On Israel-Palestine Conflict- Israel & limits of military power

Source: This post on the Israel-Palestine conflict has been created based on the article “Israel & limits of military power” published in Business Standard on 28^th October 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 International Relations – Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.

News: This article discusses the shortcomings of military action in solving geopolitical issues, especially in the context of Israel’s military action in Gaza.

A detailed article on the Israel-Palestine Conflict can be read here.

What is the Israel-Palestine Conflict?

It is one of the world’s longest-running and most controversial conflicts. It is a conflict between two self-determination movements – the Jewish nationalist project and the Palestinian nationalist project, in the same territory.

On October 7^th,2023, Palestinian militant organisation Hamas attacked Israel. The ongoing retaliatory attacks from Israel in the Gaza Strip have led to a huge loss of life and property. This may add another war in the long-drawn history of Israel-Palestine conflict.

What are the limitations of military power?

The military is central to a nation’s Gross National Power (GNP). However, history has shown that relying on military power, however formidable, is an ineffective approach to achieving a larger political and strategic objective.

1) Failure to achieve objectives: For instance, five Israeli wars in Gaza since 2003 have failed to defeat Hamas.

2) Incapability to solve issues in the long-term: History has shown the futility of settling issues using purely military means. For instance, the Kashmir problem.
Military action works initially. It puts down the problem in the immediate term and satisfies the urge for revenge. However, the problem stays intact, and may even get stronger.

USA’s military action in Afghanistan as part of the ‘War on Terror’ is another example of this. In the absence of diplomacy, politics and compromises going together, it was eventually unsuccessful.

Specifically for Israel, despite Israel’s military action, its enemies, including non-state actors, such as Hamas or Hezbollah, still exist.

What makes Israeli military action complicated?

1) Demands for a two-state solution: From the US to India, Europe and China. Due to the overwhelming Arab and Muslim opinion on Palestine, demands will also come from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

2) Non-state actors: Israel’s challenge is complicated by the fact that they do not face a hostile, sovereign power, but a non-state actor (Hamas).

3) Urban warfare: Gaza itself is really a little urban sprawl. Cities trap troops and give an advantage to the defender.

4) Civilian casualties and destruction: Hamas’s ideology won’t just survive; it will return stronger.

What should be Israel’s strategy?

Israel would be better off fighting a more patient, long war, using its intelligence, targeted attacks, targeting terrorist leaders.

Question for practice:

Israel’s military action in Gaza might not yield the results Israel expects. Discuss in light of the challenges of urban warfare and the limitations of military action.