In the history of human wars, outcomes are always measured by the degree to which predetermined objectives are achieved.

Wars end either in a victory that consolidates control and stability, or in a defeat that exposes weakness and collapse. This principle applies to most conflicts, but it takes on an exceptional dimension in the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, where the occupier — Israel — insists on portraying every act of Palestinian resistance as an “existential threat”, while itself maintaining a military occupation that has stretched for over seven decades.

The myth of the ’existential threat’

The events of 7 October 2023, described by Israel as “the worst since the Holocaust”, were nothing more than a response to decades of oppression. Yet they unleashed a chain of developments that exposed Israel’s total failure: military, moral, strategic and diplomatic. Today, in September 2025, nearly two years later, Israel remains mired in a war that has descended into outright genocide, with no clear objectives or exit strategy. The result has been deepening global rejection and the confirmation that Israel is not a victim, but a rogue occupier now paying the price for its crimes.

Israel’s claim of facing an “existential threat” from the 7 October operation appears grossly exaggerated, especially in light of its own historical record. Established in 1948 on the ruins of Palestine, Israel displaced millions of Palestinians during the Nakba, killed tens of thousands and destroyed entire villages and towns. Over the past 77 years, it has engaged in arbitrary arrests, imposed a suffocating blockade on Gaza since 2007 and pursued systematic starvation, all in violation of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and UN resolutions.

How can a state armed with the most advanced military technologies and backed by billions of dollars annually from the US genuinely feel existentially threatened by the resistance of an imprisoned, besieged people? The rightful owner of the land is the Palestinian, who is treated as a stranger in his homeland, while the occupier lives in constant paranoia, aware that its legitimacy is built on usurpation. The “existential threat” narrative is nothing more than a cover for colonial terror, as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have concluded, both describing the occupation as a system of apartheid.

Military and political setbacks after 7 October

The 7 October operation, which killed about 1200 Israeli soldiers and led to the captivity of 250 others, dealt Israel a devastating blow, not only militarily but also psychologically and politically. For the first time in decades, Palestinian resistance broke through Israel’s military and cyber defences, forcing Israel to acknowledge the failure of its “Iron” security system. Israel’s response, however, was pure colonial brutality: an invasion of Gaza, indiscriminate bombings and genocidal destruction.

To this day, Israel has failed to achieve any of its stated objectives, whether eliminating Hamas, retrieving the captives, or dismantling resistance capabilities. Instead, Netanyahu has repeatedly shifted the goals, from “destroying Hamas” to “controlling Gaza” to “forced displacement”, in a circular pattern that reflects only confusion and failure. UN reports confirm that the war has turned into a massacre of civilians, with the deliberate destruction of essential infrastructure: hospitals, schools and farmland.

The bitter truth is that Israel occupied Palestine by force, expelled its people, killed them, imprisoned them, besieged and starved them and sought to erase their right to exist. As of 12 September 2025, the death toll among Palestinians exceeds 66,700, most of them civilians, with 161,245 injured, including more than 20,000 children, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation. This number surpasses any recent conflict and includes hundreds of starvation deaths, confirming famine as a weapon of extermination. More than 11,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli prisons, subjected to systematic torture, while 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure lies in ruins. In the West Bank, settlement expansion has surged by 20% since 2023, aiming to impose permanent displacement. These are not mere statistics, but undeniable evidence of war crimes and genocide.

A compounded failure

Israel has not suffered a single failure, but an accumulation of intertwined defeats, moral, strategic, and international.

• Moral failure: The army that prides itself on being “the most moral in the world” has become a symbol of barbarity. Images of bombed hospitals, schools and refugee camps triggered unprecedented global outrage, prompting institutions such as the World Council of Churches and the Vatican to call for an immediate end to the massacres.
• Strategic failure: Israel has not achieved its central objective of eliminating the resistance. Hamas remains operational, while other factions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen have escalated their attacks. Israeli military casualties, hundreds killed and thousands wounded, underscore this reality, with no “decisive victory” in sight.
• International failure: On the global stage, Israel has become increasingly isolated. Countries such as Spain, Ireland and Belgium have banned arms exports. Canada, the Netherlands and Italy halted military deals. South Africa spearheaded a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, backed by more than 50 states.
• Legal prosecution: Political leaders such as Netanyahu, Ben Gvir and Smotrich are now barred from entering several European countries. Israeli soldiers and officers face lawsuits in Belgium, Spain and the UK, where families of Palestinian victims have filed war crimes cases.
• Global grassroots resistance: From London to Paris, Sydney, New York and Berlin, weekly demonstrations of tens of thousands demand an end to genocide, putting Western governments under mounting popular pressure. Major universities, including Harvard, Columbia, and Oxford, have frozen Israel-linked investments.

Regional and international losses

Regionally, Israel’s prospects for further integration via “normalisation agreements” have collapsed. Negotiations with Saudi Arabia were suspended, while ties with Jordan and Egypt have been reduced to bare security co-ordination. Even signatories to the “Abraham Accords” (the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco) have scaled back public co-operation with Israel for fear of popular backlash.

Globally, Israel has suffered even greater losses

At the United Nations, Israel is on constant defence, with overwhelming majorities voting for ceasefires and Palestinian recognition. More than 149 countries now officially recognise the State of Palestine, leaving Israel politically isolated.

In international organisations, Israel’s participation in multiple events has been suspended, alongside growing calls to expel it from bodies like the Human Rights Council.

In Western public opinion, the narrative has shifted dramatically. Polls in the US and Europe reveal that younger generations increasingly view Israel as an apartheid state committing genocide. Prestigious universities, like Harvard, Columbia and Oxford, have seen massive student movements demanding academic and investment boycotts.

In the global economy, leading companies in technology and energy have withdrawn from Israeli projects, responding to boycott campaigns or fearing reputational damage. The BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) has gained unprecedented momentum, pushing European banks to review dealings with settlement-linked or military companies.

This erosion of international standing highlights that Israel is no longer seen as a “guaranteed strategic ally” for the West, but rather as a political and moral liability, opening the door to a reconfiguration of global alliances on new foundations.

Regional chaos

Israel’s failure has not been confined to Gaza; it has extended its aggression across the region. In 2024, it invaded southern Lebanon, killing thousands, and struck Syria hundreds of times, including the bombing of Iran’s consulate in Damascus. In 2025, a direct war erupted with Iran following futile strikes on its nuclear facilities. Israel also attempted to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar and issued threats against Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt. These aggressive policies have not strengthened Israel; they have only deepened its isolation and multiplied its regional adversaries.

Conclusion

What Israel is committing today amounts to redefining itself as a parasitic entity threatening the stability of the entire Middle East. Its failure is no longer temporary, it is cumulative, both politically and morally, reflected in its growing international isolation. The world is witnessing a clear transformation: from the expanding recognition of the Palestinian state, to the prosecution of occupation leaders in international courts, and from waves of normalisation to expanding boycotts, both popular and official.

Palestinians, despite unprecedented destruction, continue to prove that their steadfastness can shift the balance of power, and that their determination to remain and uphold their rights is stronger than Israel’s war machine. Israel may refuse to admit its failure, choosing genocide over justice, but a stable future for the region will remain impossible without the unequivocal recognition of Palestinian rights and the establishment of a fully sovereign, independent Palestinian state in accordance with international law.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.