So the Israeli Prime Minister has decided that 70% of Gaza is not enough. Now he wants it all, or at least tighter control over what remains of the strip. This is not a military escalation. It is a political one. A declaration that the two-state solution is dead, buried, and now being paved over for settler parking lots.
Let us recall the historical parallels. When the Roman Empire tightened its grip on Judea in the first century, it did not bring peace. It brought Masada. When the British Empire imposed its will on Ireland in the 19th century, it did not bring order. It brought the Easter Rising. And now, Netanyahu, a man who has spent more time in the dock than in the Knesset, is gambling that a show of force will save his skin.
But here is the uncomfortable truth: this escalation is not about security. It is about survival. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, a fractured coalition, and a public that is tired of his endless wars. So he does what all failing leaders do: he beats the drum of nationalism. He wraps himself in the flag and calls for unity against an external enemy. It is a tired script, but it works. For now.
The problem is that Gaza is not a conventional enemy. It is a cage with 2 million people inside. And when you tighten the bars, you do not break the spirit of the caged. You harden it. You create more militants, more tunnels, more rockets. You ensure that the next generation will be even more radicalised than the last. This is not strategy. This is insanity defined as doing the same thing and expecting different results.
And what of the international community? The United States, ever the loyal sidekick, will offer verbal condemnation while continuing to supply the arms. Europe will wring its hands and issue statements. The UN will hold a vote that Israel will ignore. And the Arab states, those champions of Palestinian rights, will look the other way as they normalise relations with the very government that is bombing their brothers. It is a farce. A tragedy dressed as a comedy.
Netanyahu’s move is also a message to the settlers: I am with you. I will not abandon you. But the settlers are not the majority. They are a vocal, violent minority that has hijacked the entire project of Zionism. And now, with this escalation, Netanyahu is betting the future of Israel on their messianic dreams. It is a dangerous bet, one that could lead to a full-scale regional war.
Let us not mince words. This is not a war of defence. It is a war of choice. A war of ego. A war of a man who would rather see Gaza burn than face his own demons. And the tragedy is that he will succeed in the short term. The bombs will fall, the tunnels will collapse, and the headlines will scream victory. But the long term is written in blood. This is how empires fall. Not with a bang, but with a constant tightening of the screw until something snaps.
So here we are, watching the latest chapter in the endless cycle of violence. And as always, the intellectuals will debate, the politicians will posture, and the dead will be buried. But maybe, just maybe, this time will be different. Maybe this time the world will see that you cannot cage a people forever. Or maybe I am just an optimist. Or a fool. The line is thin.
