Why Rahm Emanuel’s Middle East Strategy Will Fail
In a recent speech at Tel Aviv University, former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel outlined his vision for Israel’s future and the path to peace in the Middle East. While he correctly diagnoses many of Israel’s biggest challenges, his proposed policy solutions embolden Israel’s enemies and make the Middle East less stable.
Emanuel correctly identifies three of the most significant challenges facing the State of Israel today. While Israel has achieved strategic military victories on the battlefield in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, it has not been able to translate those successes into strategic political victories, such as disarming Hamas and Hezbollah, achieving regime change in Iran, or eliminating Iran’s remaining nuclear material. The second issue is Israel’s public relations problem and growing diplomatic isolation in the West, especially among younger generations who have lost sympathy for Israel and no longer believe in its right to fight. The third is the lack of a clear vision for the future of the region. While Prime Minister Netanyahu has hinted at elements of such a vision, including expanding the Abraham Accords and becoming more militarily independent, Israel has yet to fully articulate a comprehensive plan for the Middle East after the war is over.
While Rahm Emanuel has a strong understanding of the........
