The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been more than 100 years in the making. The fragmented geography of a potential Palestinian state, divided by hostile Israeli territory, undermines trust on both sides and perpetuates insecurity. This division, rooted in the establishment of Israel, has fueled territorial disputes and accounts for Israel’s gradual expansion into Palestinian areas.
Israel’s hypervigilance regarding border security is a product of multiple 20th-century Arab-Israeli wars. To cope with the threat, Israel has moved methodically against the West Bank, aiming to neutralize perceived threats by weakening Palestinian authority. Similarly, Gaza and Hamas remain central to Israeli security concerns, with Iranian-backed missile attacks reinforcing these fears. Hamas, confined to Gaza, relies on tunnels and sees Israel as an existential threat.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and Israel’s response reflect unresolved tensions between two adversaries trapped in a geopolitical abnormality. Despite international outcry over civilian casualties, as well as the near-total destruction of both Gaza and Hamas, Israel has not stopped its military operation in Gaza. From the Israeli government’s point of view, Hamas and its ideology, in any form, are grave threats to Israeli security and prosperity.
The Geopolitics of the American President