The new Israeli-Palestinian War was likely condoned and supported by Iran to break the developing relations between Israel and Arab States. This means that Russia has been informed in advance and has (at least tacitly) approved the Hamas coup attack.
However, as the Iran dominated Hezbollah was not involved from the start, it was probably not a direct Iranian initiative.
But, no matter who has been involved in various ways, the war is the worst news possible for the Ukraine since 24 February last year.
The reason is not only that it attracts world media and political attention at crucial time of fading interest in the Ukrainian cause.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict has for decades been a highly devisive issue for Europe with the large Muslim, Palestinian supporting minorities in several states. However, the latest domestic political development in Israel away from the rule of law worries even traditional European supporters of the country.
In the U.S. the issue of support for the Ukrainians now divides the Republicans, but the support for Israel does not. The more Trumpist, the more uncritical support.
Thus the new war threatens to undermine Western unity, so no matter if or how the Kremlin was involved, it is good news for Putin, and the more the new conflict spreads and longer it lasts the better for him.
Israeli support for Ukraine was limited by its security concerns in Syria. Any hope of change is now gone, if the conflicts do not merge after an escalation to a direct Israeli-Iranian conflict.
Erdogan’s Türkiye should be watched as it will try to exploit the new conflict as well.
(Photo AP)