Israel's escalating rogue-state conduct is unmatched and goes unpunished only because of Western support
Source: Branko Marcetic. "Israel’s Rogue State Behavior Is Somehow Only Worsening." October 24, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
The author says Israel is getting worse, not better, at obeying international norms. He lists a week's worth of attacks, ceasefire violations, annexation moves and war threats, and argues that no other country has a record this long. If any other country did this, he says, the US and Europe would punish it, but they keep arming Israel instead, even though most of their citizens disagree.
Conclusion
Israel's behavior is that of a rogue state and is worsening rather than moderating. Its record of violations is unmatched by any other country, and the US and Europe, which would sanction or confront any other state doing this, instead keep arming and backing it against the wishes of their own citizens.
Premises
- In roughly the past week, settlers backed by the Israeli government violently attacked a Washington Post photojournalist and European diplomats from US treaty-allied countries. The Israeli response was to deflect blame, and nine of the ten suspects arrested have been released to house arrest.
- Israel continues to violate ceasefire agreements in Gaza and Lebanon, killing civilians (over 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire) and demolishing villages. It also occupies parts of Syria and Lebanon and openly threatens more bombings, land seizures and displacement.
- Israeli officials are annexing the West Bank through settler violence and calling for annexation of Gaza. Eight of nine major Israeli parties reject a Palestinian state, effectively committing to apartheid-style one-state rule.
- Israel's de facto security doctrine, as described by a former military intelligence chief, subordinates democracy to ethnonationalism, assumes permanent war with the Arab world, adopts preemptive sneak attacks, and rejects neighbors' sovereignty. Netanyahu is also reportedly planning to attack Iran and pursue regime change there.
- These recent acts come on top of earlier violations, including a war on the UN, attacks on diplomatic facilities, assassinations of foreign officials, and a widely recognized genocide. Israel is now launching a 'Gaza-like' war on the West Bank.
- Other states (Russia, Saudi Arabia) also do terrible things, but no other country combines all of these violations in length and breadth.
- An official US adversary behaving this way would face heavy sanctions and demands for war. Israel faces no meaningful penalty, and Washington and most European capitals continue to arm and support it, contrary to the views of most of their citizens.
Assumptions
- The incidents cited, as characterized by the author, are accurate and representative of Israeli state policy rather than of isolated actors.
- Settler violence can be attributed to the Israeli government because the government finances, arms and enables settlers.
- Characterizations such as 'genocide', 'apartheid' and 'illegal occupation' are correct and widely accepted legal and factual judgments.
- A single week's events plus a selective catalog of earlier acts is a fair basis for judging Israel's trajectory and for comparing it with other states.
- Western powers apply a consistent standard to adversaries, so the contrast with Israel shows a double standard rather than reflecting legitimate strategic, legal or contextual differences.
- Aggregating 'length and breadth' of violations is a meaningful way to rank states' misconduct.
- Majority US and European public opinion should determine, or at least significantly constrain, government policy toward Israel.