Middle East Scenario: Is Normalization Possible for Israel?
In a recent discussion, a group of experts, including Daniel Levy, James Moran, Jawad Anani, and Francesca Albanese, among others, have urged countries to sever all ties with Israel due to its ongoing occupation and policies deemed illegal and apartheid-like under international law.
The discussion, moderated by James Bays, focused on the potential reasons for countries to sever diplomatic ties with Israel. The experts argued that countries should immediately review and suspend all military, strategic, political, diplomatic, and economic relations with Israel. This includes both imports and exports, as well as disengagement of private sectors such as insurers, banks, pension funds, universities, and any service or goods providers connected to Israel's supply chains.
The call for cutting ties is based on legal obligations derived from the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 Advisory Opinion, which declared Israel's prolonged occupation tantamount to racial segregation and apartheid, and was supported by the UN General Assembly. The experts emphasized that the severance of ties must be comprehensive and not limited to specific components of Israeli control in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT); cutting ties only with particular parts is considered insufficient.
Muslim-majority country leaders and U.S. Islamic leaders have recommended cutting economic, diplomatic, intelligence, and military ties, including agreements like the Abraham Accords, and blocking use of airspace and military facilities that assist Israeli operations. The rationale is that continuing regular relations with Israel under its occupation amounts to support or assistance to an unlawful presence and perpetuates injustice and alleged violations of international law.
The Middle Eastern states, including Jordan, Egypt, and Gulf nations, have nearly universally condemned Israel's war on Gaza. Jordan, Egypt, and some Gulf nations have diplomatic ties with Israel but have publicly criticized Israel's actions. Saudi Arabia conditions normalizing relations with Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
A growing number of European countries are recognizing Palestine. The European Union is reviewing its economic relations with Israel. The conversation addressed the possibility of additional Middle Eastern and European nations recognizing Palestine. James Moran, former European Union ambassador to Egypt and Jordan, offered insights on this topic.
It remains unclear if public condemnation from Middle Eastern and European countries will lead Israel to stop its actions in Gaza. However, the experts maintain that the specific condition prompting cutting ties is the ongoing illegal occupation and treatment recognized as apartheid, obligating all states to suspend relations comprehensively and urgently as a matter of international law and justice.
- In light of the experts' call, countries are encouraged to reconsider their political relations with Israel, including halting strategic, diplomatic, and economic ties, due to the ongoing war-and-conflicts and apartheid-like policies considered illegal under international law.
- The discussion also highlighted the importance of comprehensive action, as severing ties should not be limited to specific components of Israeli control in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT); instead, it should encompass the general-news industry, prompting universities, banks, insurers, and service or goods providers connected to Israel's supply chains to disengage as well.