No one could have predicted what has unfolded in the Middle East over the past two years. On the eve of Oct. 7, it was hardly imaginable that Israel’s genocide would be tolerated, let alone supported, for two years by Western countries, including the United States. It was difficult to foresee that Israel’s attack on Qatar would become a turning point uniting the Arab world. Few would have believed that Arab countries could come together and pressure U.S. President Donald Trump into agreeing to a cease-fire.
Most importantly, few could have imagined that Israel – its reputation and image shattered – would be forced to bow to a cease-fire. Other examples could be added to this list. But this has been the fate of the Middle East for the past century: no agreement, cease-fire or peace has ever carried a guarantee for the next day. Especially when Israel is involved, since its founding, Israel has never abided by a cease-fire or an agreement. It has thrived on perpetuating instability and fragility in the region.
Israel has always treated cease-fires and agreements as temporary tools, a chance to refresh its image, build legitimacy, reposition itself in domestic politics and prepare militarily. After a certain period, the pattern recurred: first violations, then attacks and finally occupation.
Now, with Trump’s pressure, a cease-fire has been secured in Gaza. The Gaza summit has been held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Nearly 20 world leaders attended this summit, led by Trump, to discuss how to preserve the cease-fire and build a lasting peace. For now, the focus remains on implementing the cease-fire terms. But no complete agreement has yet been reached on the critical issues: Gaza’s administration, Hamas’s future or Israel’s full withdrawal.
The path to a final peace is clear. It lies in Israel’s withdrawal to the 1967 borders, an end to the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem and a two-state solution.
Until now, Israel has managed to block even discussions of an independent Palestinian state. By invoking the Holocaust narrative, it built a sense of victimhood in the West. By shaping the dominant discourse in international forums, it silenced probing criticism. Even when accused of violating international law and universal human rights, critics were dismissed as anti-Semitic and silenced.
But two years of ongoing massacres and genocide have destroyed Israel’s credibility. A critical threshold in questioning Israel has been crossed. Whereas polls in the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7 showed high support for Israel, today, support for Palestinians is far stronger. On social media, dominant narratives now focus on the “Israel problem.” Boycotts have proven effective, discouraging companies from openly declaring support. Western politicians who once built careers on being “pro-Israel” are now afraid to do so. International courts have accused Israel and its current leaders of genocide. Political and social elites, albeit belatedly, have begun to use the term “genocide.”
The global backlash against Israel has directly influenced Trump’s decision to force a cease-fire. He used the justification of “stopping Israel’s loss of image” to quiet opposition at home.
One of today’s most critical issues is this: Israel will now rapidly launch a global propaganda and image-repair campaign, trying to erase the memory of the genocide of the past two years. It will once again invoke a narrative of victimhood and pivot back to the discourse of “Israeli security.”
Therefore, the global coalition must maintain pressure on Israel until a final peace is reached, and the international community must continue to defend the rights of Palestinians. The cease-fire should not mean the Palestinian cause is dropped.
In the Middle East, states must build on the cooperation that emerged after the attack on Qatar and transform it into a genuine security architecture. In this regard, a regional security pact must be signed, creating a strong bloc to ensure the stability and security of the Middle East.
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