Israel-Hamas War: Countries Taking Sides
CommentaryFrom the Middle East to Latin America and Europe, nations are taking sides in the Israel-Hamas crisis, altering the global balance of power.After reports of a hospital explosion in Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas canceled a meeting with President Joe Biden, as did King Abdullah II of Jordan and other Arab leaders. Brazil proposed a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Israel’s retaliation against Hamas. Twelve of the council’s 15 member nations voted against the resolution, with the UK and Russia abstaining. This shows how the conflict is forcing nations to take sides.Related StoriesEven NATO members are finding themselves on opposing sides. Turkish President Erdogan condemned the United States for sending warships through the eastern Mediterranean, while Iran has threatened that the “resistance axis” could intervene. Israel has accused Turkey of supporting Hamas, while Iran is an official sponsor of not only Hamas but also Hezbollah and various terrorist groups throughout the region.Left-leaning governments in Latin America, like Cuba, have historically sided with Palestine, putting them more in line with China and Russia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that Israeli attacks on Gaza were akin to what the Nazis had done to the Jews. Jerusalem responded by halting defense exports to Columbia, including Kfir fighter jets, surveillance equipment, and assault rifles. Columbia then threatened to break off diplomatic relations.Chile condemned Israel, while Belize called for a two-state solution. President Evo Morales of Bolivia has expressed his support for Palestine, as has Venezuela. And Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Luiz Iecker Vieira expressed dismay at Israel’s retaliation. On the other side of the conflict, Argentina and El Salvador support Israel.In Asia, Indonesia blamed Israel, as did Malaysia. Neither Indonesia nor Malaysia maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. Pakistan, a client state of China, condemned Israeli airstrikes. The European Union said that Israel had the right to defend itself, but they are also moving forward with aid to Gaza. Ireland said that Israel had violated human rights when shutting off power and water to Gaza. Norway similarly criticized Israel’s blockade of Gaza. And BRICS member South Africa took the Palestinian side.Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have been making efforts to deepen ties with the Global South as a way of countering the U.S.-led international order. Neither Mr. Putin nor Mr. Xi has condemned Hamas. Germany’s defense minister pledged support for Israel, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized Mr. Putin’s response to the war, which he called “cynical.”Beijing has said that Israel’s actions go beyond self-defense, and Moscow has blamed the United States for the mounting death toll in Gaza. The coverage on Chinese state television focuses on Palestinians' suffering while portraying the United States and Israel as perpetuating the conflict.Almost none of the countries expressing support for Palestine have agreed to accept Palestinian refugees. Egypt has been willing to work with the United States to facilitate aid to Gaza through the Rafah crossing. On the Egyptian side, the aid preparations are overseen by the United Nations. Both Egypt and Jordan have refused to accept refugees. Egypt is already hosting 300,000 Sudanese refugees, so logistically, it would be difficult to accept more. At the same time, Cairo argues that by accepting Palestinian refugees, they would effectively be helping Israel to drive the Palestinians out of Gaza. This would then make Egypt and Jordan targets for extremists or a base of operations for extremists launching attacks into Israel, disrupting regional peace.Since the conflict began, there has been a notable increase in attacks on U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq. A U.S. Navy warship patrolling near Yemen intercepted three missiles and several drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Additionally, Hezbollah launched multiple missile barrages, leading Israeli authorities to advise citizens to evacuate areas along the Lebanon border. It is important to note that Hezbollah is regarded as a more formidable opponent than Hamas. If Hezbollah were to launch an invasion or attack, it could quickly escalate the conflict, potentially requiring U.S. intervention. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that Iran’s involvement may lead to the conflict spilling over into other nations.During the Belt and Road Forum (BRI) held on Oct. 17–18, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin expressed their concerns over the situation in Palestine and called for a two-state solution. However, they did not present a concrete plan to address the conflict or provide assistance to Palestine. The Taliban’s presence at the BRI Forum has raised concerns in the West, with accusations that Taliban fighters were planning to join Hamas on the battlefield. It appears that Moscow and
Udumbara
0
.
Commentary
From the Middle East to Latin America and Europe, nations are taking sides in the Israel-Hamas crisis, altering the global balance of power.
.
