Is Israel the only disruptor in West Asia?

The tragedy of West Asia is that every conflict in the region comes wrapped in competing narratives of victimhood. Each side invokes history, trauma, insecurity and righteousness. Yet, amidst the fog of propaganda and geopolitical manipulation, some hard questions must still be asked. Is Israel, backed unwaveringly by the United States, the principal destabilising force behind decades of turmoil in the Gulf and the wider Middle East? Has its refusal to comply with international law, its relentless militarisation, and its determination to preserve regional supremacy pushed the region into an endless cycle of violence?

I, myself, like so many others, admire the state of Israel. Through history, the Jews have undergone immense suffering, culminating in the unspeakable horror of the Holocaust. The creation of Israel in 1948 was born out of immense historical anguish. But history also records the fact that the creation of Israel led to the dispossession and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The Palestinian question remains the festering wound of the Middle East. Decade after decade, Israel has ignored repeated United Nations resolutions calling for withdrawal from occupied territories and for a just settlement of the Palestinian issue. The expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, the occupation of Palestinian land, and the systematic erosion of the possibility of a viable Palestinian state have continued unabated.

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The consequence of this prolonged injustice has been rage. Rage breeds extremism. Organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah emerged from this atmosphere of humiliation and despair. However, their methods, particularly terrorism directed at civilians, cannot be defended. The deliberate targeting of innocent people is morally indefensible, whether committed by a non-state actor or by a powerful state. Yet, while condemning terrorism, one must also ask: can violence be eradicated when the political roots of grievance remain deliberately unaddressed?

The recent devastation inflicted upon Palestinians in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world. Entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble, hospitals destroyed, children buried beneath debris, and tens of thousands of civilian deaths have led many across the globe to describe the assault as akin to genocide. Israel insists that it acts in self-defence after the barbaric attacks carried out by Hamas. Every sovereign nation has the right to protect its citizens. But does self-defence justify the destruction of an entire civilian population? Does it justify turning human suffering into a spectacle of overwhelming military vengeance?

These are questions that need to be asked. A state born from the memory of persecution cannot indefinitely justify policies that inflict immense suffering upon another people. The argument that all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic has also increasingly lost credibility. One can oppose anti-Semitism unequivocally while simultaneously condemning policies of occupation, annexation and disproportionate military retaliation.

The real truth behind Israel’s unacceptable supremacism is the near unconditional backing of the United States. Washington’s strategic alliance with Israel has ensured diplomatic protection, military aid and political cover, often regardless of Israeli actions. The influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups within American politics is more than evident, encouraging in Israel’s leadership a dangerous sense of impunity.

There is little doubt that America’s involvement in the attack on Iran, despite the enormous costs of another regional confrontation, was deeply influenced by Israeli strategic interests. Israel has long viewed Iran as its principal regional adversary and has consistently sought to prevent Tehran from emerging as a dominant power. For years, there have been covert attacks, cyber warfare, targeted assassinations of Iranian scientists, and efforts to isolate Iran internationally.

The Gulf region itself has paid a heavy price for this geopolitics. The repeated wars, covert operations, assassinations, sanctions and proxy conflicts have created a climate of permanent instability. Benjamin Netanyahu himself has become one of the most polarising figures in global politics. Presiding over a fragile coalition dependent upon ultra-nationalist and far-right elements, he has increasingly embraced a politics of militarised nationalism. Around the world, there are growing calls for accountability regarding war crimes committed during military operations in Gaza.

Yet, to reduce the entire tragedy of the Middle East to a single villain would be intellectually simplistic. The Arab world has often failed the Palestinians through cynical posturing and internal divisions. Iran, too, has contributed to this turbulence through its support for militant proxies and its ideological ambitions in the region. Extremist organisations have perpetuated violence that further brutalises ordinary people. Western powers, driven by oil, arms sales and strategic calculations, have repeatedly treated the region as a chessboard for power politics.

What then is the solution?

First, there must be an immediate and credible revival of the two-state solution. Without justice for Palestinians, there can be no enduring peace. Palestinians deserve dignity, sovereignty and security, just as Israelis do. Any settlement must guarantee the legitimate rights of both peoples.

Second, there must be international accountability. No nation, however powerful, should stand above international law. Civilian lives cannot become expendable in the pursuit of military objectives.

Third, the United States must rethink its role. Blind support for one side has only deepened resentment across the region. Washington can play a constructive role only if it acts as a genuine mediator rather than an unquestioning patron.

Fourth, regional powers, including Iran and the Arab states, must move away from proxy warfare and sectarian manipulation. The Middle East cannot survive endless cycles of revenge.

Ultimately, peace in the region will require moral courage: the courage to recognise the humanity of the other side. The tragedy is that generations of children — Palestinian, Israeli, Lebanese, Iranian and Arab — have inherited fear instead of hope.

(The writer is a former diplomat, an author, and a politician. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.)