ANY military campaign must have clearly defined objectives, and Israel said its main aim of starting a war with Iran, through its ongoing massive air attacks with tacit backing from US and Western governments, was to stop Tehran’s march towards the acquisition of nuclear weapons.

It may not have been so openly stated, but one important objective is regime change in Iran in order to try and usher in a regime more like Israel’s other Middle Eastern/ regional neighbours, who are happy to be friends with Tel Aviv. That is why they offer only perfunctory condemnation of Israel’s ethnic-cleansing of Palestinians not just in Gaza, but also the West Bank.

A wider war also helps shift the focus from the worst ethnic cleansing of this century in Gaza by relentless bombing, other military means, and mass starvation. It is the food blockade which was beginning to create a little unease among at least Israel’s European allies, who have so far offered unconditional material and diplomatic support to it on Gaza.

At least the European allies, I say, because the US administration solidly supports the apartheid state, which is executing the American president’s Gaza Riviera Plan. It visualises beachside resorts after the forceful displacement of two million Palestinians to unspecified countries, presumably Muslim.

The Gaza genocide has........

© Dawn