What happened
Israel's policies, particularly those pursued by the Netanyahu government, have been deemed dangerous and self-defeating. The country's ongoing campaign in Gaza has led to its growing isolation in the international community and increasing antipathy towards it. The state's actions have endangered not only the Palestinian population but also the Jewish people, whom Israel was established to protect.
The pursuit of Jewish nationalism and the establishment of a territorial basis for a Jewish national existence were meant to normalize the existence of Jews and protect them from antisemitism. However, the current policies have led to a situation where one does not need to be an antisemite to hate Israel.
The international community, which once warmly received Israel's diplomatic engagements, such as the Madrid and Oslo processes, now views the country's actions with skepticism. The shortcomings of these efforts, including the assumption that there was no cost to failure, have contributed to the current state of affairs.
A warning spoken by Moshe Dayan, then chief of staff of the Israeli military, seven decades ago, resonates today. Dayan cautioned that a sea of hatred and desire for revenge was swelling beyond Israel's borders, awaiting the day when the country would let its guard down. His words continue to define both Israeli and Palestinian views of the conflict, which has become a brutal process of nation-building at the expense of the Palestinians.
