“So on the one hand, the UN has passed this resolution. The US says that Israel supports it, Israel says it doesn't support it,” said Radhika Desai, an author and professor in the Department of Political Studies and the director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, sat down with Sputnik's The Critical Hour.

“I would say that one thing that has not changed in this situation is the US continued and dogged support for Israel no matter what. But what has changed is that there are now the beginnings of cracks within the coalition in Israel. Benny Gantz has resigned because he thinks that Netanyahu is not being aggressive enough,” continued Desai.

“If you look at the sheer number of bombs that had been dropped on this tiny strip of land called Gaza. It is now increased and beyond is now surpassed the level of all the bombs used in World War II. Just consider that,” said Desai. “[Israel says] that Hamas is using civilians as human shields. You left hardly any space for Hamas. Of course, Hamas and civilians are all going to have to take shelter in the same place.”

“I think we can definitely see this as a direct Russian reply to the general US declaration of conducting what it calls ‘Freedom of navigation’ exercises. Although, as far as we know, no one has challenged the freedom of navigation,” Sleboda explained. “They patrol their navy up and down off Russia’s and China’s and Iran’s coast, saber-rattling and threatening as part of their policy of containment.”

“We see Russia and NATO on a precipice of direct confrontation between the two sides in Ukraine,” Sleboda said, calling the US action “incredibly provocative and irresponsible and dangerous,” also noting that despite Russian ships going to Cuba, they won’t be simulating nuclear attacks on US soil.