As horrific images emerge and western nations move to recognise Palestine, the Israeli PM’s defiance-at-all-costs strategy is falling apart
“N
o one likes us, we don’t care.” It may be rousing on the stadium terraces of south London, as the signature chant for Millwall football club, but as a national strategy it’s a disaster. Even so, Israel has become a Millwall among the nations, apparently unbothered by and impervious to the condemnation of a watching world – condemnation which this week gained serious momentum.
As one country after another pointed an accusing finger towards Israel, repelled by the starvation, devastation and bloodshed it has brought down on Gaza, Israeli officials offered the now-familiar middle finger in return. When Keir Starmer announced Britain’s intention to recognise a state of Palestine, it was swiftly brushed aside by the deputy mayor of Jerusalem as “much ado about nothing”.
There was a similarly dismissive reaction to both France’s earlier pledge to make the same diplomatic move and Canada’s announcement on Wednesday that it would follow suit. Sometimes, the register is studied insouciance, a shrug of the shoulders; sometimes it’s anger. But the message is consistent: we won’t budge. As the Israeli ambassador to Canada put it: “Israel will not bow to the distorted campaign of international pressure against it.”
