Now that Israel and Iran are observing a ceasefire, Africa and the world can breathe a sigh of relief perhaps we as Africans can begin to voice our views. The greatest lesson from the nearly two-week conflict is that nothing surpasses diplomacy in resolving global disputes.
The world held its breath, fearing that the war could engulf the entire Middle East and potentially trigger a third world war—all because of the uncompromising positions held by two countries.
Iran does not recognise Israel as a legitimate state and has openly called for the annihilation of Jews, while Israel, in turn, refuses to acknowledge Palestinians as a people deserving of their own state—one that could peacefully coexist alongside Israel. For many years, Iran’s stance was also the official position of numerous Arab states, until several of them eventually made peace with Israel.
A number of Arab nations still do not recognise Israel’s sovereignty, citing historical grievances, political disputes, and ideological or religious differences. These include Algeria, the Comoros, Djibouti, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
A brief examination reveals that many of these countries share strong cultural and historical ties with a large number of African nations—most of which do recognise Israel and maintain diplomatic relations with Jerusalem.
Africa has a vested interest in peace prevailing in the Middle East for historical, cultural and economic reasons. As a continent highly dependent on fuel imports, Africa lives in quiet fear of devastation should oil prices skyrocket due to conflict in the region. Indeed, that fear gripped many African countries during the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran.
Neither side factors Africa into their calculus when pursuing what they claim are “national interests.” Israel—though diplomatically recognised by numerous African states—fights for its survival and existence “at any cost.” Iran, for its part, adheres to a hardline stance regardless of the collateral damage. Yet, paradoxically, both sides expect Africa’s support.
As previously stated, the recent conflict between Israel and Iran strongly underscores that warfare is not a viable path toward long-term development, peace, or stability—whether in the Middle East or globally.
One can only hope the war has served as a wake-up call to both parties. Israel clearly did not achieve its stated war aims: regime change in Iran and the complete destruction of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear capacity.
Undoubtedly, Iran too must have realised that whether it recognises Israel or not, that alone will not erase the Jewish state’s existence in the Middle East—a region where Israel has historical and religious grounds to claim its place. The only viable solution lies in dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
There will never be a military solution to the Middle East conflict—only negotiations that openly confront the fears and sensitivities of each side. I firmly believe that, without resorting to coercion or international strong-arm tactics, the global community possesses both the will and the tools to broker a negotiated peace.
It is time for the Middle East to stop placing the rest of the world on constant alert simply because, for them, conflict seems to be the default method of resolution.
“The world held its breath, fearing that the war could engulf the entire Middle East and potentially trigger a third world war—all because of the uncompromising positions held by two countries.”
■ Munyaga’s contact is munyaga@gmail.com
