Whenever fighting flares up between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the question many ask is who is responsible? The Israelis and no one else. That’s the only logical answer. Blame for even the latest round of violence must go to the Israelis. The Israelis have been the aggressors from the start more than six decades ago while the Palestinians have been the victims and the Zionist state was born in the blood of the Palestinians and it has grown up in their blood.

When will all this end? When will peace and security return to the Middle East? These questions defy answers. In fact, as each day passes by, the scenario is becoming more and more complex. Under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the situation, no doubt, is explosive as he continues with his programme of building new settlements and expanding old ones in Arab East Jerusalem and the West Bank despite appeals from various quarters to desist from such activities. Even the Americans have expressed opposition to Netanyahu’s settlement programme but the reality is that when it comes to action, they have surprisingly exhibited a strange kind of paralysis. A case in point is their veto against an anti-settlement resolution in the United Nations Security Council.

It would be pertinent to note that there is gross indifference to the situation in the Middle East. With campaigning for the presidential elections on, politicians and bureaucrats in Washington have not shown any interest in the impasse in the peace process as a result of Israel’s settlement policies. This is criminal as the explosive scenario could endanger regional and even global peace and security. It’s time President Barack Obama refocuses his attention on the Middle East and forced Netanyahu to take steps that would restart the peace process. Even the Quartet, whose meetings have not yielded any results, should become proactive with encouragement from the United States.

There is no time to be lost as violence once again flares up in the region. Without any qualms, the Israelis are killing Palestinians. Even the young ones are not being spared. Peace, therefore, is an imperative. It cannot be just blown up due to the stupidity of the Zionists and the Americans and their allies must ensure that this does not happen. The Israelis must also remember that the use of any kind of violence is not in its interests as it breeds only more hatred for them. Israel should realise that peace alone will give it the security that it thirsts for so much and for this it has to take the initiative by understanding the deep desire of the Palestinian people to live in peace and dignity. And this realisation must happen now. Of course, quite a bit depends