After the Oct. 7 attacks, Israel declared to the entire world that Hamas is a "terrorist organization" and succeeded in mobilizing global media on an unprecedented scale.
There are moments in world affairs whose significance may not be immediately apparent; sometimes a seemingly minor issue can signal the flare announcing the dawn of a new era.
Before the Oct. 7 attacks, Israel (or global Zionism) had reached the height of its power. Whether recognized or not, after its founding, Israel had, at the elite level, taken the U.S., the U.K., Europe and virtually all states into the palm of its hand through financial and media monopolies, compelling any government to act as it wished.
There is an intriguing principle in the governance of the universe, well known to philosophers, theologians, historians of religion, and modern historians alike: absolute power belongs only to God. Every state possesses a certain power, and that power has limits. If the influence of a person, a state or a hegemonic force in the world rises to the level of divine authority, alarm bells begin to ring for that group. Israel represented precisely such a power before the Oct. 7 attacks.
When the October attacks began, Israel declared them a "casus belli." It subjected the people of Gaza to what it describes as a relentless campaign of destruction, similar to Hitler’s genocide.
These days, rarely discussed, the Geneva Conventions define protected areas in times of war. Civilians, women, children, hospitals, schools, churches and mosques (in other words, humanitarian spaces) are not to be touched. Soldiers fight soldiers.
But Israel did not confine itself to fighting armed militants such as the Qassam Brigades in Gaza. It carried out massacres against the entire population of Gaza, doing so knowingly, intentionally, and with civilians as the target.
In fact, rather than focusing solely on Israel’s actions, this article will address how Israel (recently attempting to portray itself as a rival to Türkiye) is steadily losing ground in global geopolitics, as Türkiye rises with each step it takes.
If we ask, “Why has Israel lost?” the first answer is that Israel swiftly shattered the very norms the West constructed and elevated globally over the past two centuries – from the colonial period to the democratic era, and especially from 1960 to Sept. 11, 2001 – norms such as human rights, universal rights, women’s rights, children’s rights and patients’ rights. Western states, meanwhile, remained silent in the face of this destruction.
Though at first Israel’s actions appeared successful, its attacks on Lebanon and Iran, its occupation of certain areas in Syria, its strikes on Yemen, and even its targeting of Qatar, amounted to stirring a hornet’s nest in Middle Eastern geopolitics. Following these offensives, no state – Saudi Arabia foremost among them – felt secure.
Remarkably, debates over Israel spilled into the U.S. As Israel appeared to steer America as one might seize a bull by the horns and drag it where one wills, the American public began reacting against what they perceived as an Israeli encirclement.
Thirty years ago, Israel was celebrated worldwide as the Middle East’s only democracy; a developed, democratic, technologically advanced nation. Today, that reputation has evaporated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is compared by many to Hitler, and the Zionist state is increasingly recognized across humanity as a state of massacre and genocide.
In the U.S., not only the current manifestations of Israeli influence and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) role but also the alleged 50- to 60-year record of misconduct by Mossad and the CIA have begun to surface in public debate.
Most scandalous of all in recent times have been revelations suggesting how Mossad and the CIA intertwined themselves within the American system and Western elites globally – compromising individuals, ensnaring them in crimes, and, like a mafia organization, rendering their members culpable to control them. As such information has circulated, debates surrounding Israel have intensified further.
Moreover, Netanyahu recently threatened European states, implying that they must continue protecting Jews worldwide or face dire consequences.
On the other hand, when one considers Türkiye’s position in regional geopolitics, it is evident that for more than two decades Türkiye has made extraordinary efforts to pursue independent policies: its struggle against terrorism, deploying its navy in the Eastern Mediterranean, striving for Libya’s stability, playing a leading role with global stakeholders in fostering the formation of a unitary state structure in Syria, and taking decisive steps in Africa following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland. When a state enters a trajectory of ascent, each step it takes can become solid, lasting and growth-enhancing.
In response to Israel’s aggressive policies, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and even Pakistan have demonstrated a convergence – initially within the framework of a psychological alliance. This rapprochement is poised to produce extraordinary consequences, both in shaping Africa and in redesigning the Middle East’s security architecture.
In previous years, Israel had sought closer ties with Middle Eastern countries while placing Iran squarely in its crosshairs as the principal adversary. Israel’s hostility toward Iran once appeared to resonate sympathetically with regional states.
Today, however, none of Israel’s actions are regarded favorably by the billions in the streets of the U.S., Europe or the Middle East.
Such is fate: while it paves the road of ascent for one nation, it lays the conditions for another’s decline.
Thanks to more than two decades of calculated and strategic policymaking, Türkiye has earned growing respect among nations. A strong historical mission, solid infrastructure, sustained development and a robust defense industry – such a comprehensive convergence of strengths is rarely found in a single country.
As Türkiye rises step by step, Israel – having placed itself in the position of God – is losing ground. And this, too, is destiny.
