Published on 6/18/2026
|
Last update: 02:43 (Mecca time)
“Can Israel survive?” With this question, the American magazine Newsweek titled a lengthy analytical report examining the future of Israel after the recent war on Iran, considering that the country that seemed to be at the peak of its military power is now facing unprecedented internal and external challenges that may threaten its stability in the long term.
Writer Matthew Tostevin says that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced last April that Israel had reached the “peak of its power,” but subsequent developments showed the limits of this power and revealed the fragility of its regional and international position.
The report indicates that the agreement concluded by US President Donald Trump to end the war on Iran left Israel on the sidelines of the scene, after he ignored its basic demands related to dismantling Iranian missile capabilities and ending Tehran’s support for the axis of its regional allies.
Signs of tension also emerged between Trump and Netanyahu, even though the American president was previously described as the most supportive of Israel in the history of American presidents. The report quoted Trump as saying that Israel “would not have survived without his intervention,” in reference to the extent of Israel’s dependence on American support.
An existential moment
The writer believes that the war slowed down the Iranian nuclear program, but did not end it. Rather, it gave the Iranian leadership an opportunity to rearrange its cards and gradually restore its capabilities, which may allow it to revive its nuclear ambitions in the future and change the balance of power in the region.
The report cites statements by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who described the current stage as an “existential moment,” warning that open wars are draining Israeli society, the economy, and the army, and weakening Israel’s international standing.
He adds that the Israeli army, despite its military superiority, is facing increasing pressure due to the expansion of the fighting fronts, as it continues its operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and maintains a military presence in southern Lebanon and parts of Syria, while the confrontation extends indirectly to Iran and Yemen.
According to the report, the “grass-mowing” security policy that Israel adopted for decades against limited threats has turned into a broad regional confrontation that requires huge resources and exacerbates international anger due to large civilian casualties.
The report quotes Daniel Levy, head of the American Middle East Project, as saying that Israel is “exposing itself to danger” because of its adoption of an expansionist and zero-sum policy that makes it more isolated and less able to integrate into its regional surroundings.
Regional challenges
Regarding the Palestinian file, the writer points out that the chances of a two-state solution are declining significantly, as Netanyahu rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state, while opinion polls show that the majority of Israelis and Palestinians now consider this option unworkable.
The report believes that Israel is also facing new regional challenges, most notably the rise of Turkish influence. At the same time, Israel’s popularity is declining sharply in the West, especially in the United States, where a recent poll showed that six out of ten Americans hold a negative view of it, compared to only 42% in 2022.
On the other hand, Israel faces a worsening demographic crisis, whether due to the increasing number of Arab residents within the Green Line or due to the rapid growth of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect (Haredim) that refuses to perform military service, which threatens the stability of the government coalition.
The Newsweek report concludes that Israel does not face an immediate existential threat, but it is going through a pivotal stage that may completely reshape its future, in light of its expanding international isolation, the depletion of its military capabilities, and the escalation of its internal divisions, which makes the question “Can Israel survive?” Taken more seriously than ever before.
