– Syed Azharuddin
In the annals of modern history, few conflicts have proven as enduring and transformative as the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, a saga that began in the early 20th century and continues to reshape global alliances today. From the initial clash of anti-Zionist sentiments against the Zionist vision of a Jewish homeland, through the post-World War II establishment of Israel and the fiery Arab-Israeli wars, the narrative has evolved dramatically. What started as an “Arab vs. the world” confrontation has morphed into a “Palestine vs. the world” dynamic, and now manifests as “Gaza vs. the world,” underscoring the unyielding resistance of Gaza’s people and leadership. This article argues that, amid escalating humanitarian crises and international condemnation, Palestinian resilience is not only challenging Israel’s dominance but also fostering a potential renaissance of global solidarity against alleged war crimes and genocide. Drawing from historical analyses, human-rights reports, and contemporary media accounts, this piece examines the conflict’s trajectory, the varied international responses, and the profound economic and cultural ramifications, ultimately positing that true victory may lie in the moral high ground claimed by Gaza’s defenders.
The roots of this conflict trace back to the early 1900s, when Zionist aspirations for a national homeland, as articulated in Theodor Herzl’s Der Judenstaat (1896), collided with burgeoning anti-Zionist resistance among Palestinian Arabs and regional powers. This period, marked by the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which promised British support for a Jewish national home in Palestine, ignited anti-Zionist fervour across the Arab world, viewing it as an imperial imposition on indigenous lands (Said 1979, Orientalism). As the Ottoman Empire crumbled and British Mandate rule took hold, tensions escalated, leading to the 1936-1939 Arab Revolt, where Palestinians fought against both Jewish immigration and British policies, foreshadowing the resistance that would define the region (Khalidi 2006, The Iron Cage).
The post-World War II era crystallised these divisions with the 1948 establishment of Israel, a state born from the ashes of the Holocaust but at the expense of mass Palestinian displacement in what is remembered as the Nakba. This event triggered the first Arab-Israeli War, involving Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq against the nascent Israeli state, framing the conflict as “Arab vs. the world,” with Western powers like the United States and Britain providing crucial support to Israel (Morris 2001, The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem). Subsequent wars – the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War – further entrenched Israel’s military superiority, expanding its territories while deepening Palestinian grievances. Yet, as the decades progressed, the focus shifted from a pan-Arab alliance to a more localised Palestinian resistance, epitomised by the First and Second Intifadas, transforming the narrative to “Palestine vs. the world.” Today, with Gaza at the epicentre, the conflict has narrowed to a gritty standoff, where the steadfast resistance of Hamas-led governance and civilian populations defies Israel’s blockade and military incursions, symbolising not defeat but defiance (International Crisis Group 2023).
This evolution highlights Gaza’s transformation into a symbol of unyielding resolve. Unlike the broader Palestinian territories, Gaza’s densely populated enclave has borne the brunt of Israel’s operations, including the 2008-2009 and 2014 conflicts, yet its leadership and people have consistently rebuilt and resisted. Human Rights Watch (2024) documents how Gaza’s resistance, through both armed and non-violent means, has sustained morale despite dire conditions, such as the ongoing blockade that restricts essential goods and fuels economic despair. This steadfastness, as evidenced by the October 7, 2023, Hamas incursion and subsequent Israeli responses, underscores a shift where Gaza is no longer merely a battleground but a focal point for global empathy, challenging the Zionist dream’s original aspirations of secure statehood (Al Jazeera 2023).
Internationally, responses to the conflict reveal a fractured geopolitical landscape, differentiated by overt support, lip service, and grassroots solidarity. Nations like Yemen and Iran have offered overt backing to Palestinian causes, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps providing material aid to Hamas and the Houthi rebels in Yemen launching attacks on shipping routes to pressure Israel (BBC News 2024). This direct involvement, rooted in ideological alignments, contrasts with countries offering mere lip service, such as Türkiye, India, China, and Russia. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vocally criticised Israel while maintaining economic ties, as seen in ongoing trade despite rhetorical condemnations (New York Times 2024). Similarly, India balances its historical support for Palestine with strategic arms deals with Israel, while China and Russia prioritise geopolitical rivalries over substantive action, often vetoing UN resolutions to serve their interests (United Nations 2024). In contrast, widespread public solidarity in regions like the US, UK, South Asia, and Africa has surged, with massive protests in London, New York, and Johannesburg reflecting a generational shift. A 2024 Gallup poll indicated that 55% of Americans under 30 sympathise with Palestinians, a stark increase from previous years, driven by social-media exposure of Gaza’s plight (Gallup 2024).
