Current policies in the West Bank to maximize settler presence and control, weaken the Palestinian Authority, and minimize consequences for Jewish terror against Palestinian civilians are calculated to raise tensions to a point of violence that would then justify IDF operations to make the West Bank as uninhabitable for Palestinians as Gaza.Just like Gaza, however, massive destruction of infrastructure and loss of life will provide no lasting solution to the conflict and no safeguards for Israel’s long-term security. The rational answer to Israel’s growing challenges is to ally itself more closely with regional actors that have demonstrated their trustworthiness: Saudi Arabia, which took part in shooting down Iranian missiles in April 2024; Egypt and Jordan, which have kept their peace agreements with Israel through coups, internal protests, and the current polarizing war; and the Palestinian Authority, which has maintained security coordination with Israel, invaded terror strongholds, and serves as the most significant bulwark against Iranian, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad influence in the West Bank today. The process soured ties between the PA and the US government and made the former into a diplomatic cipher for the remainder of the first Trump term, with consequences still shaping the conflict context to this day.
Author: BY TEHILA WENGER
Published at: 2025-04-16 22:53:43
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