Escalating conflict: Why global sanctions on Israel are urgent

War represents anti-development, pain, death, destruction and an end to all forms of humanity.

Yet, the Middle East, as if not bothered by that, continues to fuel war that leads to an uninspired world as many feel the wrath of Israel being inflicted on them as they suffer at the hands of its atrocities.

Regardless of the calls and diplomatic actions to ensure that the conflict in the region, more especially between Israel and Palestine, is resolved with lives preserved, we see the conflict escalating as the world watches in horror.

As if what has been happening hasn’t traumatised the world enough, Israel’s latest attack on Lebanon as it seeks to diffuse all links to the embattled Palestine is evidence enough that Israel is not interested in peacefully resolving the conflict.

And after Iran retaliated for the cruel attack on Lebanon through a barrage of missiles on Israel, it is proving that the world has a long way until this grave injustice on the innocent comes to an end.

Instead of charting a peaceful resolution, Israel carried out a retaliatory attack on Iran last Saturday.

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The world ought to be concerned about Israel’s increased military action in Palestine and Lebanon.

The desire to annihilate the Palestinians is intensifying and we have to put breaks on it before World War III breaks out following Iran’s involvement in military actions in solidarity with Palestine.

The government’s call for restraint on all sides is a positive step that the whole world must note.

It is commendable that even the Brics community is not mum, but is seeking to intervene in efforts to end this horrific conflict.

Indeed, the international community and the United Nations Security Council must step up and fulfil their mandate of ensuring peace and security across the globe.

They must be intentional and drastic if they want to see this conflict resolved.

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This starts with the world imposing all forms of sanctions against Israel as a matter of urgency.

Israel must be isolated in order for it to open its eyes and realise that this conflict cannot go any longer – but the people of Palestine must be granted their deserved self-determination.

In addition, with Israel being the aggressor, arms and trade embargoes must be initiated.

And this requires the US to do the right thing.

It must withdraw its military and financial support that is funding the continuation of this war.

Maybe then, will Israel come to its senses that it must stop, with immediate effect, what it is doing to humanity.

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The support Israel is receiving, more especially from the West, is getting into its head and further boosting its ego to destroy the vision of a peaceful world that is dear to the founding principles of the United Nations (UN).

Israel’s decision to ban UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from setting foot in Israel, is something all should be appalled by because it paints a terrible picture that Israel is not interested in bringing about peace to the Middle East.

Israel must not allow itself to be a modern-day Germany of Adolf Hitler.

This current trajectory is not normal, we cannot continue to live in a world in which those who lead are warmongers.

A world in flames of smoke is not what we should be marching towards.

We must be a generation that aspires for the opposite.

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