My colleague Abdulrahman Al-Rashed recently wrote an article in which he asked us to be pragmatic. He stated that Arab countries with ties to Israel will not sever those relations, nor will countries hosting American military bases shut them down.
Egypt and Jordan will not withdraw from their peace agreements, and Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) will not step down from power.
Al-Rashed justified this stance by highlighting the high costs of such actions, suggesting that even if they were taken, neither the concerned countries nor the Palestinians would gain any concessions or victories. He urged us to base our expectations on what is politically achievable, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the “two-state solution”, which is supported by the international community, including Israel’s allies and friends.
Al-Rashed, as well as his followers in Kuwait, praised the outcomes of peace agreements that returned the Suez Canal and Sinai to Egypt, and allowed thousands of Palestinians to return from exile in Tunisia and Yemen to the West Bank. He also praised Israel’s overwhelming military superiority, noting that it is still capable of even more.
Al-Rashed said Iran, despite its possession of powerful missiles, has retreated, limiting its response to issuing official statements. He further claimed that Israel, even though it excels at waging wars, is wary of political confrontations. Even with backing from the U.S. administration, Israel cannot always count on unwavering support when it comes to carefully calculated diplomatic confrontations.
Al-Rashed concluded by stating that political solutions, particularly the two-state solution, are likely to gain acceptance from some segments of the Israeli public and will gradually win more support over time. This is because such a solution promises long-term security for Israelis and helps prevent a repeat of events like those of October 7, unlike the wars pursued by Netanyahu.
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We are on the brink of an unprecedented phase. All Arab countries, particularly the Gulf states, are increasingly vulnerable to potential aggression. The Gulf region, with its immense wealth, relatively small populations, and internal stability compared to countries like Egypt, Sudan, and Iraq, presents an attractive target for any aggressor. More importantly, today’s Israel is not the Israel of the past. Even though it once returned Sinai and a few kilometers to the Palestinians and Jordanians, the current trajectory suggests a shift in ambition.
The long-held dream of a “Greater Israel” could inch closer to reality within a few years. This opportunity might vanish with any shift in leadership in influential global powers. The 12-Day War proved that Israel’s relatively small geographic size is a strategic vulnerability, even with its nuclear arsenal. Israel now appears eager to expand its territory and is unlikely to let this moment slip away to secure greater land and long-term safety.
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It is clear that we are being subjected to a calculated political and psychological campaign designed to instill despair, spread frustration, and prepare us to surrender to whatever fate awaits us. If Israel expands southward tomorrow, the same narratives will resurface. We will be urged to accept the status quo, normalize ongoing expansion, and continue living in submission and humiliation. I am not calling for war, nor am I advocating for the cancellation of treaties or the removal of U.S. military bases.
What I am calling for is the preservation of the minimum level of self-respect and solidarity in the face of a ruthless military and political machine whose leaders openly believe, as they interpret from the Torah, that we are destined for nothing less than annihilation. This is a war between the people of heaven and the people of hell. I fear the day when we will find ourselves saying, “I was eaten on the day the white bull was eaten.”
By Ahmad alsarraf
email: [email protected]
email: [email protected]
