'New Middle East' Plan Underway: Israel's Incursion Divides Region

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) The Middle East has experienced profound changes since the last decade, beginning with the“Arab Spring” revolutions and extending to the armed conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Libya. Amid this turmoil, Israel has worked to strengthen its regional position, capitalizing on divisions and fragmentation within the Arab world.

Consequently, as events in the Middle East have intensified over the past two decades, discussions about a“new map of the Middle East” have become crucial for understanding the region's geopolitical transformations. Israel is at the forefront of these changes, aiming to expand its influence, particularly in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Following Assad's fall, Israeli forces advanced into the Golan Heights, a territory occupied since 1967 and annexed in 1981, violating the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria. Reports indicate their incursion has reached about 25 kilometers southwest of Damascus. Shortly after, the Israeli government approved a plan to expand settlements in the region, aiming to double the Israeli population there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that“strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining and establishing a presence in the area.

The recent Israeli military incursion in Syria follows a month of efforts to penetrate Lebanese territory, involving over five divisions aimed at eliminating Hezbollah. The Israeli military has kept its operations in southern Lebanon secret, with media censorship limiting reports to occasional casualty updates. Meanwhile, the White House supports the Israeli ground operation, viewing it as legitimate self-defense against terrorist threats.

Adding to this is the fact that Israel now maintains full control over the Gaza Strip, with Defense Minister Israel Katz stating that military operations will continue even after the conflict with Hamas ends. He noted that Israel's presence in Gaza will resemble its operations in the West Bank, and the future governance of Gaza remains contentious in ongoing negotiations. The U.S. supports Israel's actions in Gaza under the pretext of eliminating Hamas. Even Trump, while calling for a ceasefire, did not mention plans for Israel's withdrawal or post-conflict governance. This suggests a potential long-term status quo, diminishing discussions on a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood.

Thus, we are witnessing an escalation in Israeli aggression across the region, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon, and more recently in Syria. This aggression may gradually extend to other countries. The current Israeli strategy in the region is fundamentally aimed at using the pretext of ending the Iranian project and combating its proxies to justify Israel's desire to expand its influence, fragment these nations, and displace their populations to ensure complete control. This control primarily targets the Levant region, as evidenced by the ongoing attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, with Jordan potentially in the crosshairs. These Israeli plans are contingent upon the return of the new U.S. President Trump to power, with hopes of fulfilling as many of Netanyahu's ambitions as possible during Trump's next term.

This is not mere speculation; it is an Israeli plan backed by biblical justifications and far-right rhetoric, repeatedly emphasized by Netanyahu. He is leveraging regional circumstances and the ongoing war in Gaza to promote a“New Middle East.” Recently, he conveyed to President Trump and Elon Musk that Israel's actions aim to reshape the region in line with the vision of a“Greater Israel.”

Planning for a new map of the Middle East began before 2008, when then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a new framework for the region, primarily to serve Israel's interests. Notably, then-Senator Joe Biden also discussed this initiative in 2006.

The“New Middle East” project is a strategic initiative aimed at reshaping the Middle East's geopolitical landscape to serve Israel's and Western nations' interests, particularly the United States. This initiative extends beyond mere military or political conflicts; it infiltrates the economy, regional alliances, and the social systems of Arab countries. The plan, which enhances Israeli influence, encompasses several strategic objectives, with the primary goal being to solidify Israel's dominance by establishing it as a major regional power. This implies that Israel will not only maintain its presence but will also expand its territory and become a key player in regional decision-making, enjoying a leading position in areas such as technology, security, and intelligence.

To achieve this goal, it is essential to fragment Arab nations. One of the most effective strategies for enhancing Israeli dominance is to break down major Arab countries into smaller, weaker entities that cannot confront Israel militarily or politically. The underlying idea is that the vulnerability of neighboring states bolsters Israel's security and superiority. This disintegration is often based on sectarian and ethnic lines, as seen in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. Analysts and strategic experts in the Middle East have observed signs of this plan's implementation, especially following clear indicators such as the Arab crises post-2011 and the subsequent normalization agreements in recent years.

This is not just random talk; it is a declared plan detailed in an article by retired U.S. Army officer Ralph Peters in July 2006, titled“Blood Borders,” which is available online. Peters' article included extensive details about the potential division of the Middle East into multiple states based on ethnicity or religion, such as establishing a Kurdish state, a Persian state, a Sunni state, and a Shia state, among others. He presented an innovative map as an alternative to the Sykes-Picot Agreement from a century ago. The map proposed significant changes to the region's geography, reducing the size of some countries while enlarging others, which he claimed would create a balance in the area.

What we are witnessing today in the Middle East is a tangible implementation of a broader agenda. Israel is unwilling to relinquish its ambition to dominate the entire region and cannot be considered a peaceful state under any circumstances. In summary, the issue extends beyond Palestine; it is set to encompass the Levant and eventually the entire Middle East. The coming days will undoubtedly bring significant developments.

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