The Israeli war of annihilation against the Palestinian people in Gaza determined unprecedented American Israeli isolation. The United States’ resistance to a Security Council resolution urging a ceasefire and its use of veto power showed the moral depravity to which the United States (US) has reached in its unconditional support for Israel.
The lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel alleges complicity of the US and Britain. The collapse of the coalition formed by the US in the Red Sea also demonstrated the military and political isolation of the country. It has failed to form any regional or international blocs.
What the US called the “Guardian of Prosperity” coalition has collapsed due to the withdrawal of its members except Britain. The collapse of this alliance can be understood in the context of the dynamics of the broader EU-US relationship. Historically, the relationship between the EU and the US was complex, characterized by cooperation and disagreement over various issues. This disagreement appeared clearly during the Iraq War, which the US justified based on false information about the possession of nuclear weapons by Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Moreover, the European experience with the Trump administration (2017-2021) has led to uncertainty about the long-term predictability of US foreign policy. This period has seen deep disagreements between the EU and the US, including on trade, climate issues, and adherence to international treaties. There are certain differences which have recently emerged between the US and some EU countries. For example, the EU’s reaction to the AUKUS submarine deal, where Europe criticized the US for its treatment of France. It reflects the underlying tensions in their transatlantic relations. In December 2023, according to several Spanish newspapers, Spain expelled two employees of the US Embassy. These individuals were accused of trying to bribe Spanish intelligence officers to obtain classified information. Two agents from the Spanish intelligence agency were involved in the incident. The American operation was described as a typical act of espionage of relations between hostile powers, which is unusual for allied countries such as Spain and the US. It seems that Spain waited for the appropriate opportunity, which was the war on Gaza and the formation of the Guardian of Prosperity coalition, to announce the expulsion of diplomats and the American espionage operation inside Spanish territory.
Regardless of what we think of them, the Houthis’ continued their support for the Palestinian cause, as is evidenced in their response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. It shows that it was an important element of their ideological framework. They position themselves as part of a broader struggle against what they see as Western imperialism and Zionism in the region. This position resonates with a segment of the Yemeni people and the wider Arab world, who view the Palestinian issue as a central issue in the struggle against foreign hegemony in the Middle East. They also showed that the US is isolated today because of the war on Gaza, and that it is unable to convince traditional allies to fight a new battle in the Red Sea. Joe Biden’s insistence on diving into the Yemeni quagmire means, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the US and its politicians are not learning from the lessons of history.
[by Hamid Abu Al-Izz in Arabic Post]
Compiled and translated by Faizul Haque