countries are hell bent upon unleashing on Israel all their lethal power. The war, therefore, continuesin allits ferocity with no endin sight at least in the near future. How long can such a situation be allowed to persist? To this question, there is no answer. For, both the sides -- the Islamic countries as well as Israel -- are so belligerent that they are unwilling to seek solution to the conflict.Thishasmade the taskofaworldbodylike theUnited Nations (UN) nearly impossible to push a solution to a logical culmination acceptable to all parties.

 

There are, of course, reasons to believe by open and obvious factsthatthecurrentconflictarose from the terribleHamas attack on Israel two years ago. Israel responded with equal ferocity and smarter ways to unleash on Hamas the horror of war to which the Islamic extremism had answer. That conflict has now escalated into the hostilities between Iran and Israel -- with Tel Aviv acting tougher than ever. This has left the world powers in a helpless situation -- though attempts will now become more hectic to sort out the issues. Though President Mr. Donald Trump has come away from that elite summit, the US and other powers would not allow the situation assume a dirtier dimension. That is the only hope now available for the world. For, if these hostilities are not brought to an immediate end or control, the world will get pushed to a disastrous result. In this context, India also may be needed to play certain pacifying role. New Delhi’s word may carry some weight in this regard.

 

There also is another angle to the Middle-East conflict - - political. The conflict has worsened because some geopolitical vested interests have fanned trouble between the conflicting parties. These elements have kept the conflict afire for multiple reasons. If the Middle-East conflict has to be brought to end, then all the elements fanning trouble must agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities among parties. They will have to agree that no war is good in any manner to anybody. If this agreement is not reached, then the MiddleEast hostilities will assume dirtier proportions. Can the world afford that ? -- is the actual issue.