“There is no chance for any peace talks with the Palestinians. On the contrary.”
Photo: Hani Alshaer/Anadolu via Getty Images
The past year has been one of the most troubled in the Middle East since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. It was certainly the bloodiest – tens of thousands of people died, mostly civilians. What's in store for this region in the new year?
Next year's presidency will be a turning point in the Middle East Donald Trump (he will be sworn in on January 20). There will be – also due to the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria – a new division of influence. Israel can end the war in Gaza. But he won't want to do that. More precisely, the Israeli prime minister will not do it Benjamin Netanyahu.
We asked former ambassadors of Poland to Israel and Israel to Poland about the future of the Middle East and Israel.
Gershon Zoharwho was born in Warsaw, was ambassador to our country in 1993-1997.
Marek Magierowskiauthor of the recently published book “Twelve Photos of the President”, headed the Polish mission in Tel Aviv in 2018-2021.
Isma'il Haniya, the leader of Hamas, was killed in Tehran in late July. His successor Yahya Sinwar – three months later in the Gaza Strip. Despite the achieved military goals, the war in the Palestinian enclave – as stated by the Israeli Minister of National Defense – has not ended. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, quickly dismissed him.
For the first time in history, Iran attacked Israel directly from its territory. And twice. Israel launched an invasion of Lebanon. He eliminated Hasan Nasr Allah, the leader of Hezbollah. There was a revolution in Syria, overthrowing the Assad regime. The unknown goes. New government, new order.
The past year has been one of the most troubled in the Middle East since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. It was certainly the bloodiest – tens of thousands of people died, mostly civilians.
Marek Magierowski: Yes, but what happened this year actually started in 2023, on October 7 to be precise. Israel was attacked on land. Hamas managed to take control of its southern part for a few hours.
The political class in Israel has introduced into the debate the concept of a second Holocaust, which – according to their logic – could happen again. It is used in the context of the arms race in the Middle East, Iran's nuclear program and recurring tensions between Israel and the Gaza Strip or Lebanese Hezbollah.
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