'Proxy War Theories' and misleading readings of global politics

Considering the present proliferation of views and opinions on the world’s raging conflicts, the importance of key commentators and observers of these developments having an in-depth knowledge of modern and even pre-modern world history cannot be stressed enough. This is on account of the fact that such a seeming lacuna in knowledge could lead to gross misinterpretations of these realties, which could in turn prove deleterious from the viewpoint of international peacemaking in particular.

- BY LYNN OCKERSZ

One such opinion that shouldn’t go unexamined for its accuracy is the view that Israel’s current military operation against Hamas in the Gaza is a ‘proxy war’ being waged by Israel on behalf of the West, inclusive of the UK. A key proponent of this notion happens to be British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. In a recent interview the latter is quoted, for instance, as stating rhetorically: ‘Who funds Hamas? Iran —an enemy of this country. Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the UK.’

To all outward appearances, Badenoch seems correct. Israel is indeed armed and funded to a degree by some key states of the West, principally the US, and is apparently fighting for the West’s interests against some the latter’s perceived international foes, such as Iran. But is Israel a mere Western proxy? Is it a glorified puppet, so to speak, in the hands of the West? These are questions of the first importance that cannot be ignored or glossed over in a discourse of this kind.

Here is where a thorough knowledge of modern Middle Eastern history becomes relevant. The UK was instrumental in setting up the state of Israel in the late forties during the latter stages of World War Two and it did right by doing so. As in the case of the Palestinians, the Israelis too were a displaced, ‘homeless’ people who needed a state of their own. Important sections of the West, inclusive of course the UK, empathized with Israel and this was perfectly in order since the latter were a brutally victimized people, particularly at the hands of Nazi Germany.