"While Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year achieved his dream of dragging the US into a military confrontation with Iran, it came at a steep and unprecedented cost for Israel. Seeing Netanyahu beg Donald Trump to be bailed out from a quagmire, a rising number of Americans openly acknowledge that Israel is not an ally but a liability. In September, the US's Arab allies also reached the conclusion that we Iranians have always underscored: Israel's recklessness is a threat to all."
"The US administration now faces a dilemma: it can continue writing blank cheques for Israel with American taxpayer dollars and credibility, or be part of a tectonic change for the better. For decades, western policy towards our region has been mostly shaped by myths originating from Israel. The war in June was momentous for a number of reasons, including how it exposed the cost for the west of mistaking mythology for strategy."
"Israel and its proxies claim a decisive victory, with Iran left weakened and deterred. Yet our vast strategic depth the country covers an area the size of western Europe, and has a population 10 times that of Israel's meant that most of our provinces were untouched by Israel's aggression. In contrast, all Israelis experienced the might of our military. The narrative of invulnerability central to Israel's myth-making machine has been shattered."
Netanyahu's provocation drew the US toward military confrontation with Iran but imposed steep, unprecedented costs on Israel. American public sentiment shifted, viewing Israel increasingly as a liability rather than an ally. Arab US allies concluded that Israel's recklessness threatens the region, enabling new relationships that could transform geopolitics. The US administration now faces a choice between continuing unconditional support or supporting a tectonic regional change. Western policy toward the region was shaped by Israeli-origin myths. The June war exposed the cost of mistaking myth for strategy. Iran's territorial depth left most provinces untouched while Israeli society experienced Iranian military might, shattering the narrative of invulnerability.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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