Opinion: Endangered and Dangerous Israel, Endangering Jews
Tensions between Israel and Palestine stretch back over a century, rooted in historical conflicts and shifting power dynamics. Recent events, including Israelâs ongoing siege of Gaza and diplomatic clashes at the UN, highlight deep-seated divisions that show no signs of easing.
In the early 20th century, Zionist settlers in Palestine remained largely separated from their Arab neighbours. This division set the stage for decades of friction, culminating in the 1948 Nakbaâthe expulsion of three-quarters of non-Jewish Palestinians from the newly formed Israeli state. The displacement was not overlooked by Israelis, who saw it as a necessary step in securing their territory.
Over time, military operations in Gaza became routine, often designed to push inhabitants toward leaving. The current siege is framed by some as part of a long-term effort to instil fear and enforce respect for Jewish authority among Palestinians. This approach mirrors historical justifications used to suppress slave revolts and colonial uprisings, where resistance was met with further denial of self-rule. At the UN, Israelâs representative reacted angrily to the Secretary Generalâs remarks on Hamasâ raid, refusing to engage with broader context. Meanwhile, US support for Israelâs actions in Gaza has sparked global backlash, fuelling hostility toward Jewish communities worldwide. Behind the scenes, American Jewish leaders once advised US policymakers that backing Israel would make it more willing to compromise, while appeasing Arab demands would only harden their stance. Yet by 1950, no major US Jewish organisation publicly pushed for increased support of Israelâs government in meetings with officials. There is also no evidence they believed such support would curb extremism in Israeli politics. Now, a more extreme strategy is reportedly under consideration: the outright destruction of Gaza as a habitable place for its 2 million residents.
The cycle of conflict shows little sign of breaking. Israelâs military campaigns in Gaza, backed by US policy, continue to provoke international condemnation and deepen regional instability. For Palestinians, the threat of further displacement and destruction remains a daily reality.
