While some Israelis are uncomfortable with the extent of Israel's destruction in Gaza, there is broader support for the policy of targeting Iran and its proxy groups through the region, particularly Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. It's a claim Israel denies, but the plan is driven by Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a man who is openly racist about Palestinians and who once declared that the founder of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, should have "finished the job" when it came to ridding Palestinians from Israel upon its foundation in 1948. The challenge is that when there is a security vacuum or regional chaos and crises, it presents an opportunity for disruptors, be it states like the Islamic Republic [of Iran] or non-state actors to take advantage of these chaotic places, to advance their own purposes … and Israel's imposition of a one-state solution or one-state reality on Palestinians has not only damaged Israel's security but it has created a security crisis across the Middle East that requires urgent attention."
Author: John Lyons
Published at: 2025-06-15 20:21:34
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