Netanyahu's focus on Iran distracts from the Palestinian issue, which is the real source of Israel's security problems
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/dahlia-scheindlin. "Netanyahu claims that victory over Iran would bring peace to Israel. He should look closer to home | Dahlia Scheindlin | The Guardian." March 26, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that Netanyahu is wrong to think defeating Iran will bring peace to Israel. Instead, she claims he's using the Iran threat to distract from the real problem: Israel's treatment of Palestinians and refusal to grant them self-determination.
Conclusion
Victory over Iran will not bring peace to Israel because the Palestinian issue, not Iran, is the primary source of hostility against Israel
Premises
- Netanyahu portrays Iran as the source of all hostility to Israel, but this is a reductionist view that ignores Palestinian grievances
- Netanyahu's focus on Iran serves as a conscious deflection away from Israel's occupation and Palestinian self-determination
- The war against Iran is helping Israelis avoid confronting the Palestinian issue by consuming media attention and public focus
- Under cover of the Iran war, Israel is making the situation for Palestinians worse through increased violence and oppression in the West Bank
- Suppression and denial of Palestinian national rights makes their struggle more enduring and drives greater willingness to suffer losses
- Palestinian self-determination is a natural right enjoyed by other nations and addressing it would end the greatest source of hostility against Israel
Assumptions
- Palestinian grievances and desire for self-determination are legitimate and distinct from Iranian influence
- Military victory over external threats cannot resolve underlying political conflicts
- Public opinion can be manipulated through strategic framing of threats
- Addressing root causes of conflict is more effective than treating symptoms