Israel’s ongoing conflict: Power struggles, regional impact, and paths to peace
When Israel announced the conclusion of three months of fierce fighting in southern Gaza at the end of September, State Department officials hinted that it might have used its military force to its fullest. Approximately 90% of Gaza’s population was displaced, and much of the country was in ruins. The prevailing opinion was that there was nothing more to bomb and no justification for fighting on. Israel was particularly pressured to participate in cease-fire negotiations following the murders of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. However, Israel exacerbated rather than bowed to this plea for peace. It started bombing again in Gaza’s north, especially in the vicinity of Jabalia. Additionally, it targeted Houthi-held areas in Yemen and locations in Syria. It targeted Hezbollah bases in Lebanon and even bombed 14 banks it said were transferring money to Hezbollah. In Lebanon, 1,085 buildings have been hit so far.
Terrorism and security threats
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, boldly declared that the battle was still raging and could be won. However, his initial goal of rendering Hamas administratively and militarily unusable was not feasible and would have at least doubled the current death toll to well over 80,000. Netanyahu’s perilous position as prime leader comes first. As everyone knows, the only thing keeping him from facing charges for major offenses like corruption and election fraud is the fact that he is the head of state. He could face indictment if he participated in a negotiated solution because the radical right-wing orthodox parties that depended on his survival would overthrow the government. For that reason alone, he has a great motive to keep the battle going. Second, escalation supports Netanyahu’s argument in his address to Congress that he is defending America by confronting Iran, the United States’ main adversary in the Middle East. This maintains both the arms pipeline and America’s steadfast backing for Israel in the UN. The Biden administration has only once failed to vote in favor of Israel in the U.N. Security Council and just approved a new $20 billion arms sale that will be delivered in 2028.
The role of religion and identity
The deterrence factor comes in third. Since 1948, Israel has been encircled by adversaries and has fought two wars with them. However, it has generally maintained a low level of hostilities. It’s different now. In retribution for the 1,200 Israeli citizens killed by Hamas, it has claimed the lives of nearly 43,000 people. Additionally, it has reduced several Gazan towns and communities to ruins while causing the fewest possible Israeli casualties. Israel’s total control over the radio is the root cause of this. As seen by the assassination of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah last month, airstrikes can be carried out with extreme precision. With these strategies, Israel has shown its enemies that it can cause catastrophic damage while posing the least amount of threat to itself. With such overwhelming power at its disposal, it doesn’t need to threaten to deploy nuclear weapons. Given the possibility of becoming the new Gaza, it is unclear if Hezbollah will be dissuaded from intensifying its military operations.
Humanitarian challenges amid conflict
With American military support and diplomatic backing, Israel’s goal seems to be focused on becoming a regional superpower. This would account for the current escalation of fighting on five fronts: Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen under Houthi rule. A permanent cease-fire must be the first step in any long-term peace process. An embargo on all arms transfers must come after this. A United Nations peacekeeping force might be sent under these circumstances to guard against a return to fighting and to secure medical and other humanitarian relief efforts. Last but not least, all fighters and their supporters or proxies need to start negotiating a strong solution that includes the hostages’ return, the reconstruction of cities and towns devastated by the conflict, and a pledge to respect prewar borders. There is no other option, but this is a precarious route to peace. According to Israeli estimates, some 1,200 people were killed and over 250 were captured and transported to Gaza. The Israeli military has responded with air and artillery attacks that have killed over 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas in Gaza. After the Ottoman Empire, which dominated that region of the Middle East, lost World War One, Britain seized control of what is now known as Palestine. Along with other, smaller ethnic groups, the region was populated by a majority of Arabs and a minority of Jews. When the UK was tasked by the international community with creating a “national home” for Jews in Palestine, tensions between the two peoples increased.
