Israel and Iran conflict looms

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed to retaliate against Israel. This comes ten days after an Israeli drone strike on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus Syria killed two senior Iranian Generals.

Image belongs to Copyright Holder. Image found on https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-55257059 – EPA

In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, threatened a retaliatory strike on Iran if an attack on Israel originates from there.

“If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will react and attack in Iran,”

Israel Katz

These provocations between Israel and Iran have given Western Leaders the chance to show their support for Israel. They have been slowly withdrawing themselves from the conflict and giving more leeway to Iran and her proxies.

In an election year, many Western leaders want to appear as fair arbiters of the war in Gaza, to win over the Muslim vote. Despite this, Western countries have strong defence links with Israel. It is viewed in their interest to keep Israel on the winning team.

Image belongs to Copyright Holder. Image from – https://www.shutterstock.com Eyal Warshavsky/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock

Why does the West support Israel?

Several reasons why it is in the West’s interest to keep Israel armed, particularly the United States is:

Ideological: Israel is perceived as a stable democracy in a region often marked by political instability and conflict.

Economic: Israel has a robust and innovative economy with strong ties to Western markets.

Strategic: The Middle East is a region of strategic importance due to its geopolitical dynamics and energy resources. Supporting Israel strengthens the West’s influence and presence in the Middle East, providing a stable foothold amidst volatile conditions. The export of Oil and Natural Gas, from the Middle East is one of the most important factors for the West.

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Western powers would surely become involved in a direct war between Iran and Israel, along with regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait due to their alliance with America and the ongoing religious conflict between Sunni Islam and Shi’ite Islam.

In response to the rising tensions in the Middle East. Joe Biden stated, “We’re going to do all we can to protect Israel’s security.” This is a good opportunity for Joe Biden and the Democrats to get back Jewish votes that they lost due to their indirect support of Hamas.

How has Religion impacted the region?

Religious strife has underpinned much of the violence in the Middle East: Iranian Proxies Hamas and Hezbollah vow to “Kill all Jews” in their charter.
Iran predominantly follows Shi’ite Islam, whereas Saudi Arabia follows Sunni Islam. This has been a prevailing cause of the Yemeni civil war.

Western Economies rely on imported oil from the Middle East, so it would be crucial for the shipping lanes to remain open and untouched.
Despite the potential for a significant regional war to escalate in the Middle East, both sides recognize the devastating impact it would have on them.

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