In our region, agreements are viewed by the other side as temporary instruments rooted in power, honor, and interests. Concessions are interpreted as weakness. Israel should harbor no illusions and not assume that agreements are seen as permanently binding by its counterparts. Instead, it must act with strength, which includes effective deterrence.
In Western media, including Israeli outlets, the terms “normalization” and “peace agreement” are often used synonymously. But are they truly a path to peace in the Middle East? Do they not rather reveal a fundamental Western misunderstanding of Arab culture?
Peace agreements are a Western construct that does not necessarily harmonize with the Arab world. Since colonial times, the West has tried to impose the concept of the nation-state with its political norms on the rest of the world. Yet, the tribal loyalties and nomadic principles that have shaped this region for centuries could not be broken.
Islamic concepts
In Islamic tradition, several concepts are often mistakenly equated with the Western notion of peace: Sulh – Peace Treaty: This refers to an agreement that...
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