The dire conditions in Gaza, exacerbated by repeated bombardments, have drawn international scrutiny and mediation efforts. Qatar’s role as a mediator, facilitating ceasefires and humanitarian aid, exemplifies attempts at de-escalation, with the country brokering deals that have temporarily alleviated suffering (Al Jazeera 2024). However, these efforts are undermined by the destruction of civilian infrastructure, as detailed in a 2024 Amnesty International report accusing Israel of war crimes, including attacks on hospitals and schools that have displaced millions (Amnesty International 2024). This has fuelled global condemnation, with the International Court of Justice issuing preliminary measures against Israel in January 2024 for potential genocide, signalling a pathway toward renewed international unity (ICJ 2024).
In a dramatic escalation four days ago, Israeli airstrikes hit Doha, Qatar – targeting facilities linked to ongoing mediation efforts. This unprecedented move has backfired: even Israel’s soft allies condemned the attack as an assault on diplomacy itself. Qatar immediately convened an emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, calling on member states to present a united front against Israel’s “genocidal aggression.” The strike, intended to intimidate, instead galvanised world opinion, reviving a broader “Israel versus the world” dynamic reminiscent of the early days of the conflict and underscoring the growing isolation of Tel Aviv.
At the heart of this conflict lies the power of Palestinian resistance, which extends beyond borders to inflict economic and cultural blows on Israel. The global boycott movement, has proven effective, with companies like Starbucks and McDonald’s reporting significant revenue losses in the Middle East due to perceived affiliations with Israel (BDS Movement 2024), while the Scottish Parliament became the first to endorse BDS against Israel (BBC News, 2024). Israeli media outlets, such as Haaretz, have highlighted economic ramifications in 2024, including a 15% drop in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange amid boycotts and investor withdrawals, tourism has plunged by over 70% since late 2023, according to Israeli Tourism Ministry, Jan 2025 and following the year Bank of Israel informed foreign investment dropped 44% amid war uncertainty.
Culturally, youth mobilisation has been pivotal, with university protests in the US, UK, Australia, Africa and South Asia fostering solidarity networks that reject normalisation agreements like the Abraham Accords. Arab support, as articulated in the inputs, remains strong at the grassroots level, with religious leaders decrying such pacts and public-opinion polls showing over 80 % opposition in countries like Algeria and Kuwait (Arab Barometer 2023). Diplomatically, this has led to ramifications, such as Spain’s Prime Minister declaring no trade with “genocidal states,” further isolating Israel (BBC News 2024). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday openly admitted for the first time that Israel is entering “a kind of isolation,” as international pressure mounts over the ongoing war in Gaza and his government’s far-right policies.
In weaving these threads together, the economic, cultural, and diplomatic dimensions reveal a conflict in flux. Economically, Israel’s reliance on Western aid is increasingly untenable as boycotts erode its global standing; culturally, the narrative is shifting toward Palestinian victimhood, as evidenced by celebrity endorsements and social-media campaigns; and diplomatically, the rejection of normalisation is fostering new alliances, potentially realigning the “Gaza vs. the world” dynamic into a broader coalition for justice.
Ultimately, as Gaza’s resistance endures, it beckons a re-evaluation of the Zionist dream’s legacy. The recent bombing in Doha – a direct strike on diplomacy itself – has become a catalyst for unprecedented unity. Qatar’s swift call for OIC and Arab League solidarity, coupled with condemnations from even Israel’s soft allies, signals a world moving back toward collective accountability. If this momentum continues, the long-cherished dream of a “Greater Israel” will remain just that – a dream – while the steadfastness of Gaza’s people, the wider Arab world, and a globally mobilised youth promise that the moral and geopolitical victory will belong to Gaza, to Palestine, to Arab and to a just international order.
