The Israeli-Palestinian dispute, now inextricably linked to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, is currently probably the most dangerous source of global tension. We also perceive lines of clashes between the West and the Orient, secularity and religion, Shiite and Sunni influence, and there is one specificity that Shiite Iran, which is always interested in destabilizing this area, which is largely controlled by Sunnis and Jews, supports Sunni Hamas.
Reasons for devastating war
There are two main reasons why a devastating war confrontation has not yet erupted, resulting in a final settlement of the dispute. So far, they are the absolute military superiority of Israel, together with the always clearly declared alliance of the United States. All political efforts for a final peace settlement are permanently failed, because irreconcilability is already too deep and peace would necessarily require great compromises, which no one is willing to undergo. The futility of diplomatic attempts is also evidenced by decades of lengthy negotiations, where all so-called peace agreements are essentially only concrete forms of truce and the definition of a kind of status quo. All consensus means only tactical concessions. The United States, of course, is the only important mediator in resolving the conflict. But it is also clear that the “peace process” must formally continue.
Occasional European efforts
Occasional European efforts to play a more visible role in resolving the conflict are completely futile. Europe’s real influence is absolutely marginal. Muslims do not respect it for its opportunism, it is important for the Palestina only as a source of financial aid, and the Israelis do not trust it.
Today, Europeans can no longer perceive that metaphysical plane of strife, they have lost their relationship to the transcendent, and they turn a blind eye to aggressive ideologies out of fear, but it is they who have almost destroyed them recently. Idealistic Americans are closer to understanding the depth of the conflict. European postideological relativistic consensualism in this environment as a method cannot succeed. Moreover, most Europeans are, more or less covertly, anti-Israel. On the one hand, this stems from political pragmatism. In France, for example, 600,000 Jews live, the most in the European Union, but also 4 million Arabs. Other motives for anti-Israel attitudes stem from intellectual anti-capitalism (Jewish industrialists and bankers have always been a symbol of plutocracy) and anti-Americanism (socialists always annoying the United States support Israel), stereotypes of left-wing liberalism that dominates the thinking of most European intellectuals.
The paradox is that the original Israeli kibbutzim were based on the communist ethos and that many Jews were at the birth of socialist ideologies and were at the head of left-wing parties. They believed that socialism would also eradicate anti-Semitism. However, anti-Israel attitudes cannot be too open, because the shadow of the Holocaust still lies above Europe and fears of accusations of anti-Semitism remain strong.
It might seem that the long-standing stalemate in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict suits Israel, as it successfully defends the territorial position gained in the two wars with its intimidating military power. But time works against him. It is an island in the Islamic Sea, whose waves will become stronger and stronger.
