Gaza crisis: Western pressure mounts on US and Israel

Western nations push US and Israel to act on Gaza's deepening crisis

However, beyond the strong symbolism, the goal in essence is to impose a ceasefire in Gaza and end the partial exclusion of its inhabitants from access to the essentials for their survival. So, especially in the case of the United Kingdom, and perhaps even Canada, if Israel makes the necessary adjustments, they might modify their position at the UN General Assembly next September. But why have they decided now to raise the issue of recognizing a Palestinian state?

The common goal is to recover or rather to salvage the moral status of the West and, in particular, its image toward both the Arab world and the 'Global South.' The images that are projected daily from Gaza are a punch to the stomach. Thus, some countries within the Western camp feel that they must save the lost honor of those who do not react to what is happening in the enclave. After all, the West is in the crosshairs, considered complicit, and to this end, even though most countries apart from the United States are not in a position to influence the stance of the current Israeli government, they are obliged to publicly show their opposition to the latter's choice to make living conditions in Gaza unbearable.

There is a real risk, while the Western coalition is already being shaken from within, that it will not only lose its good reputation abroad, but also its influence in various parts of the world. An additional reason is the forced distancing from US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the pressure being exerted on them (in an ideal scenario) by other countries, because it is clear that the former has no specific plan for the future of Gaza and the resolution of the Palestinian issue, while the latter is fueled by maintaining open fronts and seems to have adopted the most extreme views.

Some Europeans, realizing that it is not easy to find common ground with President Trump - nor does he treat them as allies - and since they cannot trust him, are choosing a different position to maintain a relative credibility and keep open channels with Muslim and Arab leaders. The only country that can ultimately influence the American administration is Saudi Arabia. After all, the Abraham Accords will not be complete without the participation of the Saudis, which is impossible under the current circumstances.

Greece is in a difficult position, because it has rightly chosen Israel as one of its two - along with Egypt - leading partners in the wider region and therefore is not expected to join the countries that will recognize the Palestinian state. On the other hand, it must show empathy toward the humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Gaza - after all, it has the moral stature and therefore the obligation not to remain silent. More broadly, by balancing our policy, we will maintain the momentum in our relations with states such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Initiatives are therefore required from Athens, with an emphasis on rebuilding the humanitarian aid network (by activating channels and involving donors and organizations), by treating the seriously injured and sick, mainly children, offering educational programs, better coordinating with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to protect Christian pilgrimage sites from settler attacks, as well as by hosting meetings between the two sides (even at a low level or civil society level), involving mainly Saudi Arabia in some of those processes.

As for Riyadh, given the joint initiatives it has recently developed with France, we could participate in a tripartite scheme of interventions, with the aim of rationalizing the actors involved and mitigating the side effects of the evolving crisis.

Constantinos Filis is an associate professor at the American College of Greece and director of its Institute of Global Affairs.