{"id":100003,"date":"2025-08-22T08:35:21","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T06:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/?p=100003"},"modified":"2025-08-22T08:35:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T06:35:21","slug":"middle-east-report-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/middle-east-report-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

22 August 2025 | 08:35 CAT
\n2-minute read<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Key Points from James Dorsey\u2019s Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Netanyahu\u2019s embrace of \u2018Greater Israel\u2019<\/em> signals his determination to block Palestinian statehood.<\/li>\n
  2. Ceasefire diplomacy is fractured: Hamas has shown flexibility, but Israel and the US demand total Palestinian surrender.<\/li>\n
  3. Gaza\u2019s post-war governance is being shaped externally, threatening to exclude Palestinians from deciding their own future.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Israel\u2019s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s open embrace of the Greater Israel<\/em> idea is indicative of expansionist ambitions that come at the direct expense of Palestinians\u2019 right to statehood and survival.<\/p>\n

    Speaking on Radio Islam International\u2019s Middle East Report<\/a>, political analyst James Dorsey described Netanyahu as both a calculating opportunist and an ideologue who thrives on blocking Palestinian sovereignty.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHe is an opportunist\u2026 he\u2019s also an ultra-nationalist,\u201d Dorsey said, stressing that Netanyahu\u2019s mix of political survivalism and far-right ideology has long driven policies that undermine peace.<\/p>\n

    The latest controversy erupted after Netanyahu, during a televised interview, accepted an amulet featuring a map of so-called \u2018Greater Israel\u2019<\/em> \u2014 a vision encompassing not just all of Palestine, but also land belonging to neighbouring Arab states. The Israeli leader said he felt \u201cvery connected\u201d to the concept, effectively rejecting any prospect of a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n

    According to Dorsey, Netanyahu \u201cprides himself on preventing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.\u201d That reality is borne out daily on the ground in Gaza, where Palestinians continue to endure indiscriminate bombardments, starvation tactics, and forced displacement.<\/p>\n

    Ceasefire talks: Palestinians sacrifice, world powers delay<\/strong><\/p>\n

    As the war drags on, Palestinians have cautiously embraced mediated truce proposals, despite overwhelming loss and hardship. Hamas has reportedly accepted \u2014 with minor modifications \u2014 a months-old temporary ceasefire plan, under pressure from Qatar and Egypt. This could offer desperately needed reprieve to families struggling to bury their dead and feed their children.<\/p>\n

    But Israel, with the backing of Washington, has hardened its stance.<\/p>\n

    Dorsey noted, \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is parallel mediator negotiations,\u201d with the United States effectively withdrawing from humanitarian diplomacy and swinging behind Israel\u2019s maximalist demand: no truce until Hamas is destroyed, no phased release of hostages, and a permanent ceasefire only on Israel\u2019s terms.<\/p>\n

    For Palestinians in Gaza, this has translated into a cruel waiting game \u2014 a cycle where survival hinges on outside powers while Israel escalates its campaign.<\/p>\n

    A post-war Gaza without Palestinians\u2019 voice?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The conversation also highlighted the push to impose a new governance model on Gaza.<\/p>\n

    Businessman and economist Samir Hulileh has emerged as a candidate for interim governor, reportedly with US, Israeli, and Gulf support. While Hulileh\u2019s Palestinian roots are emphasised, critics warn that such a plan risks bypassing Palestinian political will, sidelining both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.<\/p>\n

    The strategy, critics argue, reflects foreign designs on Gaza\u2019s future rather than genuine Palestinian agency. Dorsey cautioned that Israeli attempts to recruit tribal leaders in Gaza have already failed, and any externally imposed administration would likely lack legitimacy on the ground.<\/p>\n

    As Israel doubles down on expansionism and the US aligns with its agenda, Palestinians remain at the heart of the suffering. Every new political manoeuvre and symbolic gesture \u2014 like Netanyahu\u2019s \u201cGreater Israel\u201d map \u2014 underscores the erasure of their land, rights, and future.<\/p>\n

    Watch <\/strong>the Middle East Report<\/a> on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    22 August 2025 | 08:35 CAT 2-minute read Key Points from James Dorsey\u2019s Analysis Netanyahu\u2019s embrace of \u2018Greater Israel\u2019 signals his determination to block Palestinian statehood. Ceasefire diplomacy is fractured: Hamas has shown flexibility, but Israel and the US demand total Palestinian surrender. Gaza\u2019s post-war governance is being shaped externally, threatening to exclude Palestinians from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":98895,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28,4997],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","category-world"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/middle-east-20mb.png?fit=2268%2C2268&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0QIf-q0X","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-24 02:56:05","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}