Israel’s most recent war against Hamas in Gaza is following a short-term script similar to previous clashes, but it may contribute to a longer-term geopolitical shift — especially in Europe — that could shape how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict plays out in the future.
Like in the past, Israel has more than enough geopolitical support — or silent complicity — from Western governments, even if the rest of the world condemns Tel Aviv for its disproportionate use of force and the terrible civilian death toll, now approaching 2,000 Gazans killed, including many children.
During the four-week-long onslaught, Israel has found that it’s getting harder to justify its overwhelming assault on the narrow Gaza Strip, especially attacks on United Nations-designated buildings shielding civilian refugees. But Israel apparently is willing to ignore the global outrage as long as its vital Western allies — chiefly the United States — continue to insist Israel has “a right to defend itself.”
But European public opinion — with discreet and isolated political consequences so far — is turning decisively against Israel’s use of force against the 1.7 million Gazans who are blockaded on all sides by Israel and Egypt’s military regime. Though most European governments continue to mute their criticism of Israel, popular disgust with these periodic attacks – called “mowing the grass” in Israel – could tilt the geopolitical balance in favor of the Palestinians.