Today, the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals dominate the attention of people – at least in the countries participating in the tournament being jointly hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.At the same time, Israel’s aggressive behaviour continues unabated in both the occupied Palestinian territories and southern Lebanon, not to mention reports of covert and overt operations and plans in Iraq and Syria.
It would also be extremely foolish to ignore even more dangerous developments occurring in other important countries. These developments revolve around a striking contradiction: while Israel’s control over the political narrative is declining in many major Western countries, its grip on the actual centres of power and decision-making is becoming stronger.This influence now extends from governments and parliaments to intelligence agencies, media organisations, communication technologies, and even judiciary.
Opinion polls from around the world increasingly show declining public support for Israeli policies. This trend is visible even in the major Western countries that have historically been,and remain,strong supporters of Israel, particularly the US, Britain, France, Italy, and Germany.According to the latest surveys, Israel now enjoys relatively high levels of public support only in countries such as India, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Argentina.
Against this backdrop, two noteworthy developments occurred recently.
In the US, Republican Senator Tom Cotton advanced efforts aimed at closer coordination,or integration,between American and Israeli intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, in Britain, a judge convicted and sentenced four activists from the group Action for Palestine on terrorism-related charges.
On a broader and more significant level, what we are witnessing today is the emergence of a strategic alliance between powerful technology and media oligarchies,both traditional and digital,and Israeli Likud-aligned lobbying networks seeking near-complete dominance over the American political landscape.
Major American media institutions, with the encouragement of the White House, are increasingly falling into unprecedented concentrations of ownership and influence. This development represents a remarkable shift in the history of American democracy.
In Britain, although appearances may differ somewhat, the underlying reality is not very different.From the early 16th century until 1980s, British media was closely associated with the so-called Fleet Street Lords, powerful newspaper owners whose publications generally reflected the interests of the British Empire and the conservative right.
Among the most famous were:
The Harmsworth family, including Lord Northcliffe and Lord Rothermere, founders of the Daily Mail and later owners of The Times.
Lord Beaverbrook (Max Aitken), owner of the Express newspapers and a former British-Canadian politician.
The Camrose brothers, Lord Camrose and Lord Kemsley, whose holdings included the Daily Telegraph.
During the Thatcher era, British media became increasingly Americanised alongside broader economic and social transformations. At the same time, Israeli influence expanded under both Conservative and Labour governments.
Yet many ordinary Britons remained unable to grasp the scale of Israeli influence within what is often described as Britain’s deep state – its party structures, security institutions, economic networks, media, and cultural establishments.
Today, however, the situation is changing. Event after event, more citizens are discovering not only the depth of the Israeli lobby’s penetration into these institutions but also its ability to anticipate political and social changes that could threaten its interests.According to this view, the lobby has developed effective pre-emptive tools to undermine and demonise activities perceived as hostile to its agenda, whether they involve television interviews or street demonstrations.
This is precisely what explains the recent court ruling against pro-Palestinian activists in Britain. He links it to a political environment heavily influenced by members of the Labour Friends of Israel group, including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
I do not expect any meaningful peace or political breakthrough in the region as long as a man named Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power.
[by Eyad Abu Shakra in Asharq Al-Awsat]
Compiled and Translated by Faizul Haque