After reports of a hospital explosion in Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas canceled a meeting with President Joe Biden, as did King Abdullah II of Jordan and other Arab leaders. Brazil proposed a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Israel’s retaliation against Hamas. Twelve of the council’s 15 member nations voted against the resolution, with the UK and Russia abstaining. This shows how the conflict is forcing nations to take sides.
.
Even NATO members are finding themselves on opposing sides. Turkish President Erdogan condemned the United States for sending warships through the eastern Mediterranean, while Iran has threatened that the “resistance axis” could intervene. Israel has accused Turkey of supporting Hamas, while Iran is an official sponsor of not only Hamas but also Hezbollah and various terrorist groups throughout the region.
.
Left-leaning governments in Latin America, like Cuba, have historically sided with Palestine, putting them more in line with China and Russia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that Israeli attacks on Gaza were akin to what the Nazis had done to the Jews. Jerusalem responded by halting defense exports to Columbia, including Kfir fighter jets, surveillance equipment, and assault rifles. Columbia then threatened to break off diplomatic relations.
.
Chile condemned Israel, while Belize called for a two-state solution. President Evo Morales of Bolivia has expressed his support for Palestine, as has Venezuela. And Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Luiz Iecker Vieira expressed dismay at Israel’s retaliation. On the other side of the conflict, Argentina and El Salvador support Israel.
.
In Asia, Indonesia blamed Israel, as did Malaysia. Neither Indonesia nor Malaysia maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. Pakistan, a client state of China, condemned Israeli airstrikes. The European Union said that Israel had the right to defend itself, but they are also moving forward with aid to Gaza. Ireland said that Israel had violated human rights when shutting off power and water to Gaza. Norway similarly criticized Israel’s blockade of Gaza. And BRICS member South Africa took the Palestinian side.
.
Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have been making efforts to deepen ties with the Global South as a way of countering the U.S.-led international order. Neither Mr. Putin nor Mr. Xi has condemned Hamas. Germany’s defense minister pledged support for Israel, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized Mr. Putin’s response to the war, which he called “cynical.”
.
Beijing has said that Israel’s actions go beyond self-defense, and Moscow has blamed the United States for the mounting death toll in Gaza. The coverage on Chinese state television focuses on Palestinians' suffering while portraying the United States and Israel as perpetuating the conflict.
.
Almost none of the countries expressing support for Palestine have agreed to accept Palestinian refugees. Egypt has been willing to work with the United States to facilitate aid to Gaza through the Rafah crossing. On the Egyptian side, the aid preparations are overseen by the United Nations. Both Egypt and Jordan have refused to accept refugees. Egypt is already hosting 300,000 Sudanese refugees, so logistically, it would be difficult to accept more. At the same time, Cairo argues that by accepting Palestinian refugees, they would effectively be helping Israel to drive the Palestinians out of Gaza. This would then make Egypt and Jordan targets for extremists or a base of operations for extremists launching attacks into Israel, disrupting regional peace.
.
Since the conflict began, there has been a notable increase in attacks on U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq. A U.S. Navy warship patrolling near Yemen intercepted three missiles and several drones launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Additionally, Hezbollah launched multiple missile barrages, leading Israeli authorities to advise citizens to evacuate areas along the Lebanon border. It is important to note that Hezbollah is regarded as a more formidable opponent than Hamas. If Hezbollah were to launch an invasion or attack, it could quickly escalate the conflict, potentially requiring U.S. intervention. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that Iran’s involvement may lead to the conflict spilling over into other nations.
.
During the Belt and Road Forum (BRI) held on Oct. 17–18, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin expressed their concerns over the situation in Palestine and called for a two-state solution. However, they did not present a concrete plan to address the conflict or provide assistance to Palestine. The Taliban’s presence at the BRI Forum has raised concerns in the West, with accusations that Taliban fighters were planning to join Hamas on the battlefield. It appears that Moscow and Beijing’s interest in the Palestine situation is more focused on building alliances against Washington rather than on peacefully resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict.
.
The conflict has pulled the United States back into the Middle East, a region from which it had hoped to disengage. This renewed focus on the Middle East is diverting attention from other critical areas, including NATO and the Ukraine conflict, as well as the U.S. shift toward countering communist China in the Indo-Pacific. President Biden has expressed confidence in the United States’s ability to support all three areas simultaneously. Still, there is a growing concern that these conflicts may merge into a broader, interconnected conflict. Nations are aligning themselves across all three regions and conflicts, blurring the lines between them.
.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
