In discussions around West Asia, moral clarity is often clouded by competing narratives of grievance. Every actor claims injury; every conflict is framed as a response to provocation. Within this crowded field of accusation, Israel is frequently unjustly singled out as the principal destabilizing force. It is a claim that may be emotionally compelling—but it is analytically thin.

To understand Israel’s role, one must begin with the circumstances of its birth. The establishment of the state in 1948 followed centuries of persecution of Jews, culminating in the Holocaust. That history is not merely symbolic; it is foundational to Israel’s security doctrine. The country’s strategic posture—often criticized as overly muscular—reflects a deeply ingrained belief that vulnerability invites catastrophe.

Critics argue that Israel’s policies toward Palestinians lie at the heart of regional instability. There is no denying that the Palestinian question remains unresolved, nor that it carries profound human consequences. Yet to attribute the broader turmoil of the Middle East primarily to Israel is to overlook the region’s wider........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)