"Everything that is unfolding is a result of Israel's occupation of the Palestinians. As the conflagration spreads, the connection to Palestine becomes obscured. But it is clear how much of the stability of the Middle East was secured at the expense of the Palestinians."
"Faith in the durability of that status quo was always wishful thinking: a form of denial about how volatile, unpredictable and explosive the situation will always remain if you occupy and settle the lands of 3 million people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and blockade and isolate another 2 million or so in Gaza."
"The arrangement could not withstand an attack on Israel that triggered a bloody response from the Israeli government both in Gaza and the West Bank, and revealed to the world the ruthlessness and impunity of the Israeli state."
The Middle East conflict reflects a fundamental instability rooted in Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Prior to October 7, 2023, US policy pursued regional integration through containing Iran and normalizing Arab-Israeli relations, effectively sidelining Palestinian self-determination. This strategy assumed the occupation could continue indefinitely while Arab states paid only lip service to Palestinian concerns. However, the October 7 attack and subsequent Israeli response exposed the volatility of this arrangement. The occupation of 3 million people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, combined with the blockade of 2 million in Gaza, creates inherent instability. Without meaningful progress toward Palestinian self-determination, the region remains prone to escalation, as demonstrated by spreading conflict, rising death tolls, and economic disruption across Iran, Lebanon, and the Gulf.
#israeli-palestinian-conflict #middle-east-regional-stability #us-foreign-policy #palestinian-self-determination #october-7-aftermath
Read at www.theguardian.com
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