As the situation on the Gaza-Israel border unfolds, and the death toll rises, the implications are being felt in the region and globally.
Available to comment:
Dr Ran Porat, Affiliate Research Associate, Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University
Contact details: +61, (0) 404 642 833 or ran.porat@monash.edu
Read more of Dr Porat’s commentary at Monash Lens and today’s story here
- Israeli politics
- The situation on the Gaza-Israel border
The following can be attributed to Dr Porat:
“The events on the Gaza-Israel border, which started on 7 October, are nothing short of an earthquake. The implications are difficult to foresee right now but are likely to be enormous.
Hundreds of Palestinian terrorists from Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other groups were able to breach the fence around Gaza.
“This new war with Israel will provide no solution to the deeply rooted problems of Gaza. Instead, it is destined to exacerbate the terrible situation of Gaza’s residents. A battle over Gaza is expected to be long, with numerous victims and destruction on both sides.
“It remains to be seen if this latest war will end up providing answers to the core questions of the conflict. Will Israel topple Hamas and at what cost? Who will take over Gaza if not Hamas? Will Hamas’ ‘victory’ over the weekend be a death blow to the weak and unpopular PA? Can a two-state solution ever be achieved?
“There is a lot at stake. Lurking in the shadows is Iran, with its imperialistic ambitions to export the extremist revolution, while its edges very close to acquiring nuclear weapon capabilities.
“The whole Middle East will be watching closely how this clash of civilisations between an Islamist jihadist entity and a western democracy ends.”
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