Guest of the morning of Europe 1 Sunday, the historian Frédérique Schillo recalls that the United States has always defended the right of Israel to defend itself against Hamas.
According to her, the firepower of the Islamist movement is pushing the international community to moderate any condemnation of Israeli reprisals.
INTERVIEW
How far will the sudden escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel go?
On Sunday evening, the UN Security Council meets in open session to consider this new crisis in the interminable Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has left more than a hundred dead in less than a year. week.
But for Frédérique Schillo, historian specializing in Israel and international relations, it is unlikely that this session will lead to a strong position, in particular because the diplomatic tradition of the United States has always pushed them to support Israel.
"Joe Biden stands by Israel's side"
"It was the United States that refused an emergency meeting that should have been held much earlier. The Americans support Israel in the Security Council. They should oppose any text that condemns Israel and therefore the Council communiqué safety will be very moderate, "advances Frédérique Schillo to Europe 1.
"Joe Biden did not expect at all a crisis in the Middle East," she continues, while pointing to the disengagement of the Americans in the region.
"They did not want to intervene, and especially not on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which is insoluble. They do not even have a direct hold on the ground. The United States has neither an ambassador in Jerusalem nor a consul general. At last. moment, an emissary was sent. But in reality, Joe Biden, like all the American presidents since 1967, stands at the side of Israel and its right to defend itself against Hamas ", recalls Frederique Schillo.
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The embarrassment of the international community
For this specialist, this new resurgence of violence does not differ greatly from previous armed episodes. "The events in Jerusalem struck international public opinion, but the crisis quickly reverted to a classic clash between Hamas and Israel, with Hamas rockets on one side. Israel's response on the other," observes Frédérique Schillo.
However, she said, the strike power of Hamas embarrasses the international community, less and less ready to condemn the scale of the Israeli response. "It is difficult to come and support Hamas, when we see that it is an over-equipped army which strikes Israeli civilians," said our historian. "There have been very moderate reactions from the international community. President Macron called for de-escalation, and he strongly condemned the rocket attacks against Israel. He also called Benjamin Netanyahu to tell him his attachment to the security of Israel, "said Frédérique Schillo.