Toward a Multipolar System and Its Increasing Challenges
Al-Ittihad, UAE, October 14
Considering the recent bloody events between Israel and Hamas, predicting the end of this war is difficult. Of course, it is not the right time to make any political recommendations. This comes because of the exceptional events we have witnessed, where Hamas launched a sudden attack on Israel, resulting in numerous casualties and captives among civilians and military personnel. Some have compared this attack to the events of September 11 in the United States, where US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that the scale of the destruction caused by this attack in Israel equals ten times the magnitude of what happened on September 11. Therefore, in this tense and complex context, everyone must pause and try to understand the impact of this war between Hamas and Israel on the global stage, specifically concerning the concept of multipolarity and the challenges arising from it.
In this context, I read an article titled “The Global Context of the Conflict between Hamas and Israel” by the writer David Leonhardt, published in The New York Times on October 9, 2023. The article suggests that Hamas’ attacks on Israel reflect a new global shift under a multipolar system. The United States is no longer the leading power it once was, and Hamas attacks exacerbate tensions that are considered a threat to the resurgence of American power. These attacks occurred within the context of peace negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Israel under American supervision. Hamas’ attacks can be interpreted as an attempt to hinder the enhancement of American power, especially if Israel turns Gaza into rubble in response to the attacks, potentially disrupting any agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel. This could negatively impact the United States, especially after its strong support for Israel, which some consider heavily biased in favor of Israel, reinforcing the trend toward multipolarity in the world.
The writer pointed out that dominant countries do not retain their control permanently, but the United States also made strategic mistakes that accelerated the emergence of a multipolar world. One of these mistakes is the assumption of naivety by the political leaders of the two parties in the United States that China, due to its wealth, will automatically become a cooperative and friendly partner, neglecting the fact that the lenient trade policies of the United States helped build a competitor.
Regarding Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States spent costly years in unjust wars initiated by George W. Bush, and the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden undermined the image of the United States as a seemingly weaker state.
Some might celebrate the end of the long era of American dominance, which witnessed heinous injustices, whether in Afghanistan or Iraq, and the conclusion of the role of the “world’s policeman” that the United States took pride in. Now, considering these dangerous and decisive events, an important question remains: Will a multipolar world be able to manage better and achieve tangible progress? —Dr. Najat AlSaied (translated by Lana Ikelan)
