1. The story. Trump bombs Iran and imposes a narrative in keeping with his appearance on the scene. From tragedy to comedy. After the vibrant narrative of the American bombing of Iran, with the alleged destruction of Iran's atomic force, which the news doesn't seem to confirm so forcefully, he takes the job for granted, with appeals for an end to hostilities in all directions. His appearance on the war scene, after several days flirting with ambiguity, would have opened a new era. Israel definitively establishes itself as the main power in the region, with no room for its adversaries to respond. Iran would come to do some good, and in the process, Gaza and the entire trail of criminal actions by a nihilistic Netanyahu would be forgotten, with the Palestinians cornered and missing.
The Tehran operation would have been decisive in turning the page on the genocidal behavior of a Netanyahu who had become a global icon of evil. If the destruction of Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians had generated anxiety and unrest among some Jewish citizens, even though it was unlikely to threaten the government's political and ideological control over the country, the attack on Iran has given the prime minister a boost, with a noticeable increase in support even from sectors of the timid opposition. And Iran's weakness completes the cycle: back down, and may Allah do more.
And yet, Donald Trump's insolent protagonism, his comings and goings, his abundant contradictions, unscrupulously switching from one thing to the other as his heart desires, raises many questions. His narrative seems to be prevailing. Netanyahu stronger, erected as the uncontested pillar of the Middle East, after having exposed the weakness and inconsistency of the Arab world, incapable of challenging him en bloc and severely broken by American bases and the economic powers of the Gulf.
2. Impotence. And the rest, what? Europe, as always, has displayed its impotence. By tradition, we might expect that if anyone should defend the rights and recognition of Palestinians, it should be the EU, but we all know that, starting with Germany and France, in any conflict involving Israel, the first apology is always sought for daring to speak out, so it's already clear how far they will go. And on top of that, Trump has swiped right in their faces. He has imposed his narrative while Europe increasingly laughs at his jokes, in the general shift toward obedience to the United States that von der Leyen is embracing. The result: Netanyahu has a free hand to continue his absurdity. The Palestinians cower before a world where they struggle to forge alliances. Nuclear force prevails, and Trump wanted to demonstrate which side he leaned on. And the great silences remain. With Europe domesticated, incapable of defending basic human rights when the victims are the Palestinians and of standing up to the Jews when they overstep their boundaries, who can raise their voice? Who can continue to point out the daily atrocities in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, wherever Netanyahu's whims dictate? Or is it that, for the European Union, not everyone has the same rights?
And beyond that, why does everyone keep quiet? We're used to it with Russia; it has little moral authority and less power than it seems. It's already enough with the Ukraine mess, which doesn't help it gain any moral or political authority. China is watching from a distance, which is disturbing because right now it's accumulating more capacity and power than anyone else. A symptomatic summary of the state of the world: the ineffable Trump elevates the criminal Netanyahu to the status of lord and master of the Middle East. Europe puts on a poker face while continuing to accept Trump's demands for unstoppable weapons, with the eternal alibi of deterrence. And Netanyahu, the one who attacks, despite the constant display of undermining of his adversaries, treated like beasts, is consecrated as the master of the region by the United States. And the sinister president of the United States, the one who systematically destroys rights and freedoms at home, with expulsions, layoffs, service closures, spending cuts, denial of the adversary, and everything else he wishes to add, sets the pace in the Middle East. And he displays his ego by enthroning Netanyahu as king of the region. This world is not as we expected, as we said before.
