On Friday, the government of Israel confirmed it killed the overall leader of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, in an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon. The killing of Hassan will heighten the tension in the Middle East and the upsurge of anti-Semitism across the globe.
The First and Second World Wars emanated from Europe because of its strategic importance to the global community at that time, however, with the changed and changing realities of the international power game, the Third World War will most likely emanate from the Middle East or if you like, the Asian Continent.
The Middle East is a strategic part of the earth that connects humanity of all races, particularly because of its rich history, culture, economy, and religion. Religion and economy are the most prominent as the Middle East remains the birthplace of the world’s three most popular religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The region’s oil and gas reserves also play a significant role in the global interplay. The Middle East is also strategically located as it connects Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Hezbollah is a ‘pet project’ of Iran. The 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic, thus, the new government sought to export its revolutionary ideals to other countries, including Lebanon. The opportunity was created between 1975 and 1990, during the Lebanese Civil War, when Iran provided military training, funding, and support to a group of Lebanese Shiites, who would eventually become Hezbollah.
Over the years, Hezbollah under the command of Hassan Nasrallah, has continued to stockpile weapons of mass destruction which will be replenished by Iran in any conflict situation.
Hezbollah’s military wing is considered a terrorist organisation by several countries including the US, Canada, and the European Union. These countries will most likely support the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, this is even as the US government has responded by saying that his death is justice for his victims, hence from all indications there will be a major conflict in the Middle East in the coming days
UN, France, and the USA have called for a ceasefire, this is even as the US has directed her forces to enhance posture in the Middle East, as it is contemplated that this will be a long war as the major protagonists have been preparing for this war since the 2006 unfinished and inconclusive war.
In all of these, there has been a growing neo-wave of anti-Semitism which may reduce the support Israel has gotten across the Western world, particularly for the violations of humanitarian laws in Gaza. The country is forcing serious cases of violations of international law before the International Court of Justice and there have been countless UN resolutions mandating it to cease fire.
Anti-Semitism has been growing in American Universities, and among liberals across the world in recent times, the notion of anti-Semitism has a long and complex history, with roots in ancient Greece, and Rome, and has evolved, incorporating religious, racial, and political components.
Despite all these, Israel is not perturbed as it recognises its position in the Middle East as an unwanted nation. It was the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who told an audience in Teheran years ago that “Israel must be wiped off the map. He said this during a speech at a conference called “A World Without Zionism.” Ahmadinejad told the audience that the “new wave” of Palestinian attacks would destroy Israel, that Muslim countries that made peace with Israel would “burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury” and that a world without the US and Israel would be possible.
Confronted with the above history, no rational person will expect Israel to fold her arms and wait to be destroyed. The Israeli government recognises that her existence in the Middle East is threatened, which is why they have developed a theory that is interpreted to mean, “If anyone is preparing to kill you, raise and kill him first”.
As humans who share the same planet earth with the countries in the Middle East, we can only appeal that all the parties should return to the negotiation table. Israel must accept the two-state solution and the Arab States must recognise the existence of the Jewish State of Israel.
Roland Uwakwe is a writer, Historian, and Lawyer. He wrote from Owerri, the Imo State capital, Nigeria.
