Th Hindu Editorial Analysis- 21st August 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Regressive Move

Why in News?

A 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College found dead. Body showed signs of grievous sexual assault.

Systemic Issues in Women’s Safety

• Non-working security cameras.
• No rooms available for immediate use with bathrooms.
• Dark spots that female employees avoid at night because they're poorly illuminated.
• Not enough safety measures in place.

Policy and Implementation Failures

• Post-2012 December 16 Gangrape: Promises mostly just talk.
• Nirbhaya Fund boosted by 100% for 2024-25.
• Less than half of the money set aside was spent from 2013 to 2022.
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act, 2013: Efforts to enforce it have been weak.
• Supreme Court criticized in May 2023 for not ensuring a secure workplace.

Need for Broader Introspection

• Institutional Responsibility: RG Kar Medical College must fulfill its duties to students and staff.
• Fundamental Issues: There is a disconnect between intention and result when it comes to addressing the safety of women. Calls for severe punishment or immediate justice reflect a reliance on swift solutions.
• Way Forward: Focus on delivering on promises of empowerment and equality. Emphasize the importance of following the proper legal process as the key lesson to be understood.

Conclusion

Addressing systemic failures and closing gaps in women's safety can bring about significant change. By implementing rules and ensuring responsibility, we can construct a safer, fairer future.

West Asia Clfiis spells tough choicesfor China, Russia

Why in News?

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran early on July 31. The 62-year-old leader, who had been managing Hamas’s political operations from exile in Qatar, reportedly died in what Hamas described as an Israeli “strike” on his residence. 

The Israeli military has not commented on the incident so far.

What is Hamas?

About

• Hamas is the biggest Palestinian militant Islamic group and one of the main political factions in the area.
• At present, it controls over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
• The organization is also recognized for its armed opposition against Israel.
• Hamas in its entirety, or sometimes its military branch, is labeled a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other nations.

 Background

• The organization was established in the late 1980s, following the start of the initial Palestinian uprising against Israel's control of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
• Hamas is basically the internal transformation of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood.

Reasons for its creation

• The main reason for Hamas' creation stemmed from a significant sense of disappointment that had settled within the Palestinian national movement by the late 1980s.
• This occurred mainly after the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) — engaged in armed conflict against Israel since the mid-1960s to 'free Palestine' — made two major concessions.
• The PLO acknowledged Israel and its right to exist, thereby abandoning its aim of freeing Palestine.
• Additionally, it renounced armed conflict as a tactic in favor of a negotiated resolution.
• Hamas rose to prominence by opposing the Oslo Peace Accords signed in the early 1990s between Israel and the PLO.

India’s stand on Hamas

• So far, India has not labeled Hamas as a terrorist group.
• New Delhi does not officially consider Hamas a terrorist organization but maintains a careful balance between supporting the Palestinian cause and opposing terrorism.
• Following the attack on October 7th, Prime Minister Modi expressed deep sympathy and solidarity with Israel, without specific mention of Hamas or Palestine.
• Since then, India has highlighted the importance of a two-state resolution for the broader Israel-Palestine conflict.

 Key takeaways from assassination of Hamas chief 

• Ismail Haniyeh, the Qatar-based public face of Hamas, was assassinated in Iran, possibly a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.
• Haniyeh was killed in Tehran while attending the inauguration of the newly-elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
• Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is currently present in Tehran for Pezeshkian's inauguration as well.
• Iran has vowed to retaliate for the assassination.
• This incident highlights that Hamas leaders are not secure in Iran or under its protection.
• In April of this year, Iran and Israel engaged in a series of missile and drone attacks against each other.
• While tensions had eased since then, this assassination could potentially reignite further conflict.

Wider conflict in the Middle East

• The killing, hours after an Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut, heightens fears of wider conflict in the Middle East.
  • Hezbollah had confirmed that its commander Fuad Shukr was killed in that strike.

For Israel - a success

• On October 7, 2023, Hamas caused the deaths of over 1,200 Israeli civilians and military members, and held around 250 people as hostages.
• Following this, the Israeli military extensively attacked Gaza through air strikes and ground operations, with the goal of targeting Hamas leaders.
• From Israel's perspective, this marks a significant success in its efforts to eliminate Hamas — a key aim of the Operation Swords of Iron.
• Haniyeh is the most senior Hamas official to have been eliminated thus far.

For Hamas - a provocation

• From Hamas’ perspective, however, this is a major provocation since Haniyeh was the head of its political bureau, based in Qatar.
• He was the public face of Hamas, and was negotiating the terms of the hostages deal and the ceasefire.
• Yahya Sinwar is the military leader who was responsible for the October 7 attacks.

Pressure on Newly elected President of Iran

• Within Iran and Hamas, there will now be demands for seeking revenge for Haniyeh's death.
• This will surely create pressure on the recently-elected moderate President Prezeshkian.
• The president's campaign for election focused on initiating talks with the Western countries, mainly due to the severe impact of Western sanctions on Iran's economy. His aim was to open discussions with Europe initially.
• However, following Haniyeh's killing, Pezeshkian will face demands from the IRGC and the conservative factions in Iran's government to retaliate similarly.

West Asia a tinderbox

• For the whole region, the killing is not good news, particularly if Iran and Hamas escalate. This escalation will affect all of West Asia.
• Qatar, Turkey, and the Yemeni Houthis have already criticized the killing, and major regional powers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are closely monitoring the situation.

India to carefully frame its response

• India is careful in how it reacts to the situation with Hamas leaders because it's a tricky situation involving a planned killing in another country.
• New Delhi is mainly focused on keeping peace and order in the area.
• The region is home to approximately nine million Indian workers and provides nearly two-thirds of India's oil supply.