Illusion of Peace

Gaza's relentless bombardment and deepening man-made famine are manifestations of two competing nationalisms—resulting in dispossession of the weak by the dominant and other power asymmetries

- MOUSUMI ROY

Nearly two years into Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, the humanitarian catastrophe deepens by the day. The blockade has cut off food, fuel, medicine, and electricity, pushing 2.3 million Palestinians toward famine and displacing almost the entire population. The United Nations warns of a "man-made famine," while observers have described Gaza's shattered healthcare system as "medicide."

Just last week, Israeli strikes on Gaza City killed 123 people in a single day—civilians among them, many waiting for food aid. Journalists continue to pay with their lives: five Al Jazeera reporters, including Anas al-Sharif, were killed near al-Shifa Hospital. Outrage has surged internationally, yet military escalation continues, with Israeli leaders signaling plans to re-enter Gaza City. At the same time, negotiators head to Doha in search of a truce and hostage deal.

Competing Nationalisms, Not Ancient Hatreds The conflict is often miscast as an intractable religious war. At its core, however, it is a clash of two national movements claiming the same land. For Jews, Zionism was a liberation project against centuries of persecution. For Palestinians, it was experienced as a colonial dispossession, akin to French Algeria or British Rhodesia.

Israel's victory in 1948 secured 78 per cent of historic Palestine and led to the mass flight and expulsion of Palestinians. Since the 1967 war, Israel has retained effective control over the remainder, confining Palestinians to fragmented enclaves. Gaza—under blockade since Hamas seized power in 2007—remains a legally occupied territory.