Washington’s support for Israel during the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict could damage the United States’ standing in the Middle East and on the international stage, the Washington Post reported, citing Arab leaders and analysts.
Experts say that even before the attack on Israel on October 7, the United States was worried that its influence in the Middle East would be weakened, but the current situation is likely to accelerate this process.
The newspaper noted: “President Biden’s strong support for Israel’s leadership despite mounting Palestinian civilian casualties could cause long-term damage to Washington’s standing in the region and beyond.”
According to the report, the United States appears to have acquiesced in Israel’s attacks on refugee camps, hospitals and homes, which may “harm U.S. influence for years to come.”
This includes US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s talks with national leaders during his visits to the Middle East and Asia, where Palestinian civilian casualties have been a “source of contradiction”.
The newspaper noted: “Prime ministers and diplomats have criticized Israel for its actions, with many pointing out that the attacks were carried out with American weapons and that trying to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire rather than a long-term ceasefire would only prolong the life of those who were not directly involved. The violence of those who fight.”
U.S. officials expressed hope that if Israel’s retaliatory actions could end quickly, such as removing the top leadership of the Palestinian Hamas movement, the long-term impact on the United States would be less severe.
On October 7, the Palestinian military branch of Hamas launched the “Aqsa Flood” military operation, and Israel suffered an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Subsequently, armed men of the organization sneaked into Israel’s southern border area, opened fire on troops and civilians, and captured more than 200 people as hostages. According to local government data, more than 1,400 Israelis were killed, including 300 soldiers, and more than 5,000 people were injured.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Sword against Hamas in the Gaza Strip . A few days later, Israeli forces took control of all settlements bordering Gaza and began launching airstrikes against targets in the Strip, including civilian targets. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine and fuel.
According to official data, since the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, more than 1,300 people have been killed in Israel, more than 10,800 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, and tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have been injured.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov previously stated that the bloody conflict between Palestine and Israel should be stopped immediately, and he called for a ceasefire and an end to the war. Lavrov also said that the way out to solve the Palestinian issue lies in the implementation of the “two-state solution” based on United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict concerns the territorial interests of both sides and has been a source of tension and conflict in the region for decades. In 1947, the United Nations decided to establish two states – Israel and Palestine, but so far only the state of Israel has been established.

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