(VOVWORLD) - Efforts to effect a cease-fire and end the conflict in the Gaza Strip have failed as a series of high-level diplomatic negotiations in recent days have yielded no result. The division between the West and the Arab world has created another humanitarian crisis in the region.
 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi addresses the Cairo Summit on October 21, 2023. (photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images) |
Last week, two high-level meetings were held to seek a solution to the conflict in Gaza.
On October 21, the leaders of Arab countries, European countries, the US, and several international organizations met in Cairo, Egypt. One day later the leaders of the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada met online. Neither of these two diplomatic events found a solution to the conflict.
Division between the West and the Arab world
In the closing announcement of the Cairo Peace Summit on October 21, Egyptian Presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the biggest result was a better understanding between countries. Observers said that doesn’t lessen the fact that the Summit failed to achieve its primary goal – to de-escalate the violence in the Gaza Strip.
Western countries wanted to include in any press statement strong condemnations of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israeli territory and acknowledge Israel's right to self-defense, while Arab countries wanted any statement to condemn Israel’s bombardment of Gaza causing heavy casualties among Palestinian civilians and the total blockade of the Gaza Strip. The two sides were unable to find a mutually acceptable message of condemnation after hours of discussion.
Observers said that, although most Western countries want to revive the peace process between Israel and Palestine, it’s clear that right now they support Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas.
One day after the Cairo Peace Summit, the leaders of the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada met online and released a Joint Statement affirming their support for Israel's right to self-defense and called on all parties to comply with international humanitarian law and civilian protection without mentioning an immediate ceasefire.
Many experts say the West’s approach is increasing division with the Arab world. Arab countries will not accept sacrificing their interests if the West will not agree to a comprehensive solution. At the Cairo Summit, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi declared that Egypt will not allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula.
“I clearly and honestly assure you of the will of the Egyptian people, that in any circumstance, a solution to the Palestinian problem will not be possible at the cost of Egypt’s interests," said Al-Sisi.
 EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell rings the bell to begin the Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Luxembourg on October 23, 2023. (photo: Julien Warnand/EPA) |
Humanitarian aid is the most important issue
With an immediate cease-fire having failed, the international community is steering diplomatic efforts toward preventing a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
At a meeting with the EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said the most important thing right now is humanitarian relief activities in the Gaza Strip. He said that, when there was no fighting, the Gaza Strip was given 100 trucks of food, water, and medicine every day. The few dozen trucks that entered Gaza in the past few days was not enough.
"I think that the humanitarian pause is needed in order to allow the humanitarian support to come into Gaza and being distributed. I think that half of the population of Gaza has been moving from their houses.
Humanitarian aid was the focus of a phone call between US President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu last Sunday. After the phone call, the White House said the US and Israel agreed to make sure humanitarian trucks continue to deliver aid to Gaza.
By Monday evening, 34 trucks had been admitted to Gaza through the Rafah gate, but UN Humanitarian Aid agencies said the goods they carried met only 4% of the need. The UN has called on Israel to allow fuel into the Gaza Strip for emergency work and hospital operations.
The UN Security Council will meet this week to call again for a cease-fire, but so far Security Council draft resolutions have only created divisions between its members.