TWO WEEKS ago, when Hamas launched their surprise raid on Israel, it sparked strong emotions from groups all over the world.
There were even speculations that Israel’s inevitable response could turn into a possible catalyst for world war, and if not that, then at least a regional war.
I was more subdued in my reaction.
What had happened with the Hamas attacks (and Israel’s retaliation) is nothing new, and regardless of what happens next, barring the mass genocide/expulsion of the Palestinians or the fall of the Israeli state, things will not change.
They will fight until they’ve both exhausted themselves and then they will go to the negotiation table, after which they’ll seethe at each other.
This is not certain, of course, but I’d give it an 80% chance that this is what will happen. Past Israeli-Hamas conflicts had followed the same pattern.
The truth is that the multigenerational blood feud between the Israelis and Palestinians would be a regional issue with limited global importance were it not for it supporters: The government of the United States and Europe for the Israelis and Iran (and its own allies) for the Palestinians.
Without these larger players, the conflict between Israel and Palestine would be quickly resolved, one way or another. And as long as the present geo-political calculus exists, these larger players are not likely to escalate.
My personal feeling towards the Israeli-Palestinian situation is strict neutrality. There are no “good guys” in that conflict, and supporting one side or another does not serve my country’s interests outside the welfare of a few overseas Filipino workers who, in my opinion, should avoid working in that part of the world in the first place.
Further, unlike the Ukraine situation or the tensions in our backyard, the conflict in Palestine will most likely have marginal effects on the world economy.
It’s just the same cycle of violence playing out all over again./PN
