The unparalleled steadfastness and resilience of the Palestinian people in a heroic epic between the strongest military force in the Middle East and a people under siege for 17 years who only have the basics of life- if they are available. A full year has passed since the confrontation that carries a package of opportunities not only for the benefit of the Palestinian people but also for the benefit of the Arab and Islamic nations and the free people of the world. We briefly stand on some of these opportunities; perhaps they will find a way for those who invest in them.
- The steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance and the Palestinian people, which thwarted Israel and Netanyahu from achieving its two most important goals for the war, which are destroying the military power of the resistance and liberating the prisoners to achieve absolute victory. It plunged the occupying entity into internal political confusion at the popular and governmental levels, and external political embarrassment. This steadfastness has frustrated the ability of Israel to find an alternative to the resistance to rule the Gaza Strip or eliminate the resistance. The legendary steadfastness of the people of Gaza has hindered displacement attempts, increased the anger of global public opinion against the occupation, and confused the political arrangements for the post-war period. The continuation of the steadfastness complicates determining the nature of the day after the war in favor of the occupation.
- Resistance in the West Bank and the interaction of the axis of resistance: despite the siege on the West Bank, the resistance there continues to confuse the occupation army and disperse its efforts, as it has withdrawn several military divisions to the West Bank. The West Bank constitutes a disruption and confusion in the strategic depth of the occupation, and the interaction of the West Bank strikes at the flank of the occupation. If it develops, it will have a major impact on the internal security situation of the occupation, and changing the concept of victory. The interaction of the resistance axis in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq also confuses the internal security situation of Israel. Moreover, the occupation’s insistence on invading Lebanon and sending its military units there may fuel tension in the region toward the development of a regional war, especially with the steadfastness of the Lebanese resistance.
- Popular Arab, Islamic, and international support, especially global youth support, and the support of many countries and their governments for the Palestinian cause, and the beginning of the process of recognizing the Palestinian state. The decisions and directions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court also frightened many governmental parties regarding legal prosecutions that would result from that. The war revived the spirit of resistance in the nation, and highlighted Hamas as a basic title for resistance, contrary to what the occupation and its Western agents wish. Also, the Palestinian cause returned to the regional and international popular and official forefront.
- The demographic change inside Israel due to many reasons including the increase in reverse migration of settlers outside Palestine, the political division of the Israeli political system, the division of Israeli society, the deep internal disputes, and the presence of a large number of dead, wounded and disabled young soldiers. All of which confuse and distort the demographic situation of Israeli society in terms of numbers, and age groups, and weaken the unity of its internal unity.
- The fragility of deterrence and the fragility of sovereignty. The Palestinian and Lebanese resistance have been keen to establish a clear deterrence equation. After the collapse of the Israeli security system on October 7, Hezbollah’s bombing of the north, Iran’s two missile strikes, as well as the bombing from Yemen and Iraq, all of these smack the occupying state daily- for the first time in its history. In addition, the confidence of Israeli society in the security and military system is shaken, and the principle of Israeli deterrence eroded. It is quite clear that Israel was unable to continue without continuous American support. Hence, Israel has become afflicted with the fragility of deterrence. The resistance, with its modest capabilities, has also proven the fragility of the occupation’s sovereignty in terms of disrupting air and train traffic, paralyzing some ports, placing thousands in shelters for long hours, and disrupting the economy. Hence, Israel suffers from the fragility of deterrence and the fragility of sovereignty. This fragility is a sign of the Arab countries rushing towards normalization under the pretext of seeking protection from an entity that suffers from such fragilities.
This brief package of opportunities calls on Arab countries, officials, leaders, and groups to build on and invest in it to restore dignity and establish a broad base of cooperation and integration to achieve dignity and impose peace.
Dr. Wael Shadid
Head of the Leadership and Diplomacy Center
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