Finally, the decks for an immediate cessation of conflict in West Asia are being cleared with the arrival of the
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv on August 19. In the next three -four days, a peace formula for ceasefire and the exchange of the remaining hostages is likely to be finalized.
Blinken, with a clear message from the White House, is visiting the war zone that Israel has to accept a ceasefire immediately. His visit is taking place
following a week-long talks at Doha among the representatives of Egypt, Qatar and the US for ending the conflict. The optimism in the US Administration was reflected during the ongoing presidential campaign of the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee Kamala Harris, presently the Vice-President, in Pennsylvania. It is believed that there are no time constraints for Blinken during this peace mission. He has been mandated to broker peace during this ninth visit. The outgoing US President Joe Biden doesn’t want to be remembered as a war-monger in American history. It is also expected that the proposed ceasefire in West Asia might also improve Kamala Harris’s prospects in the forthcoming presidential election. Her Republican Party rival, Donald Trump, a former president, has been repeatedly stating that if he is back in the White House, he would be promoting peace. Before the end of his four-year tenure Trump had signed a peace accord with the Taliban ensuring a peaceful withdrawal of the Us-led NATO forces. However, in a bid to embarrass his erstwhile predecessor, Biden withdrew the US forces before the withdrawal schedule agreed upon by the Trump Administration, thus abandoning the pro-West government in Kabul and left the state -of-the art weapons worth billions of dollars. Also, allowed the Taliban to butcher the top political, administrative and military officers of the pro -West regime in Afghanistan.
During his two-day stay in Israel before flying to Egypt, Blinken met Israel’s top leadership including President Issac Herzing,Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defense Minister Yuan Gallant. They were told that the three countries mediating for the peace, Egypt, Qatar and the US are for halting most military operations in Gaza.
He reportedly told the Israeli government that the ongoing revenge against the Hamas attack of October 7 last year cannot be accepted. The large number of killings of the Palestinians is being considered genocide by the enlightened American society. The ruling Democrats cannot ignore this growing disenchantment of this section of people, when the forthcoming presidential election is scheduled before the end of the current year.
The Biden Administration cannot further support this large scale violence anymore.
During the discussions, Blinken reportedly told the Israeli government that his visit to this war-ravaged region since the terrorists’ attack on Israel was the last high-powered initiative of the outgoing Biden Administration to broker peace in this 10-month old conflict.
Chinese Efforts
It is true that the Biden Administration is quite keen to end the conflict, but Beijing has also been lobbying for peace in the region. It is being stated that the Chinese advice to Iran has prevented escalation of the conflict.
The US and China appear to be working on a common agenda to explore possibilities of immediate ceasefire and also get the Israeli hostages released from the captivity of Hamas.
There is no denying that the conflict had begun following the unprovoked attack of the Hamas terrorists on the civilian population of Israel. During their sudden attack on the civilian population of Israel, the Hamas terrorists killed a large number of civilians in Israel. They also abducted more than 250 civilians. It is believed despite a few releases during previous brief ceasefires, there are as many as 110 hostages still being kept as hostages by Hamas.
It is difficult to assess the impact of the Chinese initiative on the ongoing peace efforts. There are also reports that Beijing has also advised Hamas to sort out their internal difference,
Earlier, China had helped Iran and Saudi Arabia to renew their diplomatic ties. It has helped to prevent further complications in the Iran-Arab ties.
The Sunni -Shia differences and the inability of the Iranian leadership to modernize their governance and education have also adversely affected the prospects of a common platform against Israel.
The Chinese advice to Iran not to avenge the killing of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been quite timely. It might help in renewing peace prospects in the troubled region.
It is yet to be ascertained who killed Ismail Haniyeh on July 31, 2024, at a highly secured guest house in Tehran. He had been visiting the Iranian capital at the swearing-in ceremony of the new president, Mosoud Pezeshkian.
Nobody has so far claimed the responsibility of killing Haniyeh.
According to the Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the killers had hit the guest house with a deadly missile, where Haniyeh was staying in Tehran.
The Iranian media has blamed Israel for his assassination. Iran has promised to take revenge against the elimination of the Hamas leader.
It is widely believed that Beijing has quietly played the role of a good Samaritan in diffusing the situation in West Asia.
In recent years, China has been liberally investing in the region. It has developed huge industrial complexes near the Suez Canal. Also, it is one of leading importers of oil from the region.
The proximity between the Biden Administration and China is well-known. Biden’s son, Hunter is known to have huge financial stakes in China. It appears China is keen that Democrats reoccupy White House, especially when Trump is committed to shift a large part of American investments in the US from China, thus hurting the long-term financial interests of Dragon.
Gopal Misra has been associated with national and international media. His books on journalism and geo-politics have been well-appreciated. Views are personal.
