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https://theconversation.com/when-russia-and-israel-talk-about-setting-up-buffer-zones-what-they-are-really-talking-about-is-a-land-grab-239765>
"In the conflicts raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, we have recently seen
calls for the establishment of what are being referred to as “buffer zones”.
Russia has proposed setting one up around Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv in the
north-east of the country. This, the Kremlin claims, is to protect Russian
towns from shelling and missile attacks from Ukrainian territory.
Israel, meanwhile, wants to establish a buffer zone in southern Lebanon. It
says it needs to protect nearly 70,000 civilians returning to their homes,
which they have abandoned in the past year after rocket attacks by Hezbollah.
But these suggestions should be viewed with scepticism. Both Russia and Israel
want to set up these buffer zones within the borders of neighbouring autonomous
nation states – in breach of their sovereignty – in the name of “security”.
They should instead primarily be seen as a way of formalising control over
contested territory to protect their home bases, which would give them a
military advantage.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that neither nation is
formally at war with its opponent. No formal declaration of war has been issued
by Russia to Ukraine, while Israel claims its legitimacy to establish a buffer
zone under Article 51 of the UN constitution concerning self-defence.
Such arguments are hypocritical and one-sided. Russian and Israeli policymakers
have shown no concern for the effect of the establishment of these zones on the
Ukrainian and Lebanese populations of the areas."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
