Israel's policies should be condemned

The ground reality of Palestinians is just miserable - a state that is experienced on a daily basis by the civilian population. The extent of suffering is immense as it literally affects every single household. Nothing justifies such a state and the international community must act quickly.

The recent comment by Richard Falk, a leading United Nations official, could not be more apt and timely. Falk has called on the UN to be critical of Israel's policies against the Palestinians, which he labelled as mounting to "crime against humanity". Falk has further urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict and prosecute Israeli leaders for their crimes, as he called on the UN to "implement the agreed norm of a responsibility to protect a civilian population being collectively punished by policies that amount to a crime against humanity".

The call by Falk should not be perceived as being out of context, as it is about time that Israel is treated with the same vigour as any other country that is found in violation of human rights. In fact, it is this preferential treatment that has allowed Israel to escape any undertaking over its aggression in the past decades.

Israel today continues to maintain its total control over Gaza, occasionally allowing in a trickle of food and fuel. Humanitarian organisations have been calling for an end to the spread of famine and disease among the population, as it has reached a dangerous level given the shortage in basic food and medicine.

Highlighting Israel's violations is not at all an exaggeration, neither is pinpointing the suffering of the Palestinians. Hasn't the time come for the world community to step away from its comfort zone when it comes to addressing this issue?