Strong BRICS resolution on Palestine isolates Israel after American snub | Gravitas

Whether it is the brutal war in Gaza, killing over 73,000 Palestinians, or growing settler violence in West Bank, the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government's actions have led to mounting criticism across the world.

A key US official has now nailed the extent to which Israel has been cornered.

Addressing a conference, Trump's son-in-law and special envoy for peace Jared Kushner asserted that Israel became globally isolated in September last year when it conducted air strikes on Qatar.

He said, “We used that dynamic to push them into a deal.”

Essentially, Kushner claimed that US leveraged the international pressure following the strikes to push a reluctant Netanyahu to accept a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

While Netanyahu initially justified the air strike on Doha in which five Hamas operatives and one Qatari security personnel were killed, Trump made his displeasure clear.

Back then, the US president stressed that the strike did not advance either Israel or America's goals.

Subsequently, the Israeli PM apologised for the air strike and affirmed that IDF will not conduct such an attack again in the future.

This is not all.

Israel was also at the receiving end of stinging criticism by BRICS during its summit held in New Delhi over the weekend.

In its New Delhi declaration, the forum supported the creation of an independent state of Palestine, comprising the Gaza Strip and West Bank, with east Jerusalem as its capital.

It also expressed deep concern over continued violence in Gaza despite the ceasefire and called for halting policies aimed at forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Additionally, BRICS nations rejected any unilateral measures to alter the legal and historical status of Jerusalem.

The bloc also urged Israel to withdraw its troops from Lebanon.

The Netanyahu-led government is facing criticism for its policies in West Bank as well.

Accusing Israel of turning a blind eye to ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, UK announced a ban on import of all goods produced in Israeli settlements in West Bank.

Eleven other countries including France and Canada also announced similar plans.

This drew a fierce retaliation from Israel which announced the closure of Britain's consulate in Jerusalem.

Despite facing pressure on all fronts, any course correction by Israel seems elusive.

Instead, it is now seeking to strip two Oscar-winning filmmakers of their citizenship.

This latest controversy pertains to the documentary titled ‘Naza’ directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor, which recently won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Based on conversations with 24 Israeli military and intelligence whistle-blowers, the documentary shows how IDF used AI-powered systems to systematically kill civilians in Gaza.

Israel's culture minister Miki Zohar accused these filmmakers of harming the country just to get applause from anti-Semites around the world.

He said, “Anyone who acts against the state of Israel during wartime cannot continue to hold Israeli citizenship.”

He added that freedom of expression is not a license to betray the state.

Meanwhile, IDF refuted the alleged claim in the documentary that an approval was given for an air strike in Gaza anticipating 500 civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, an Israeli human rights group accused the Netanyahu-led government of carrying out a systematic and accelerated project aimed at dismantling the foundations of Palestinian existence in West Bank.

Facing a backlash from multiple quarters, it is apparent that Netanyahu faces a tough ask with Israeli general elections due in just over a month...