Fereydoun Majlessi: In the future after the end of the Gaza war, Israel will be the loser
The Iranian foreign policy analyst’s take on the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Shafaqna, 11 April 2024
The Iranian foreign policy analyst Fereydoun Majlessi believes that in the future after the end of the Gaza war, Israel will be the loser. In order to maintain the past processes, it has to give concessions to the Arabs, the most important of which is handing over the settlements built in the occupied areas of the West Bank, Majlessi adds. In his view even if Tel Aviv obtains the cost of those towns from the Arabs and hands them over to the Palestinian natives, the Palestinians will be victorious.
The article was published just a few days before the alleged Israeli attack on sites around Isfahan, which was done as retaliation to Iranian aerial attack on Israel from the night of 13/14 April 2024. In its turn, the Iranian attack was a response to the alleged Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria, which led to the death of a few high-ranking Iranian Revolutionary Guards generals.
Asked by the Persian Bridge of Friendship whether his position in this interview has changed after the reports about an Israeli attack on Iran at Isfahan, Fereydoun Majlessi answered that it has not changed at all and he continues to stand by his words.
Mr. Fereydoun Majlessi, what will be the geopolitical situation of the Middle Eastern region in the future, considering the recent events in the region and the Gaza war?
The war in Gaza was a reckless and ill-considered action with exorbitant costs and illusory expectations. The countries realized that their involvement in this war is as damaging to them as it is to Gaza. Once you are in Gaza without Hamas, there will be new situations that can be investigated. Does Israel want to stay in Gaza without Hamas on the ruins it created? And will it bear the costs of reconstruction and renovation of that place? Will the world allow Israel to forcibly take and occupy land from a nation? Because there are many kilometers of economic sea waters next to Gaza, which have gas and oil and promise a good future for the Palestinian nation.
In my opinion, after the current events, there will be a negotiation between the United Nations and the Arab community and between the countries that consider themselves the guardians of Israel regarding the management of Gaza and the entire West Bank. I hope that all these sacrifices and deaths and tragedies will leave a positive effect in the end and the Palestinian nation will achieve some kind of independence and at least some kind of autonomy in a peaceful situation without killing and bloodshed. Its region needs the supervision of the United Nations, international understanding and agreement. The evil of this long-standing problem must be eradicated from the region and peace should emerge. At this moment this is a wish. I don’t know if such an environment will emerge or not. But I know that if such a plan is to be implemented, it must be implemented in an environment free of weapons and mutual threats.
With the continuation of threats and destruction, the future will not be easy and new wars in the region will unfold.
Is it possible to predict more regional convergence after this war?
I think that in the future after the end of the Gaza war, Israel will be the loser. In order to maintain the past processes, it has to give concessions to the Arabs, the most important of which is handing over the settlements built in the occupied areas of the West Bank. Even if Tel Aviv takes the cost of those cities from the Arabs and hands them over to the Palestinian natives, the Palestinians will win. Some believe that Israel should return to the borders of 1967, should accept the Oslo Accords and the peace that was on the threshold of its implementation, and the Palestinians should also accept this situation and live peacefully in that area so that Israel can avoid threatening others. Otherwise, with the continued threat and destruction, the future of the region will not be easy and news war will unfold in the region. Since the time of King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia has been looking for such a peaceful behavior within the framework of the 1967 borders, and if the new conditions are accepted by all the countries in the region, we can achieve a peaceful system in the region. I hope that such an event will happen and vandalism can be prevented. But if we think about the well-being and comfort of the nations in the region, such an achievement is not for free. The different parties should give up some of their demands.
Photo: A post-Gaza war situation in the Middle East (source: Pexels, CC0)
Subscribe to Cross-border Talks’ YouTube channel! Follow the project’s Facebook and Twitter page! And here is the podcast’s Telegram channel!
Like our work? Donate to Cross-Border Talks or buy us a coffee!
About The Author
