Considering Version 2

This week (Jan 13, 2025) has been centered on the announcement that Hamas and Israel have reached a ceasefire agreement. It remains to be implemented but this has brought much hope to all parties of the conflict. After this seventh round of conflict since 2006 — marked by destruction and casualties surpassing those of any previous war by twentyfold — Hamas is declaring a divine victory as part of its ongoing quest for perpetual warfare aimed at the collapse of the State of Israel. Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip lies in ruins. The path forward hinges critically on whether Hamas maintains its grip on power. Below is a flowchart from the write-up illustrating the pivotal crossroad we face.

The MIddle-East at a crossroad.

As events continue to unfold, I am considering writing an updated version of From Medieval anti-Judaism to the Gaza War of 2023-24.

• I would like to revisit the first release to better highlight the connection between the events of the past (false accusations, pogroms, conspiracy theories) and those of the present time.

• I would also enhance the background history of Palestine in Chapter V. New research is available on the Muslim Immigration to Palestine (The essay from Rivka Shpak LIssak is a synthesis of prior studies). I recently discovered that the land sold to Jews coincided with high levels of malaria infestations and was scarcely inhabited by Arabs.

• I'd like to elaborate more on the Nakba and provide more balance in describing the root causes of the Intifada, the financial hardship in the Palestinian Territories and daily humiliation.

• Recent admission by Anthony Blinken that more pressure on Israel from the Democrats emboldened Hamas to step away from negotiations confirms my position on The Impact of World Pressure.