November 06, 2024
By Nasser Kandil
• The ample parallels between the two settler entities – America and the occupying entity in Palestine – are striking. Both were established at the expense of indigenous populations, grounded in White European Protestant dominance, and built on notions of a ‘promised land’, a ‘chosen people’, and a ‘land of opportunity’, forging a mutual dependency between them.
• In a single day, events reveal the internal fractures within both entities. In the U.S., the presidential election isn’t just a contest for office but an expression of a deep vertical split, dividing society into two equal, opposing halves, each unwilling to concede to the other. This division brings the threat of unrest, with extraordinary security preparations in place to counter potential chaos, and even the spectre of civil war casting a shadow.
• Simultaneously, on that same day, in the occupying entity, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ignites street clashes, reviving the deep vertical split within. On one side stands the secular right-wing Zionist camp, backed by the army, judiciary, and security agencies; on the other, the religious-nationalist right-wing, which dominates the Knesset and the government. This dismissal cannot be separated from the broader decline of the occupying entity’s status and the failures of its recent wars, mirroring the structural crisis facing the United States for similar reasons.
Both entities are grappling with a structural crisis at a critical juncture. Heterogeneous identities clash within, economic prosperity has lost its lustre, absolute security is no longer assured, and the struggle for power now threatens social peace. With no clear vision to reinvigorate their foundational ideals and fulfil the promises of their origins, the entities are at an impasse.
• American and “Israeli” leaders alike openly acknowledge the risk of civil conflict, with divisions clearly drawn and tensions escalating. The path to a historic reconciliation between the factions appears blocked.
• From now until the end of the year, these two entities will face one of their most challenging historical moments, confronting difficult questions with diminishing prospects for revival through displays of power. Whether this downward trajectory unfolds in heated turmoil or cold decline, both entities are on a descending path, with hopes pinned merely on keeping that descent as stable as possible.
