Israel is losing the world

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The seats vacated by diplomats during Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly were not just an empty space in a hall; It was an intense picture of the vacuum that is expanding around Israel, and of the distance that its policies have created between it and the conscience of the world. The country that has long presented itself as “the only democracy in the Middle East” today faces a question harsher than any media campaign: What is left of this narrative in front of the images of starving children, destroyed homes, and families who lost everything in Gaza?

The public relations machine cannot erase a tragedy that people see, and the rhetoric of self-defense cannot grant violations permanent moral immunity. What Israel loses goes beyond passing sympathy to the erosion of political capital that it has accumulated over decades, and to weaken the ability of its allies to justify its protection in front of their societies.

Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway have imposed sanctions on Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich due to incitement to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, a step that reveals that the objection is now reaching figures within the authority, and goes beyond the usual statements of concern. On the other hand, Netanyahu remains wanted under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court related to accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, so judicial prosecution accompanies him wherever he goes, and exposes the countries receiving him to embarrassing political and legal questions.

Even stadiums, which governments used to treat as a space away from diplomatic calculations, have become a mirror of this loss. The Irish protests against confronting Israel, the Irish Federation’s demand to suspend its participation, and the position of the national team coach reflect the movement of rejection into popular spaces that are difficult to contain with an official statement. When Israel's very presence becomes a subject of protest, damage is done to its image and its ability to integrate normally into the world.

As for Netanyahu's visit to New York without a scheduled meeting with the US President, it adds a striking scene to this picture, although it alone is not sufficient to prove an American shift or a specific electoral calculation. The relationship with Washington is still strong, but the strength of the coalition does not eliminate the increasing cost of defending policies that drain the credibility of their advocates.

Here the question should reach the Israeli citizen, especially those who refuse to be dependent on extremist parties: What future is created by a government that wins a military round and loses more trust and acceptance with it? What security can be established above constant fear, depriving another people of their rights, and expanding the circle of anger in the region?

The Israeli society's call to review is not to hold every individual responsible for its government's decisions, but rather to demand that it not let the extremists monopolize defining its interests and the future of its children. Isolation starts out badly, but it may turn into restrictions on cooperation, a decline in partnerships, an expansion of boycott, and a burden for future generations.

What is more dangerous is that Netanyahu’s speech, with its overwhelming defense of force and attacking critics, did not present a convincing political horizon for peace with the Palestinians. Peace requires recognition of rights, a will to end the occupation, and guarantees that protect civilians, and it is not born from repeated declarations of victory.

Continuing violations while ignoring protest and sanctions sends a dangerous message that force can bypass all accountability; This is a recipe for perpetuating conflict and deepening the fragility of the Middle East. International protection may delay payment of the bill, but does not eliminate its accumulation. Therefore, Israel's real battle with its image begins with changing its behavior and understanding that the life of a Palestinian is not a detail in Israeli security calculations.

The Israeli citizen must ask his government, before demanding that the world improve its view of him: Where are you taking us? How much more will we lose until we acknowledge that peace is a condition for safe survival?