The biggest loser in Israel’s war with the Palestinians will be Israel. From Gideon Levy at Haaretz via archive.is:
An Israeli flag flies next to the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, Tuesday.Credit: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
At the end of this war, Israel will find itself in a worse situation than when the war began. Even if Israel is able to realize its goals, which appear to be receding, the country’s situation will be worse than before. Since the moral aspects of this war hardly bother anyone in Israel, particularly not the media, all that remains is to honestly answer the following question: What does Israel stand to gain from this war? What exactly can it hope for?
While the chorus of army spokesmen posing as journalists cheer the army’s achievements, and since almost all Israelis believe that after October 7 Israel can do anything it pleases, one can only ask about the gains. The losses are already piling up. The longer the war continues, the greater the damage to Israel.
One can hardly think of even one advantage Israel might reap from this war, even if we ignore its horrors and the indescribable suffering on the other side and focus only on “what is good for Israel,” as Israelis like to frame it. It’s very bad for Israel. The future of the hostages is becoming increasingly murkier, and Israel’s security is growing shakier.
The facts are glaring. Hamas is growing stronger. The more it is hit in Gaza, the more its political strength grows among Palestinians, at least outside the Gaza Strip. The longer the war goes on, the worse Israel’s international standing becomes. It’s already reached an unprecedented nadir, not yet among governments, but certainly in world public opinion.
