Israel’s brutality knows no bound

On the day of writing this article, Israel has continued its brutal and barbaric offensive on the Gaza Strip for the 15th consecutive day.  It has continued with the policy of collective punishment in total disregard for the international law and humanitarian law (which ensure protection for civilians in times of war), and in violation of the principles of necessity, proportionality and distinction.  
Israeli forces have launched unprecedented attacks on Al-Shuja'iya neighbourhood in the East of Gaza City.  The neighbourhood has been subjected to intensive aerial and ground shelling.  Hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed or wounded, and medical crews and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have not been able to attend them.  Women were seen taking their children out to flee from the area, and while doing so some of them were killed.  People who were not able to leave the area have been trapped under the Israeli shelling and their destinies are unknown.  
More than 1000 Palestinians (including children, women, the elders and people with a disability) have been martyred since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza, of whom almost all of them are civilians.  More than 5,000 (including children, women and elders) have been wounded.  Due to the ongoing Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, 1,007 homes were fully destroyed  and 915 were severely damaged.  Also 17,460 houses have been damaged partially in air strikes in Gaza, directly displacing thousands of people.  More than 79 schools and 23 health facilities in Gaza have sustained damage.
Around 27 Masjids in Gaza were damaged.  There are more than 60,000 displaced persons seeking refuge in 49 UNRWA shelters.  About 900,000 people are now at risk of losing access to water and electricity supply.  The number of deaths, casualties and destroyed houses is increasing round the clock.  By the time this article is published, these numbers could have doubled or even tripled.
The silence of the Muslim world, influential Middle East countries, the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) is shocking.   
The Arab League was formed to protect and promote Arab nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was founded to promote the causes and interests of the Muslim nations.  Both organisations have already proved to be toothless tigers - with no backbone.  
Israel has violated at least 65 UN resolutions.  It has been violating Geneva Convention repeatedly.  It used chemical and poisonous weapons on civilians, destroyed hundreds of villages, killed 7,000 civilians in just 10 years, forced natives of a land to become refugees in their own land and enforced a blockade on those refugees and attacked anyone who came to provide humanitarian aid to them.  Yet, Israel is the victim in the eyes of the western media!  On the other hand, Palestinians were thrown out of their own home.  They lost children to Israeli bullets.  Their schools, hospitals and even refugee camps are bombed regularly.  They are living in subhuman conditions without proper food, electricity, water or shelter and anyone who comes to provide basic necessities of life is stopped by an Israeli blockade!  Yet, Palestinians are seen as "terrorists" in the eyes of the western media! The partial, one-sided and biased role of the western media in general is appalling.  
Saturday, July 19, 2014 was the day of national demonstration in the UK in support of the innocent victims of Gaza.  The rally/demonstration started from in front of the Downing Street and ended near the Israeli Embassy.  More than 100,000 people regardless of faith, colour and race attended the demonstration and its subsequent rally.  Leading human rights activists, community leaders and politicians spoke at the rally.  The BBC and other British media have almost completely ignored such a big, peaceful gathering of the British public.  This is an irony.        
The Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan started four weeks ago.  It will continue few more days.  During Ramadan, Muslims generally become generous in giving donations and charity.  All community based TV Channels have been very busy, almost every night, collecting donations for the needy, oppressed and injured people of Gaza.  Tens of millions of pounds have been raised so far by various charitable  organisations.  Many more will be raised in the UK, as well as throughout the world.  No doubt, people in Palestine in general and in Gaza in particular urgently need donations for food, shelter and medical treatment.  Often we do not appear to go to the root of the problems.  Of course, the needy and victims of Palestine are in dire need of help and assistance.  At the same time, everything must be done to stop Israel from doing what it has been doing for more than 50 years.  Millions of pounds are sent to build houses, mosques, hospitals and roads - which Israel then destroys, with a short or no warning at best, by modern, sophisticated, deadly weapons.  How long does this have to be tolerated?  Israel seems to be above all international laws.  It has violated numerous UN resolutions so far.  At the same time, dozens of resolutions could not be passed in the Security Council of the UN due to veto of the USA.           
The apparent dubious role of the USA and UN about the Middle East has made the matters worse.  Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey launched a scathing attack on the UN and the Security Council for remaining silent on Israeli brutality.  The UN's and US's selected words and phrases such as "we urge both sides to restraint" or statement starting with "Israel has right to self defence" or "Israel has right to exist" have made Israel become more ferocious.  
There would be no peace in the Middle East unless the UN, US and UK significantly changed their attitude, stand and position. There cannot be peace without justice.  
Barrister Nazir Ahmed is a UK-based legal expert, analyst, writer
and columnist.  
ahmedlaw2002@yaho.co.uk