US has the wrong address
Head of the snake is in Tel Aviv
By Ebrahim Beheshti
Staff writer
The Israeli regime’s totalitarian policies over the past seven decades have plunged the entire West Asian region into a state of instability and chronic suffering, with no signs of resolution. Israel has not only disregarded United Nations resolutions during this time but also intensified aggression and settlement activities in Palestinian territories, effectively blocking the most optimistic solution to the conflict: the establishment of two separate governments.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the bellicose Prime Minister of this regime, has gone as far as openly rejecting the United States’ proposal for a two-state solution, bringing the diplomatic path to a standstill. The Israelis’ obstinacy and refusal to accept an independent Palestinian state have been major obstacles to successful diplomacy, despite decades of such efforts that coincided with guerrilla warf
Consequently, when diplomacy falters, alternative measures such as military campaigns naturally come to the forefront. Many view Hamas’ attack on the occupied territories on October 7 within this context — an act of retaliation against years of siege and violations of the rights of Gaza Strip residents, who are confined to what has been rightly described as the world’s largest open-air prison.
However, while Israel and its supporters label their response to the October 7 attack as “rightful self-defense,” it has resulted in the loss of over 26,000 Palestinian lives, predominantly women, children, and civilian men so far. This relentless violence has left the Gaza Strip in ruins, prompting William Schomberg, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross’ representative office in Gaza, to warn on Tuesday about the imminent collapse of medical services in the region. “Gaza is on the brink of a complete shutdown,” he said.
The repercussions of Israel’s extensive crimes are only natural. Lebanon’s Hezbollah has launched attacks on Israel’s border areas in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Yemen’s Ansarullah has carried out missile attacks on Israeli positions. Moreover, there are concerns about the security of ships traveling to Israel in the Red Sea, and Iraqi militia groups have targeted both Israeli and American positions. These actions can be seen as responses to Israel’s genocidal acts, of which the United States was a significant supporter.
However, this is not the entire narrative. When the United States blocked diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict at the UN Security Council, South Africa took the Israeli regime to the International Court of Justice over the charge of committing genocide. At the grassroots level as well, the ongoing massacres committed by Israel have sparked widespread reactions, including massive demonstrations worldwide and the establishment of campaigns in support of Palestinians and condemnation of Israel.
The world is calling for an end to the war, but this plea remains unanswered. Statesmen, experts, and even former Israeli officials had warned that prolonging the war would only lead to further escalations and the opening of new fronts against Israel. There were speculations that Benjamin Netanyahu, driven by personal concerns about the aftermath of the war, would refuse any proposal or plan to cease hostilities. Netanyahu seems willing to involve America in the conflict as well as it expands.
Following the recent attack by Iraqi militia groups on an American military base along the Jordan-Syria border that resulted in three deaths and more than 40 injuries, there have been various comments and predictions regarding America’s response. The default position of the United States and Israel is, unsurprisingly, to accuse the Islamic Republic of Iran of involvement in this attack and similar incidents. They continually assert that Iran is the root cause of instability in the region.
The claims and accusations made against Iran ignore obvious facts in the region and are a misrepresentation of the situation. A survey conducted by the Policy Research Center based in Doha, Qatar, revealed the views of citizens from 16 Arab countries, shedding light on the realities in the region. According to the survey, 77 percent of people in the Arab world consider the United States and Israel to be the biggest threats to the security and stability of the West Asian region. Out of those surveyed, 51% identified the United States as the greatest threat to regional stability, while 26% identified Israel. Only 7% considered Iran as the greatest threat. Furthermore, 94% of Arab people evaluated America’s positions during the Gaza war as negative.
These negative views towards the United States are indicative of a trend among Arab countries. The American military presence in the region for years under the banner of establishing security and democracy has, instead of bringing stability, security, and democracy, led to destructive wars in the region. Iraq and Syria continue to face instability and insecurity, even after years of American involvement. After two decades of being in Afghanistan, the United States ultimately handed over the country to the Taliban, the very group it claimed to be fighting against. The end of another regional conflict involving the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Ansarullah occurred as a result of the de-escalation policy pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Therefore, while blaming Iran may be the easiest option for the United States and Israel, it will ultimately bear no fruit. Contrary to a quote attributed to a former Saudi official, “the snake’s head” is not Iran but rather, Israel. Failing to assess the situation correctly and disregarding the realities on the ground will only complicate matters further for the United States. The approach of providing unconditional support to Israel and turning a blind eye to the root causes of instability in the region will lead to more destructive consequences for both America and the people of the region.
Many political experts are now advising American statesmen to shift their focus away from pressuring and accusing Iran to instead pressure the Israeli regime to cease its violence against the Palestinian people. The Guardian newspaper has recently warned American statesmen about the disastrous consequences of retaliatory actions against Iran, too. Such actions have prolonged the conflict in Gaza, triggered a full-scale attack by Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Israel, and turned the sporadic conflicts in Iraq and Syria into a living nightmare for the US. Additionally, these actions have the potential to destabilize governments friendly to the United States in Egypt, Jordan, and the Persian Gulf.
The Guardian columnist suggests that President Biden should prioritize addressing the root causes of the crisis without delay. This includes demanding an end to the bombing of Gaza by Israel, facilitating a cease-fire that includes the release of Israeli hostages, and leading a global campaign for the establishment of two states in Palestine. It is clear that an explosion of the conflict in the Middle East benefits no one.
The request made by the United States and the United Kingdom for Iran to use its influence to reduce regional tensions is reasonable and logical, provided that they themselves adopt such a policy. The sporadic attacks on Israeli and American positions in the region can be seen as a natural reaction to the larger crisis, which is Israel’s devastating attack on Gaza. Currently, the best course of action for reducing tensions is for the United States and the United Kingdom to exert pressure on their strategic ally, the Israeli regime, to end the war in Gaza and halt the massacre of the Palestinian people. The root cause of this tension lies in Tel Aviv. If Washington’s goal is genuinely to establish security and order in the region, as it claims, it must address the correct source of the problem.