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Source: https://ideas.tikvah.org/mosaic/essays/how-israel-changed-the-face-of-the-middle-east
The Strategic Fruits of Israel's Military Victory
(Mosaic) Arthur Herman - The fact that for the first time the Arab Middle East and Turkey have come together to force Israel's enemy to lay down its arms is a sign of a major sea change. It may not be a sign that everyone loves Israel, but it is a sign of respect that Israel has earned through its two-year war with Hamas. Rather than turning the Jewish state into a global pariah, the war has reaffirmed its international standing. Israel had finished its greatest comeback from pain, adversity, and existential danger since the Yom Kippur War. Israel not only recovered its strength and spirit, but brought the war directly to its enemies with a finality that had been lacking in previous conflicts. In less than two years, Israel managed to break the backs of both Hamas and Hizbullah, and quieted the West Bank. It broke the grip these terrorist regimes had held over both Lebanon and Syria, ending the encirclement by hostile neighbors Israel had faced since 1948. Most importantly, Israel shattered the power of the terrorist groups' main supporter, Iran. Once again, Israel proved that the IDF is a fighting force without equal. The men and women of the IDF displayed unquestionable skill and professionalism in battle, as well as humanity in dealing with a fanatical enemy. All this, while defying the overwhelming weight of contrary world opinion, even from the U.S. and the Biden administration. The story of how Israel transformed the Middle East after Oct. 7 also contains a valuable lesson for the rest of the West, on how to confront its critics and enemies. The writer is a senior research fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas-Austin.