Why is US target of global protests?
By Amirali Abolfath
Expert in US Affairs
Since the beginning of the war and the criminal attacks of Israel on the people of Gaza, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah, as well as Palestinian resistance groups, have always addressed the United States and taken a position as if the main party in this war was the United States, not Israel. This position is based on the fact that Israel is not a significant power without US support. It has neither a large population nor a large territory. Economically, although it has some advantages in some industries, such as military and agriculture, it is not considered a large economy as a whole and is defined as a dependent economy.
Its regime, which is at the level of a moderate power, does not refrain from any action to reach its objectives. It does not implement UN resolutions, is building settlements against international law, is not committed to any peaceful plan, and has now undertaken genocide in Gaza in the past month. All these actions are carried out with Washington’s support. As an example, Russia is considered a powerful country, and has the world’s largest nuclear power plant, but after the attack on Ukraine, the Western world, led by the United States, put the greatest pressure on Russia. The same Western world and the United States have not only hushed up Israel’s crimes in Gaza, but also supported it, as the US is opposed to the various global pressures for a ceasefire. In fact, the US is doing everything it can to support Israel. So if it were not for decades of US support, the Israel-Palestine conflict would not have lasted for 75 years.
It is natural for the United States to face protests and criticism. In the diplomatic sphere, we are also witnessing that the main destination of US Secretary of State’s visits is Arab countries, which means that the Arabs also see the US as an influential side in the war between Israel and Hamas. Therefore, if a ceasefire is to be achieved, it must be agreed upon by both parties. But it is the US that is drafting the Security Council resolutions for a ceasefire, and its president goes to Tel Aviv in the midst of the war to support Israel and meet with Netanyahu and provide its regime with all the military weapons and equipment it needs.
Since Israel and the United States recognize Hamas as a terrorist group, they are committed to destroying the group. So they are not willing to negotiate with Hamas for a ceasefire, because they think it means acknowledging Hamas. So against global pressures, they are playing with words, and instead of a ceasefire to end the war, they speak of a “friendly human ceasefire,” which, in fact, has nothing to do with a ceasefire and an end to war.
Since the United States is Israel’s primary supporter, it is the most influential side of the war and, therefore, ceasefire will only be achieved when the US wants it. Then Washington would convince Tel Aviv to accept the ceasefire.
My prediction is that with the rise of global protests around the world, especially in the West, and the increasing pressure of public opinion, the United States and Israel will be willing to talk to the Palestinians and accept a ceasefire. Many Western analysts have also told Israel that the goal of destroying Hamas is unattainable, and even if Hamas disappears, new groups or organizations will emerge stronger than Hamas.