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Wind of change may go through Middle East in 2017
Witnessing the humanitarian tragedy in the Middle East is gutwrenching in itself, but what is far worse is that it has unleashed the terror kraken all around the globe such as in Nice, Florida, Berlin, Ankara, and even in Jakarta. The mayhem in the Middle East has exacerbated the risk of terror attacks in Indonesia.
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Voting day: In this photo provided by the United Nations, members of the UN Security council vote at the UN headquarters on Dec. 23 in favor of condemning Israel for its practice of establishing settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. In a striking rupture with past practice, the United States allowed the vote, not exercising its veto. (AP/File)
T
o many, 2016 has not been a delightful year for reminiscing. Simon Tisdall at The Guardian even went as far as saying that: “2016 was the end of the world as we know it”. There are plenty of reasons behind such doldrums, the carnage in the Middle East, along with its farreaching repercussions, would certainly be among the top of the list.
Amid the doom and gloom, the international community eventually stepped up to the plate. First, the UN Security Council (UNSC ) managed to adopt Resolution 2334 on Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories. Second, Russia and Turkey managed to broker a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, the epicenter of the regional conflagration.
Witnessing the humanitarian tragedy in the Middle East is gutwrenching in itself, but what is far worse is that it has unleashed the terror kraken all around the globe such as in Nice, Florida, Berlin, Ankara, and even in Jakarta. The mayhem in the Middle East has exacerbated the risk of terror attacks in Indonesia. This year alone, Indonesian law enforcement agencies have laudably thwarted 15 attacks and made 150 arrests. It is not only in the interest of the people in the Middle East but also the people of the whole world for the hostilities in that region to cease.
It is tempting for us to fall into cynicism. The UNSC resolution as well as the cease-fire agreement seem to be yet another futile addition to the long litany of failed initiatives to bring peace to the Middle East.
While the skepticism is understandable, we cannot downplay the significance of the progress. UNSC Resolution 2334 practically calls for all countries to cut ties with the Israeli Settlements which jeopardizes the viability of the two states solution. It would certainly exert more pressure on Israel to halt the settlements unabated expansion.
While the cease-fire agreement in Syria matters because it is backed by Russia and Turkey who wield formidable influence on the ground in Syria and can effectively sway the opposing camps in Syria to lay down their arms. Furthermore the truce engages virtually all factions in Syria including the government and 7 major opposition groups (excluding IS). They also clinched the deal that paves the way for political negotiation to take place.
Above all, the progress marks a rare unity among the world’s key players. This is pivotal since the big powers’ interference have played a decisive role in perpetuating the conflict in the Middle East. The conflicts in the region stand much greater chance to end if the international community are on the same page and act in unison. It seems that the world is going in that direction. The United States reaffirmed the international consensus on Israel’s settlements, as Secretary John Kerry recently said that “no one thinking seriously about peace can ignore the reality of the threat settlements pose to peace”.
The US will soon undergo transfer of power, but the record shows that American presidents from both sides of the aisle have consistently opposed Israel’s settlements, in fact president George W. Bush from the Republican Party in 1991 threatened to withold loan guarantee to Israel over the issue of settlements.
On the Syrian cease-fire agreement, President Vladimir Putin said that “Now, we must do all possible to ensure that these agreements take effect and that they work”. In short, while the odds are against us, it looks like the stars are aligned for meaningful progress of the Middle East peace process.
As the world rallies together, Indonesia is fully committed to support the peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the region. Indonesia for decades has been at the forefront of the global endeavor for Palestinian independence, among others by hosting the aforementioned OIC Extraordinary Summit and consolidating the international support for Palestine through the Asian African Commemorative Summit in 2015. As of last year, Indonesia had provided capacity building assistance for over 1300 Palestinians [Antara, 2015, accessed on Dec. 27th 2016]. Indonesia’s prominent role is further cemented by the invitation the country receives to join the French International Peace Conference on Israel-Palestine conflict.
On Syria, Indonesia took part in the 2014 Geneva Conference and has consistently underlined that there can be no military solution to put an end to the conflict. In numerous meetings with key regional players, Indonesia has always conveyed the need for all parties to play constructive role to terminate the belligerence. It is clear that although situated thousands of miles away, Indonesia has a stake in a peaceful Middle East and as such is determined to contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflicts.
If we were to gamble, it might seem to be a lot safer for us to bet that in 2017 the Middle East will be as bleak as 2016 was if not more. Nevertheless, with the growing resolve of the international community to quell the conflagration the wind of change might be coming at last.
Instead of just sitting back and crossing our fingers we can adjust the sail to ensure that the wind will take us to a more peaceful Middle East. Then, 2016 would not be the year when the world ends, instead it will be the beginning of a turning point for a more stable and secure world for all.
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