ESPECIALLY for us so brainwashed by US worldviews, the war between Israel and the Gaza-based Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) makes so stark the realities of geopolitics, from which we should learn lessons in our own dealings with other countries, especially China.
First lesson: “Might makes right,” especially in international relations. While denigrated as the credo of totalitarianism, that is simply the reality in relations between countries. Israel is poised to depopulate in the coming weeks to the brink of genocide – by sheer military might, forced evacuation, starvation, and disease – probably 500,000 of Palestinians in northern Gaza.
How can Israel do that? With a population of just 9.4 million (smaller than metro Manila) it has one of the most powerful armed forces in the world, ranked 18th. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) is indeed a standout in that the rest of the countries more powerful have populations of 50 million. It is a member of that very exclusive nuclear club, estimated to have 90 thermonuclear bombs — enough to scare its Arab enemies that surrounds it never to attempt attacking it, as they did in 1967.
Not only does Israel have a huge army, with 640,000 active and reserve soldiers (compare that to our 145,000), it has one of the world’s most technologically advanced armed forces. This is due to the fact that it is ranked 6th among the world’s most technologically advanced countries. Examples of the IDF’s technological innovations: the “Iron Dome” air defense system against missiles; the “Trophy” system that protects tanks by intercepting incoming missiles; and the most advanced drones in the world.
And of course, the country with the most powerful military in the world, the US, is backing up Israel, particularly its apparent decision, as its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, to kill every single Hamas member. (But how would they determine who is a Hamas member, and who is a mere non-violent Palestinian.)The US was quick to send the message to other countries, obviously China and Russia, not to interfere in Israel’s coming operation to reduce Gaza City to rubble, when State Department Secretary Antony Blinken a few days after the Hamas attack himself went to Israel, repeating again and again, “We have your back.”
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