The current war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestine has reached a painful impasse, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed or wounded and Israel facing genocide charges at the International Court of Justice. Israeli military officials are now criticizing the war, stating that it lacked a clear political strategy or objective. This lack of a political approach reflects long-standing attitudes in Israeli society that view Palestinians as a subject population to be suppressed and controlled.
Israel’s failure to address the political claims of Palestinians has trapped the country in a perpetual conflict with its neighbors. Instead of pursuing a two-state solution, Israel has unilaterally colonized and annexed the West Bank, leading to accusations of apartheid. The United States, under President Joe Biden, has supported this dismissal of Palestinian political claims, evidenced by its backing of regional arms deals and normalization agreements between Gulf Arab states and Israel.
The U.S.’s reflexive support for a war that has proven to be aimless and brutal has tarnished America’s reputation abroad and is tearing at its own social fabric. Even staunch supporters of U.S. foreign policy have acknowledged the failures of treating Palestinians as politically irrelevant. The consequences of this approach are evident in the current conflict in Gaza, where Israel remains mired with no endgame in sight.
Hamas, the group targeted by Israel in the war, had made repeated political entreaties toward Israel, which were rejected. Instead, Israeli leaders focused on developing military and surveillance technology to control and ignore Palestinians indefinitely. This approach has now backfired, with Israel facing the prospect of another conflict with Hezbollah on its northern border and potential strains in its security relationship with Egypt.
Despite escalating pressure, Israeli leaders show no sign of relenting or returning to political bargaining. The government contains far-right and openly fascist ministers, and even mainstream figures like Defense Minister Yoav Gallant advocate for further development in the occupied West Bank, which would stamp out any hope for a two-state solution.
The U.S. enables Israel’s actions, despite international consensus that it is violating international law. The unquestioning support from successive U.S. administrations, including the Biden administration, has allowed Israel to defy global norms and public opinion. This support has also had negative consequences for Biden’s popularity, as he is seen as enabling Israel’s worst tendencies and abandoning diplomacy and international law.
If Biden loses the next election after enabling Israel’s actions, he will be remembered as a diplomatic failure who locked a superpower into a relationship with a client state that prioritizes apartheid and endless war over diplomacy. The future for Israel and the U.S. is one in which war will likely continue to be waged without clear goals or political strategies, echoing the warnings of military theorist Carl von Clausewitz.
