Marek Matusiak, an expert at Poland’s state-funded Center for Eastern Studies (OSW), told Rzeczpospolita that Israel’s strategy in Gaza cannot be described as anything other than genocide, citing widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and deliberate starvation tactics following the collapse of a ceasefire.
“Israel has conducted a brutal campaign of bombing and targeted deprivation,” Matusiak said. “Its aim appears to be the maximum number of Palestinian deaths and the rendering of Gaza uninhabitable.”
Matusiak noted that a large portion of Israeli society “does not believe there are innocent people in Gaza,” adding that public consensus around military action is stronger than political unity, which remains deeply fractured.
Commenting on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent request for a presidential pardon amid an ongoing corruption trial, Matusiak said the case underscores Israel’s deep internal polarization. “Views on Netanyahu divide Israeli society more than views on Gaza,” he added.
He argued that Israel’s security doctrine is based on the long-term occupation of non-Israeli territories — not only Gaza and the West Bank, but parts of Syria and Lebanon — and that this strategy is unlikely to change.
Matusiak also criticized Israel’s open defiance of international institutions. “Unlike other powers, including Russia, Israel no longer pretends to care about the UN or international law,” he said. “It’s the first to openly say: we will act as we please.”
While Israel may be losing influence in the realm of “soft power,” Matusiak believes it is gaining in hard power. “No one wants to cross Israel if they don’t have to,” he said. “It remains a powerful state with wide global influence.”
He warned that Israel’s example could set a precedent. “We’re witnessing a shift in the global order where might increasingly trumps law — and Israel is at the forefront of that shift.”
(jh)
Source: Rzeczpospolita