For 11 months, Israel has been carrying out a genocide in Gaza right before the world’s eyes, resulting in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians. Rather than taking action to stop the carnage, the global system seems to almost encourage it, while Muslims watch “helplessly.” However, if Islamic countries truly decide to act and put their resources on the line, they can stop this genocide, this oppression, and this barbarism in a short time. The steps to achieve this are clear.
40,000 Palestinians Massacred in 11 Months
Backed by unlimited support from the United States, Israel has massacred over 40,000 Palestinian civilians in just 11 months. It is high time for Islamic countries to take action. Implementing sanctions that prevent the passage of commercial and civilian aircraft, ships, and road vehicles could paralyze Israel, forcing it to retreat. Islamic countries could block ships leaving Israeli ports or heading toward them. These countries could also ban ships that have docked at Israeli ports from entering their own harbors.
Maritime Trade: Israel’s Lifeline
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) comprises 57 member states. A united decision by these countries, whose main objective is to support the Palestinian cause, could cripple Israel’s transportation networks and leave it gasping for breath. This would require halting all ships departing from or heading to Israeli ports. The governments of Muslim countries could take a decisive step by preventing cargo ships from leaving Israeli ports and denying those ships access to their own ports. This would be a critical move to stop the genocide.
Yemen's Impact as a Case Study
Even the disruptions caused by the Houthis in Yemen to ships carrying goods to Israel have had significant effects on Israel. Therefore, a more extensive blockade would likely yield successful results. The Houthi intervention in the Red Sea, which reduced trade through the Suez Canal by 85%, offers insights into the potential outcomes of such a blockade. Due to security concerns, maritime trade between Europe and Asia is being rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope. According to MarineTraffic, a global ship tracking and maritime analytics provider, ship traffic in the Suez Canal, which accounts for 15% of global maritime trade, dropped by 85% in the first six months of this year. Meanwhile, commercial ship crossings around the Cape of Good Hope increased by 125%.
The Strategic Importance of Egypt and Saudi Arabia
The Red Sea route is vital for many countries in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa for exports and imports, particularly for oil exports from the Middle East to Europe and from Russia to Asia. Yemen, alongside Saudi Arabia on the eastern coast of the Red Sea, and Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti on the western coast, are crucial in this context. Egypt and Saudi Arabia, due to their strategic locations, could exert immense pressure on Israel to halt the massacres in Palestine by taking a strong stance against the genocidal Zionazi regime.
Closing the Ports of Basra
Countries with strategic positions and resources, such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran, play a crucial role in halting trade with Israel. Ports in the Basra Gulf, which are pivotal for goods originating from Central Asia and the Far East, are key chokepoints in Israel’s supply chain.
Airspace Closure and Tourist Decline
Islamic countries should completely close their airspace to Israeli civilian and military flights. Israel, too weak to engage in a conventional war, relies heavily on its air defense systems and related technological capabilities. Such a step would isolate the Zionist regime from the rest of the world, cutting off its access to the ammunition, military supplies, and commercial goods it needs for the war. Due to the severe security issues it faces, Israel, which has been massacring people in Gaza and other Palestinian cities for months, is deemed unsafe for civilian flights and is failing to attract tourists. However, a significant portion of war materials and other commercial shipments are transported via cargo planes landing at Tel Aviv airport. If countries in the region close their airspace, it would deal a severe blow to Israel.
Closing Land Borders: A Final Stranglehold
The lands that Israel occupies are surrounded by Muslim states. If its neighboring countries—Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon—completely close their land borders and roads with Israel, the genocidal state would only be able to access the world through the sea. Israel, which is waging a low-intensity war with Lebanon, has been in a tense relationship with Syria for years due to the UN-monitored Golan Heights. In this situation, Egypt and Jordan would be the two states that could corner Israel by cutting off land routes. Egypt serves as Israel’s corridor to Africa, while Jordan provides access to the Gulf countries and ports on the Basra Gulf. If these two countries side with Palestine, Israel would be forced to rely solely on the Mediterranean.
Commendable Steps
Some countries have taken a humanitarian stance against the genocide crimes committed by Israel, along with its supporters in the United States and Europe. In addition to formally recognizing Palestine and maintaining low-level relations with Israel, these countries have also garnered praise for taking economic measures against Israel.
Türkiye has halted all trade with Israel. It stands out as the only country using its economic leverage to pressure Israel into a ceasefire. On April 9, 2024, Ankara restricted the export of 54 product categories to Israel. Then, on May 2, 2024, Türkiye decided to halt all trade with Israel, covering all product categories. Türkiye's critical steps to stop the genocide in Palestine and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region set a precedent for other countries.
Indonesia has announced that it would send peacekeeping forces to the Gaza Strip if requested. Prabowo Subianto, who was elected as Indonesia’s new president in June, stated that his country is ready to send peacekeeping soldiers to Gaza to enforce a ceasefire if necessary.
Colombia has stopped coal sales to Israel in protest. Colombian President Gustavo Petro signed a decree banning coal exports to Israel to pressure the Israeli government to end the conflict in Gaza, declaring, "No coal for Israel until the genocide in Gaza ends."
