Stiff sanctions will be needed before Israel stops its deadly military campaign in Gaza, a downbeat international relations specialist says.
After an 11-week blockade, some aid is now being allowed into Gaza but Israel’s military offensive to take total control of the Palestinian territory continues.
University of Otago’s Prof Robert Patman believes the only realistic lever likely to stop the death toll climbing above 55,000 will be international sanctions on Israel.
‘‘To put it bluntly, what would change his [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s] mind is if the cost of his current trajectory of policy began to outweigh what he saw as the benefits of it,’’ Prof Patman tells Global Insight.
‘‘Until there is more concerted international pressure, and it might be sanctions... I don't think we're going to see a change.’’
It is 19 months since a Hamas attack on Israel killed 1200 people and resulted in a further 251 people being taken hostage.
The Israeli government response has been an ongoing assault on Gaza, briefly relieved by a two-month ceasefire early this year but followed by an 11-week humanitarian blockade and renewed attacks.
Prof Patman says there is considerable criticism of Netanyahu’s approach within Israel.
But so far, the international response has been ‘‘pretty weak’’.
With a few exceptions, most liberal democracies have failed to live up to their values and ideals about the international rule of law.
‘‘So, it's difficult to be optimistic.
‘‘Those who actually disagree with Mr Netanyahu's approach... are still not doing much to back up their talk.’’
In this episode of Global Insight, Prof Patman also details Mr Netanyahu’s illegal land-grab goals, the complicity of countries providing weapons to Israel, the toll on the civilian population of Gaza and the failure of the United Nations Security Council to bring about a ceasefire.
