Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 138?

China’s condemnation of a US veto of an Algerian-backed UN resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza is getting increased spotlight in global media. This is also happening in the Middle East and it would appear Beijing is using the Gaza war to try to increase its influence in the region. China has been on a charm offensive recently, slowly building itself up as a country that can be trusted by the region’s powers.

China began this increased influence in the region slowly, over time. However, it jumped into the limelight when it helped bring Saudi Arabia and Iran to reconcile. China worked hard in 2023 to increase Saudi-Iran ties. This was a major accomplishment because it showed Beijing could accomplish something that the West could not. How did Beijing accomplish this? It portrays itself as not having the baggage of the West in the region. It also has relatively consistent policies.

For instance, it doesn’t do the western Janus-face of lecturing the region on human rights while partnering with the most authoritarian regimes. Beijing doesn’t pretend to be something other than what it is. It also doesn’t change leadership every few years, meaning the region’s regimes can count on Beijing yesterday, to be the same Beijing today. 

Is China changing its allegiance?

China has been slowly shifting its position on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Several years ago it appeared that China-Israel ties were reaching new heights. However, all that changed with increased US pressure on Israel to be wary of China and also increased realization in Israel that shortsighted interests in China ties were likely to harm ties with the West. As the US and China have become increasingly at odds over the last decade on a variety of issues, Israel was perceived by China as low-hanging fruit, in terms of critiquing Israel’s policies.

Therefore, for China, the change to use the recent conflict in Gaza as a cudgel against the US is an obvious win for Beijing. The Algerian resolution on Gaza gave Beijing the in it wanted this week. China's UN ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun slammed the US veto.

Al-Ain media in the UAE has also highlighted China’s comments. Arab states are watching this carefully. Many of them say they want a ceasefire. China can use the conflict now to get influence and favors. China began to increase its critique of Israel already back during the May 2021 war. Hamas counted on countries such as China and Russia not condemning October 7.

A vehicle was reportedly attacked in a targeted strike in Rafah, Palestinian sources said on Tuesday. 

דיווחים פלסטינים על סיכול ממוקד בתקיפת כלי רכב ברפיח | תיעוד ממצלמות האבטחה@guy_telaviv pic.twitter.com/3UiWK0oqpD

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) February 21, 2024

This is a developing story.  

Alleged Israeli airstrikes targeted Damascus twice within a matter of hours on Wednesday, with at least two people killed in the strikes, according to Syrian reports.

The first strike targeted an apartment building in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Syria's capital on Wednesday morning, with at least two deaths reported in the strike.

Looks like an apartment may have been targeted. Could be a targeted assassination.https://t.co/Bv9skRc4s8

— Tzvi Joffre (@TzviJoffre) February 21, 2024

The Kafr Sousa neighborhood is known for having a heavy presence of Iranian militias, with the Syrian Capital Voice news site reporting that Iranian militias used parts of the targeted building as a headquarters.

Workers and people stand near a damaged building after, according to Syrian state media reports, several Israeli missiles hit a residential building in the Kafr Sousa district, Damascus, Syria February 21, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/FIRAS MAKDESI)

There were no Iranian casualties, Iran's semi-official Student News Network said.

The second strike targeted the Dimas area, northwest of Damascus, according to Syrian reports.

The Kafr Sousa area has been targeted several times in the past in alleged Israeli attacks.

Last February, five people were killed in an alleged Israeli strike in the neighborhood. In 2008, Imad Mughniyeh, a senior Hezbollah leader, was assassinated by a car bomb in Kafr Sousa, with the US and Israel blamed for the attack.

The strike on Wednesday comes a week and a half after the last alleged Israeli airstrikes reported in Damascus. A few hours before that strike, Syria's Defense Ministry claimed to have downed two drones launched from Israel toward the Damascus area.

The strike also comes a few days after the IDF struck sites belonging to the Syrian Army after projectiles were launched from Syria toward the Golan Heights.

Israel's parliament, the Knesset, unilaterally decided on Wednesday not to recognize the establishment of a Palestinian state, with 99 MKs voting in favor and nine opposed.

