The Middle East, an ancient land intertwined with war and faith, has been plagued by an unsolved question for decades: why have dozens of Arab countries, with populations exceeding one billion and abundant resources, been unable to truly unite and subdue Israel, which has a territory of only tens of thousands of square kilometers?
On the surface, it appears to be a scattered sand; From a deeper perspective, it is the multiple strangulation of historical grievances, religious rifts, geopolitical games, manipulation by major powers, and practical interests that has made “unity against Israel” a tragic slogan rather than a feasible strategy.
1、 The scars of history have not healed, and trust has long been shattered
The establishment of Israel in 1948 ignited the spark of the Arab Israeli conflict. In the five Middle East wars, Arab countries suffered repeated defeats, not only failing to “push Israel into the sea”, but also losing cities and territories, causing great damage to their vitality. Especially Egypt, which briefly reversed the course of the Fourth Middle East War but eventually ceased fire under pressure from the United States, and subsequently made a separate peace treaty with Israel in 1979- a move seen as the beginning of a “betrayal of the Arab cause”.
From then on, the ‘leading brother’ fell and the trust of the alliance collapsed. Who dares to believe that the next ‘Egypt’ will not turn around and leave at a critical moment?
2、 The sectarian conflict is sharper than the Arab Israeli conflict
Don’t forget, the Arab world is not a monolithic entity. The millennium old feud between Sunni and Shia has evolved into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran in modern geopolitics. Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, are battlefields everywhere.
Ironically, the Sunni armed forces supported by Saudi Arabia are at odds with the Shia forces supported by Iran, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, who are Israel’s direct opponents. The ‘enemy of the enemy’ should have united, but in reality, the ‘enemy of the enemy’ started fighting first. This internal friction is more deadly than external threats.
3、 National interests override ideology
The new generation of Arab leaders is no longer idealists who shout ‘pan Arabism’. They are real political manipulators.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “We have our own 2030 vision to achieve
UAE officials bluntly stated, “Dubai’s prosperity cannot be sacrificed for the sake of Ramala
Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco have successively normalized their relations with Israel and joined the Abraham Accord.
Economic priority, political stability, and modernization transformation have become the top priorities for Middle Eastern countries. Instead of risking sanctions, war, and economic collapse to “uphold justice,” it is better to quietly develop the economy, attract investment, and open up covert trade with Israel. In 2022, the trade volume between Israel and Arab countries has reached 2.9 billion US dollars, tripling in five years – merchant ships shuttle more frequently between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea than warships.
4、 The United States: Israel’s’ Ultimate Shield ‘
This is not a simple alliance relationship, but an almost faith level strategic binding.
$14 billion in military aid annually is not a number, it is the ammunition depot for the Iron Dome system, the parts supply chain for the F-35 fighter jet, and the all-weather support for the intelligence network.
The United States has established military bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, forming a “trap” in the Middle East. Whoever wants to move Israel must first pass through the US military.
The United Nations Security Council and the veto power of the United States have built a “diplomatic shield” for Israel.
Moving Israel is equivalent to challenging the anchor point of the US global strategy. This is not ‘attacking a small country’, but declaring war on the entire Western order.
5、 Israel: A “hardcore system” where small countries defend and the entire population is armed
Although Israel is small, its defense system can be considered a “lone gem” in the Middle East:
The national conscription system allows reserves to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops within 24 hours;
Strong military research and development capabilities, leading the region in unmanned aerial vehicles, cyber warfare, and air defense systems;
The intelligence network is dense, and Mossad’s tentacles penetrate into the high-level of various countries.
It is not a ‘paper tiger’, but a cheetah that is constantly alert, responsive, and has a giant behind it. Want to beat up? It has long been accurate. Who would hesitate or back down.
6、 Who is really fighting? Only non-state actors
When countries weigh the pros and cons in the conference room, it is Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi militia groups – non-state actors without diplomatic baggage, only driven by ideology – who are truly fighting Israel on the front line.
The Houthis dare to attack Israel’s mainland with missiles not because of their strength, but because ‘barefoot people are not afraid of wearing shoes’. They represent the emotional release of the lower class people, but it is difficult to change the strategic landscape.
Conclusion: Unity is not a moral issue, but a reality that is impossible
Middle Eastern countries are not ‘unwilling’ to unite, but ‘unable’ to unite.
This is not only a military issue, but also a systemic dilemma in politics, religion, economy, and international order. Hatred can mobilize the streets, but it cannot sustain war; Slogans can ignite passion, but they cannot pay for ammunition bills.
The real way out may not lie in “united destruction”, but in rebuilding regional mutual trust, breaking free from external manipulation, and achieving internal reconciliation. Otherwise, even if Israel disappears tomorrow, there will be no peace in the Middle East – because the disease of ‘scattered sand’ is rooted in itself.
A pile of scattered sand cannot resist the tiger, but what’s even more terrifying is that the sand grains have long forgotten that they were once the same desert.
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