Disrupting Far East Trade is Feasible
In 2023, Israel conducted $143 billion in foreign trade, exporting $63 billion and importing $80 billion. Israel relies heavily on imports, as its production capacity consists mainly of small-scale enterprises and it lacks raw material resources. Therefore, it must import a large portion of its general consumption.
China: Israel's Leading Import Partner
China stands out as Israel's largest import partner, with Israel importing $15 billion worth of goods from China last year, while exporting $3 billion to China. India is another significant trading partner, with Israel conducting $4 billion in total trade with India last year—$2 billion in exports and $2 billion in imports. Last year, Israel imported $2 billion worth of goods from South Korea, while exporting $2 billion to Hong Kong.
The Strategic Importance of Basra and the Red Sea
Nearly all of the $30 billion trade Israel conducted with China, India, Hong Kong, and South Korea last year passes through ports in the Basra Gulf and the Red Sea, which are controlled by Muslim countries. Cutting off these trade channels would completely halt Israel's trade with Asian countries. If other Muslim countries follow Türkiye's lead by halting all trade with Israel and closing their airports, seaports, and land routes to third countries, the genocidal state would be suffocated.
Losses Can Be Offset Through Solidarity
The losses incurred by countries due to such a joint action could be mitigated through mutual solidarity. This could be achieved by increasing trade between the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). One of the primary objectives of the OIC is to “protect the rights and interests of the Islamic World and strengthen cooperation and solidarity among member countries in various fields, including trade.” However, trade between OIC member countries is only around 20%. In other words, 57 Islamic countries conduct 80% of their trade with non-Muslim countries. Despite constituting 25% of the world’s population, Islamic countries account for only about 9% of the global economy and hold an 11% share of world trade.
The Genocidal State is on Edge
The Houthi’s targeting of cargo ships bound for Israel and those departing from Israeli ports has unsettled the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers, who have turned the region into a bloodbath. However, Ankara's non-violent economic sanctions have gained even more attention. If other Muslim countries follow Türkiye's example, they could increase pressure on Israel. Such steps by Muslim countries would put both the bloodthirsty genocidal Tel Aviv regime and its supporters in a difficult position.
The West Turns a Blind Eye
The European Union, which portrays itself as the “bright face of civilization” through its rhetoric on human rights and fundamental freedoms, has gone no further than condemning Israel’s barbarism. Except for a few countries like Spain, most of Europe, especially the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, has become Israel’s main supporter. Their leaders visit Tel Aviv at every opportunity and silence pro-Palestinian voices. Islamic countries must rely on themselves, not the United States or Europe, to stop the genocide. While many European countries have increased their military and economic aid to Israel, only a few European countries have had the courage to say, “Israel is committing genocide.” Recently, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized the State of Palestine, followed by Slovenia's decision to do the same.
The United States: Sponsor of Genocide
The United States has not only failed to stop Israel but has become the main sponsor of its genocide. The U.S. has been supplying thousands of missiles to Israel for months, turning a blind eye to the mass killings in Palestine. The U.S. provided diplomatic, political, and military support for Israel’s invasion of Gaza on October 7, 2023, allowing the Zionists to massacre tens of thousands of Palestinians in a matter of months. During this period, the U.S. dispatched over 50,000 tons of military equipment to Israel, delivering it through the ports of Ashdod and Haifa, under a special lease to the Israeli army. It also sent thousands of military equipment and missile parts, such as Tomahawk and Patriot missiles, by air. Additionally, at the insistence of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the U.S. Senate approved a $3 billion military aid package to Israel. This means that the U.S. will provide military equipment and training, intelligence support, and a portion of the Israeli army’s salaries. Thus, Israel’s genocide is directly sponsored by the U.S.
Global Uproar Against Israel's War Crimes
Israel’s war crimes have provoked outrage worldwide. For instance, South Africa has filed a genocide lawsuit against Israel with the International Court of Justice. Many countries, especially in Africa and South America, have severed diplomatic relations with Israel, recalling their ambassadors. Türkiye, Chile, Colombia, and Bolivia have also recalled their ambassadors from Tel Aviv.
Protests from Universities
University students who started protesting against Israel’s genocide in Gaza at Columbia University in the United States on April 17, 2024, have spread their protests across the world after hundreds of them were arrested. Despite harsh police interventions, students in the U.S. and Europe are calling for their universities to sever ties with Israel.
Legal Justification for Sanctions
The International Court of Justice has accepted South Africa’s case against Israel, charging it as a “genocide suspect.” The United Nations has also provided concrete evidence of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. In a 200-page report, the UN stated that “Israel is starving Gaza, arbitrarily detaining, killing, and maiming Palestinians.” These international legal precedents provide a strong foundation for the blockade Islamic countries must implement.
Islamic Nations Must Wake Up
The genocide that began on October 7, 2023, has once again highlighted the gap between the people and governments in many Islamic countries. While the peoples of the Islamic world have tried to support Palestinians through boycotts, marches, and donations, most Islamic governments have done little beyond condemning the genocide in speeches.
Diplomatic Efforts: Egypt and Qatar's Mediation
Egypt and Qatar have been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to halt the genocide in Gaza. Over the past 11 months, Egypt and Qatar have strived for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange agreement but have not yet succeeded.
The potential to stop Israeli atrocities lies in the hands of Islamic nations. If they unite and act decisively, they could bring an end to this genocide.
