Israel’s threats to drastically escalate the war in the Gaza Strip and its blockade of humanitarian aid to a Palestinian population at risk of famine have drawn the sharpest condemnation yet from some powerful Western allies since the conflict began 19 months ago.
On Tuesday, Britain said it was suspending talks with Israel on expanding a free-trade agreement. The day before, Britain, France, and Canada had issued a rare public reprimand of Israel, demanding it cease the renewed military offensive.
A joint statement by the three countries said, “But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.”
The message made clear that Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, the high Palestinian death toll, and the abysmal humanitarian conditions in Gaza were pushing some of the country’s most powerful international supporters to the limits of what they would tolerate.
Israel is threatening to take full control of Gaza in the next stage of the war and hem Palestinians there into even more limited zones. Israel has also been blocking humanitarian aid from Gaza for more than two months, even as the U.N. warns that the population is under threat of famine.
This past weekend, Israel said it would begin allowing some humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. But the authorities let only five trucks in on Monday.
Britain, France and Canada called the expanded Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza and the withholding of aid “egregious actions” that cannot continue.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
