Ask Haviv Anything Episode 89: Who benefits from continuing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Feb 12, 2026
A short dive into which actors gain from keeping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict alive. Discussion of regional powers leveraging the dispute for influence. Contrast between external sway over Palestinians and Israel’s internal strength. Examination of zero-sum mindsets on both extremes and how mutual fear drives escalation. Focus on how ordinary people’s sense of threat sustains conflict.
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Foreign Powers Treat The Conflict As Leverage
- External powers use the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a stage to gain regional and global influence.
- Haviv Rettig Gur emphasizes Iran, Turkey, China and Western progressive networks as beneficiaries of perpetuation.
Palestinian Politics Mirror Regional Power Splits
- Palestinians are more susceptible to foreign influence than Israelis due to internal divisions and external backers.
- Gur links the Fatah–Hamas split to competing regional axes like the Muslim Brotherhood and Gulf states.
Internal Israeli Politics Drive Outcomes
- Israel is harder for foreign actors to influence because it is cohesive, wealthy and powerful.
- Internal Israeli politics thus matter more than external pressures for decisions about the conflict.