By UMAR BALA

MANY groups have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urged Israel to stop the violence against Palestinians. The Israel-Gaza conflict has been a long-standing issue, with periods of relative calm punctuated by outbreaks of violence.

The most recent escalation occurred on October 7, 2023, when members of the Hamas militant group bypassed Israel’s land border from Gaza, and killed about 300 Israeli civilians. Israel’s response was an all out military exercise in Gaza which has resulted in significant loss of life, infrastructure damage, and a humanitarian crisis.

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in statement released on October 11, 2023, signed by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President, Christian Association of Nigeria, expressed deep concerns with the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Palestine, and has called for an immediate cessation of the violence in the Gaza region.

CAN said: “While recognising Israel’s right to self-defense, we emphasize the importance of proportionality and the avoidance of harm to innocent civilians in any military response. The loss of innocent lives on both sides of the conflict is a tragic consequence of this escalating situation, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those who have suffered the loss of their loved ones in these incidents.

“Consequently, we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and violence between Israel and Palestine. We believe in the sanctity of human life and the principles of justice and peace, as upheld by our Christian faith. We urge all parties involved to engage in dialogue and seek diplomatic solutions.”

CAN also stressed the need for religious leaders in Nigeria to promote peace and understanding in their respective communities, in order to curb any national divide that may arise from the conflict in the Middle East.

“Furthermore, the ongoing war holds significant implications for Nigeria’s faith communities. It is crucial for religious leaders and communities in Nigeria to actively promote understanding, compassion, and peaceful coexistence among diverse religious groups. We must resist the temptation to allow this conflict to deepen divisions or inflame religious tensions within our nation, Nigeria.”

Historically, this conflict centres on the disputed territory of Gaza, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Palestinians in Gaza demand self-determination and an end to the blockade that restricts movement and goods. Israel maintains that the blockade is necessary for security reasons, citing Hamas’s militant activities.

In May 2021, tensions rose after Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian protesters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, launched rockets into Israel, prompting a military response. The conflict escalated, resulting in over 250 Palestinians killed, including women and children, while over 1,900 were injured. Similarly, over 1,000 homes were destroyed or damaged following Israeli airstrikes of targeted Hamas infrastructure.

The international community condemned the violence, calling for restraint and a ceasefire. The United States blocked UN Security Council resolutions, while the European Union and other nations urged diplomacy.

The conflict is rooted in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, with Gaza being a focal point. Key issues include: The occupation and blockade, settlement expansion,  Jerusalem’s status and Palestinian self-determination. 

The conflict exacerbated Gaza’s existing humanitarian crisis, with 70 percent of Gazans relying on aid, limited access to electricity, water and healthcare, and economic devastation, with 50 per cent unemployment.

Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, in a statement issued by its Deputy Secretary-General National Legal Adviser of the organisation, Professor Salisu Shehu-Yunus  and Ustaz Usman, SAN, accused Israel of disobeying United Nations resolutions to withdraw its military presence in Gaza and also condemned the inhumane treatment of Palestinians.

“The circumstances leading to the current escalation are well known to the discerning. It is because Israel has persistently failed to honour United Nations resolutions, implement the two-state solution of the Oslo Accord and guarantee Palestinians’ economic and political security. The Israelis have rather imposed a most abhorrent colonial policy on the besieged enclave. They have also continued to treat Palestinians as sub-humans and made Gaza the largest open-air prison in the world under the ungodly false mantra that Palestine was a land without people and Israelis were people without a land.”

The United States is also accused of being complicit in Israel’s crimes due to its unwavering support of the Jewish State, despite the numerous war crimes blatantly being committed in Gaza.

“It is, therefore, unfortunate that the United States has fallen short of the humane values of justice, freedom, security and protection of life that it always purportedly proclaims. As we all have blood flowing in our veins and share a common humanity, to pretend that the frustration of Palestinians and the silence of the world to their suffering and oppression will not lead to aggression is to stand logic on its head. Their mass humiliation has even been exacerbated by the hardline policy of the current Israeli government, which sees them as animals.”

The NSCIA has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to stand for justice, just as it did with the issue of Apartheid in South Africa, and show solidarity for Palestinians at the international level.

“It is in line with this fact that the Council also calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria to, as it did with apartheid in South Africa and for the sake of humanity and justice, come out and stand clearly with the helpless victims of persistent Israeli persecution, massacre, oppression and suppression.”

The religious body expressed its support for the Palestinian struggle, and calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“The Council commiserates with the people of Palestine on the huge losses they have recorded before and during the current war and calls for an immediate ceasefire. We also pray for peace, justice, security and humanity in the world because violence is an evil wind that blows no one any good. The world, beginning from the United States to the rest of those who turn a blind eye to the Israeli atrocities, should wake up to the fact that all humans are equal and justice is the best guarantor of peace. The two-state solution appears a mid-way out, though still not totally just to the Palestinians.”

The Israel-Gaza conflict is a complex issue requiring a comprehensive solution. The international community must engage in meaningful diplomacy to address the root causes of the conflict, including the occupation, blockade, and Palestinian self-determination. Only through dialogue and compromise can a lasting peace be achieved.

• Bala is of the Department of International Relations, Nile University Abuja and wrote via: umarfaroukofficial@gmail.com