Iran isn’t Israel’s only problem
American politicians are quarreling about whether the US bombs obliterated Iran’s nuclear program or just seriously damaged it. Meanwhile, the situations in Gaza, the West Bank, Yemen, and Lebanon are deteriorating.
War crimes in Gaza
The Israel Defense Force denies targeting civilians in Gaza. But some of its soldiers disagree. And some of Israel’s politicians aren’t being shy about wanting to displace the Palestinians there. Both targeting civilians and displacement of them are war crimes, as is denying them humanitarian assistance. Prime Minister Netanyahu himself told a Knesset committee that
The only inevitable outcome will be the desire of Gazans to emigrate outside of the Gaza Strip.
The May operation he was referring to was named Gideon’s Chariots. The 1948 Operation Gideon aimed to expel Arabs from an area of the Jordan Valley. The Old Testament’s Gideon was a military commander who led a small Jewish army against a much larger Midianite force. But his career ends in heretical idolatry and without honor to him and his family. That makes the name of the operation doubly, if unintentionally, appropriate.
Even if large numbers of Palestinians were to leave Gaza, it is not clear that would help Israel. Some would settle in Sinai, which has a longer border with Israel than Gaza. Egypt doesn’t want them, but it will be difficult to avoid taking some. Others would join the more distant diaspora, with no friendly feelings towards Israelis or Jews in general. Palestinian terrorism worldwide is still within living memory. It is not a fond one.
Crimes in the West Bank
In the West Bank, Jewish settlers commit most violent crimes, with little provocation by Palestinians or intervention on the part of the Israeli security forces:
But the IDF is increasingly involved in violence against civilians as well:
Israel has embraced impunity. The settlers and the security forces are doing what they please. They show little regard for the welfare of Israelis or Jews in general.
The north and south are problematic too
The Houthis in Yemen have returned to attacking Israel with missiles and drones. They are upholding the agreement not to attack US ships in the Red Sea. But that is doing little to revive commerce and passage through the Suez Canal. Traffic there was off by well more than 50% between 2023 and 2024. The dip is continuing. Few commercial ships fly US flags.
In the north, Israel claims Hezbollah is reconstituting. The IDF is renewing attacks in southern Lebanon and remains in five locations inside Lebanon. That puts its President and Prime Minister, committed to moving Hezbollah north of the Litani River, in an awkward spot.
The regional war
A regional war many feared has arrived.
Arab states are staying out of it. Syria has done little or nothing to prevent Israel from using its airspace. It is too weak to force Israel out of newly occupied Syrian territory along their border. Jordan and Egypt speak out against mistreatment of the Palestinians, but neither wants more Palestinian refugees. The Gulf states are doing likewise. Qatar took a hit from Iran aimed at its American guests but remains committed to its mediator role. For many Arabs, watching Israel clobber Iran and its proxies is a find spectator sport.
But Israeli diplomacy is a far cry from its military prowess. Prime Minister Netanyahu played President Trump like a violin. He gave the narcissist an opportunity to join a winning war. Trump couldn’t resist. But an agreement to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is now a distant mirage. A political solution to the military violence in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen also seems far off.
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