The Remaking of West Asia: Israel's Tactical Gains and Strategic Failures Post-October 7
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (Israel-Palestine conflict, Abraham Accords, I2U2, India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor - IMEEC, Hamas, Hezbollah); World Geography (West Asia).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. The changing geopolitics of West Asia is a core IR topic with direct implications for India.
Key Highlights from the News
In the two years since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the geopolitical map of West Asia has completely changed.
Before the attack, the Palestine question was becoming irrelevant, and a situation existed where Israel and Arab countries were drawing closer through the Abraham Accords.
However, Israel's excessive and disproportionate military actions in Gaza completely changed this situation.
Israel's Strategic Failures:
Failed to defeat Hamas as an organization. Hamas has now become an insurgency.
The Palestine question was brought back to international attention more strongly than before.
Efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia failed. This adversely affected projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
Cooperative forums like I2U2 became inactive.
Israel became largely internationally isolated.
In this new situation, Gulf countries are diversifying their security partnerships, seeking other security options like defense agreements with Pakistan, rather than relying solely on the United States.
In short, Israel's attempt to reshape West Asia according to its interests failed, and the region moved into a more complex state.
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