When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, he knew what he was doing. Although any attack on a diplomatic mission is a clear violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Israeli leader did so in hopes of diverting attention from his mistakes in Israel’s war on Gaza.
Since Israel had previously carried out a series of assassination attempts against Iranian officials and scientists, this act was difficult to deny. No other power in the region could commit such a brazen violation of international law regarding the sanctity of diplomatic missions.
Following other Israeli attacks on Iranian targets in Syria, this was a provocative act aimed at establishing military hegemony in the region.
The Iranians, for their part, were in a bind. The international reaction to Israel’s brazen disregard for international law was muted, particularly in the West, and Tehran could no longer tolerate Israeli provocations. Iran also has its own considerations for military deterrence in the region.
The result was an attack from Iranian territory that sent a clear message to Israel and its allies. It demonstrated Iranian capabilities but also provided scope for de-escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian called the attack “limited” and said Tehran had warned the United States before the launch.
Thanks to the deployment of US forces to the region and Israel’s air defense capabilities, almost all drones and missiles fired by Iran were intercepted.
This show of military might by Israel and Iran has left the rest of the Arab world fearful of what another regional war could mean for an already devastated region. And if that happens, it will have not just regional but global implications. Any regional Iranian-Israeli conflict will involve the Gulf states, as well as the United States, Russia and China, and lead to a potentially explosive global confrontation.
As Israel and Iran establish this new “balance of terror,” the international community must act. The United Nations Security Council must adopt a strong, binding resolution imposing a complete ceasefire in the region, which includes the occupied Palestinian territories, Israel, Iran and all neighboring countries and non-state actors involved.
Importantly, this resolution must recognize that the core of the instability in the region lies in the unresolved Palestinian issue.
That is why it must demand an end to Israel’s genocidal invasion of Gaza and the prisoner exchange. It must provide a clear roadmap for Palestinian statehood and the end of Israeli military control over all Arab territories occupied in 1967. An international peacekeeping force must be created to ensure compliance by all parties, particularly in Gaza but also in the West Bank. where settler violence has reached unprecedented levels.
A clear statement in support of the Palestinian right to self-determination and a roadmap for its realization are now paramount. Most European countries have already announced their plans to join the list of 139 states that have recognized the State of Palestine.
This resolution should not repeat the mistakes of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728, adopted on March 25, which the US immediately sought to undermine by claiming it was “non-binding.” The resolution was binding, but lacked “teeth” – or clear actions to be taken in the event of a breach. That’s why Israel ignored it.
A new resolution will therefore require the application of Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Article 41 of this chapter reads: “The Security Council may decide what measures, other than the use of armed force, should be used to implement its decisions and may request the members of the United Nations to use such measures.” The full or partial interruption of economic relations and of railway, sea, air, postal, telegraph, radio and other means of communication as well as the severance of diplomatic relations.”
The possibility of imposing harsh sanctions and a diplomatic boycott against those who do not comply must be made clear in the resolution. Mention must also be made of the other provisions of Chapter VII, which cover the use of military force to ensure world peace.
For decades, Israel has gotten away with egregious violations of international law because there have been no consequences. Now the International Court of Justice has declared that Israeli actions in Gaza “plausibly” amount to genocide in Gaza. Israel will not stop its aggression in Gaza or elsewhere in the region unless it faces a credible threat of sanctions. Iran, for its part, is already under sanctions pressure from the West, but if China and other non-Western powers joined such measures, they would think twice before violating the resolution.
Since Iran has clearly demonstrated its willingness to de-escalate following the attack, there is now a small window of opportunity to act. The US and other countries have come to Israel’s aid, and that means it must reciprocate its allies by honoring the ceasefire.
Unless the world wants to deal with the economic and humanitarian catastrophe of a regional war in the Middle East, it must act quickly and lay the foundation for comprehensive, lasting peace in the region. The key to this lies in the final solution to the Palestinian issue.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.