OPN 191112 gaza-1573558678878
Smoke billows in Gaza City following an Israeli strike on November 12, 2019. Israel's military killed a commander for Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in a strike on his home in the Gaza Strip, prompting retaliatory rocket fire and fears of a severe escalation in violence. / AFP / MAHMUD HAMS Image Credit: AFP

Soon, acting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will stand trial in court on charges of corruption and influence-peddling.

If there’s indeed true justice, he will face charges not only for his fast and loose actions of avaricious intent, but also for the litany of war crimes against the people of Palestine.

And should indeed such a pressing indictment ever take place, you can add murder charges to his rap sheet following Israel’s air strikes on the Gaza Strip that killed a commander of a Palestinian group and his wife, and injured several more civilians.

Make no mistake, these air raids — there was a second attack launched on a Palestinian figure in Damascus as well — were nothing more than carefully choreographed publicity stunts, aimed at deflecting attention from Netanyahu’s impending legal jeopardy.

In addition, his prolonged failure to put together a government of his own liking, which has now forced him into talks to form a unity government with former occupation forces leader Benny Gantz, add a self-serving political motivation for this latest assault on the Gaza Strip.

For as long as Netanyahu has been in power, his wilful actions have resulted in not a single meaningful step towards solving the seven-decade Palestinian question

- Gulf News

Once more Netanyahu has proven he views the Palestinian people, along with their heritage, history and land, as means to an end.

Their mistreatment and murders are but collateral damage in serving his right-wing Zionist ambitions.

For as long as Netanyahu has been in power, his wilful actions have resulted in not a single meaningful step towards solving the seven-decade Palestinian question.

Every action that Netanyahu has taken as leader has resulted in the rights of Palestinians being trampled underfoot.

He has single-handedly eroded any realistic hopes of there being a two-state solution on generally accepted international principles, instead relying on the myopic support of the current White House administration as carte blanche to declare occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The reality is that, throughout, he has lined his pockets with favours from a cabal of developers and others who profit from his theft of Palestinian land in East Jerusalem and elsewhere to build colonies. His are the actions of a profiteer who sees only riches in the wrongs he inflicts.

Yes, Netanyahu will face justice for corruption soon.

Sadly, there is little hope that he will ever be held to account for his barbarity against Palestinians. In the court of public opinion, however, he is well and truly guilty — and damned.

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