The terrible events shaking the Middle East are no longer confined to a geographic zone; they deeply resonate in the Western world. This phenomenon is not new, but with each new crisis, tensions seem to intensify. Paradoxically, while some voices accuse the West of neglecting distant conflicts, others attempt to silence the one that today ignites passions. We find ourselves plunged into a Manichean duel where each side claims the role of the "just" against the "oppressor."

Communication surrounding international conflicts has never been as crucial. It has transformed into a strategic lever as powerful as the weapons on the battlefield. The need for neutrality and perspective is imperative to understanding the complex dynamics of these events. Yet, what we observe is only polarization. We are faced with a spiral in which different parties, instead of engaging in dialogue, multiply the most extreme justifications, trampling on international rules, and even normalizing war crimes. This is not merely an Israeli-Palestinian conflict; it is a broader questioning of global diplomacy.

It is now undeniable that the return of the remaining hostages is no longer a priority.

In this chaos, there are still rules in international relations, lessons from history that repeat themselves endlessly. Violence breeds humiliation, humiliation calls for revolt, and revolt feeds resistance. This deadlock is glaring. There is a disconcerting impression that Tel Aviv's objective lies elsewhere, and it is chilling. The proposal of a "Greater Israel," put forward by Benjamin Netanyahu in September 2023, went almost unnoticed, overshadowed by the Hamas attack a few weeks later. Yet, this idea reflects a dangerous expansionist vision that fuels hatred and perpetuates the cycle of violence. It is now undeniable that the return of the remaining hostages is not a priority. It stands in stark contrast to the actual aim of the operation: systematic destruction aimed at an ethnic cleansing of Gaza, expelling Palestinians to make way for new settlements.

The debate is so intense today because we are reliving the fractures of the early 20th century. Nationalist religious right-wing movements dominate not only in Israel but also in Europe, the United States, and India. They have already demonstrated their ability to set the world ablaze. In Europe, their rise led to unspeakable tragedies, the scars of which we still bear through two world wars. This resurgence should be a wake-up call for all of us.

The same voices that demand Russia’s isolation from the international stage proudly defend Israel with blind fervor. Should we accuse them of Russophobia for that?

However, there remains space for international dialogue: the United Nations. The UN, though criticized and weakened, remains an essential forum. Those who accuse it of anti-Semitism for daring to denounce human rights violations are wrong. Criticizing a state for its actions does not mean condemning its entire people. The same voices that demand Russia’s isolation from the international stage proudly defend Israel with blind fervor. Should we accuse them of Russophobia for that?

One cannot oppress a population without consequences.

It is undeniable that Israel suffered a terrible attack on October 7, the deadliest since the Holocaust. A year later, Israeli families still mourn their dead, and it is our duty to empathize. But how can we not see that this tragedy was foreseeable? Hamas, despite its terrorist attacks, does not operate in a political vacuum. Gaza is under blockade, the West Bank endures daily occupation, and the ever-increasing violence stems from the humiliation of an entire people. One cannot oppress a population without consequences. How many October 7ths have Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, and Iraqis endured? Must they, too, accept that their fate is always one of war?

Thinking that destroying Hamas or Hezbollah will end the conflict is an illusion.

The ones responsible for this situation are not only those pulling the triggers today. They are also those who, for decades, have sabotaged every chance for peace, are responsible for the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, or allowed Hamas to strengthen to better divide the Palestinians. These same individuals now seek to manipulate the media, to obscure the realities of colonization, to divert attention from the disastrous consequences of this war for Palestinian civilians. On Western news channels, the same warlike fury spreads: Israel is the bulwark against radical Islamism, the scourge of the world, and as such, it is granted every right, including the disregard of international law.

Thinking that destroying Hamas or Hezbollah will end the conflict is an illusion. Once Hamas is gone, another movement, perhaps even more radical, will rise from the ashes of accumulated hatred. Far from strengthening its security, Israel is exposing itself to ever greater threats. Since October 7, air raid sirens have sounded without respite, and the opening of a new front with Lebanon, facing a Hezbollah better trained and equipped than Hamas, forebodes an even longer and more destructive war, if that is possible.

This war, like so many others, will not be won on the battlefield. Bombings and ground offensives will never provide a lasting solution. Just as the destruction of Hamas will not lead to peace, the repression of a humiliated people will not end their resistance. History has shown this time and again: when legitimate grievances of the oppressed are ignored, future violence is only nourished.

The major powers entering the fray, whether for strategic or ideological reasons, bear immense responsibility. They can no longer settle for the role of distant arbitrator. The international community must stop turning a blind eye to the structural injustices fueling this conflict. Rules were established to avoid global chaos after two terrible wars last century, and those rules can no longer be selectively applied. It is imperative to restore a common sense of international justice and reject the double standards that discredit any attempt to restore peace.

True security will not come from the destruction of an enemy, but from recognizing another path: one of dialogue, reconciliation, and respect for the fundamental rights of all peoples, including the Palestinians. As long as this aspiration is ignored, as long as a just and lasting peace is not on the agenda, the region will remain trapped in an endless cycle of vengeance and hatred.

Israel must ask itself: what kind of peace does it truly seek? One built on the ruins of a people, or one that emerges from a lasting agreement, where each nation, each community, can exist with dignity and security? The future of the Middle East will be shaped by its ability to overcome the traumas of the past to envision a shared future. That is the challenge, but also the fragile hope we must carry, for the cost of failure is far too great to bear, not only for the region’s people but for all humanity.