The wording of the announcement is as follows: "Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition following the massacre of October 7 will give a huge reward to terrorism that was unprecedented and will prevent any future peace settlement."

During the plenum debate, shouting ensued, with Ta'al member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi said, "A Palestinian state will be established Ras Ben Amo [Arabic slang for in 'spite of his opposition']." In response, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said, "Go to Syria. Terrorist."

MKs Itamar Ben-Gvir and Ahmad Tibi shout at each other in the Knesset plenum on February 21, 2024 (credit: NOAM MOSKOVICH/KNESSET)

Officials respond to the vote 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Knesset members, including the opposition, for their vote.

"I don't remember many votes in which the Knesset voted with a majority of 99 out of 120," he said, adding "The Knesset united against the attempt to dictate to us the establishment of a Palestinian state, a dictate which would not only not bring peace but would endanger the State of Israel. The members of the house are united as the people are united in a way that was never before."

"The vote today sends a clear message to the international community," he concluded.

Head of Opposition Yair Lapid stated, "My party and I voted in favor of this proposal because my party and I are opposed to unilateral measures."

Addressing Netanyahu, he said, "You invented a threat that doesn't exist," before adding, "There is not a single official in the world that offers unilateral recognition of Palestine. You came up with a spin so they wouldn't talk about the 'you are guilty' post signs."

"All you wanted was for the Knesset not to talk about the fact that you are the head and that you are to blame, and about the conscription law, which is rightly known as the evasion law, and about the budget law," he concluded.

The United States said on Wednesday the World Court should not order the unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories as it considers a request for its opinion on the legality of the occupation.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the top UN court, which is also known as the World Court, was asked in 2022 by the UN General Assembly to issue a non-binding opinion on the legal consequences of the Israeli "occupation."

While the court was not asked to issue an opinion about the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the occupied territories, many states participating in the hearings have called on Israel to do so.

Israel: Court's intervention delays peace in Middle East

Israel, which is not taking part, said in written comments that the court's involvement could be harmful to achieving a negotiated settlement.

"Any movement towards Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza requires consideration for Israel's very real security needs," Richard Visek, acting legal adviser at the US State Department, told the court in The Hague.

Richard Visek attends a public hearing held by The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, February 21, 2024 (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)

"We were all reminded of those security needs on October 7, and they persist. Regrettably, those needs have been ignored by many of the participants" in the court's hearings.

More than 50 states will present arguments until February 26. Russia and France were scheduled to speak later on Wednesday.

The Israeli government unilaterally decided on Wednesday, with a majority of 99 MKs, not to recognize the establishment of a Palestinian state.

This is a developing story.

In a survey performed by the Israel Democracy Institute, the results illustrate that 63% of Jewish Israelis oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, while 73% of Arab Israelis support it amid widespread international calls for the establishment of an independent demilitarized Palestinian state. 

Among Jewish Israelis, 71.5% believe that terrorism will remain the same or become even stronger with the establishment of a Palestinian state. Among Arab Israelis, 53% believe that terrorism will weaken or cease with the establishment of a Palestinian state. 

The United States said on Wednesday the World Court could not order the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank and Gaza without taking into account Israel's security needs.

"Any movement towards Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza requires consideration for Israel's very real security needs," Richard Visek, acting legal adviser at the US State Department, said during proceedings at the UN's highest court examining the legality of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The IDF attacked three operational headquarters of terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, the military announced. 

Israeli forces also attacked a military building containing terrorists from the organization in the village of Yaroun. The IDF identified a number of terrorists entering the military structure the day before. 

Israel's democracy was "attacked and weakened from within" over the past few years by people who sit in the government today, opposition leader MK Yair Lapid said in a speech to the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations (COP) in Tel Aviv's ANU Museum on Wednesday.

"It is not a uniquely Israeli experience," Lapid said. "Across the world, democracies are fighting destructive populism, which promises easy victories and simple solutions to complicated problems. But Israel is not like the rest of the world. We are surrounded by enemies who just waited for a moment of weakness. They looked at us and said, 'If Israel is not as democratic, it is also not as strong,' and they attacked our homes and murdered our children."