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The Escalating Crisis in the Middle East: Imperialist Machinations and the Betrayal of the Working Class

In the sweltering heat of July 2025, as the world teeters on the brink of broader conflict, the latest developments in the Middle East underscore the bankrupt and reactionary character of imperialism. The article delves deeply into the ongoing genocide in Gaza, now entering its second year under the relentless assault by the Israeli regime, backed unequivocally by the United States and its NATO allies. Far from abating, the violence has intensified, with reports emerging of Israeli forces expanding operations into southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions in a brazen escalation that risks igniting a regional war. This is not merely a localized conflict but a manifestation of the global crisis of capitalism, where the ruling elites resort to militarism to divert attention from domestic unrest and economic decay.

The piece begins by outlining the horrifying statistics of the Gaza onslaught, though it emphasizes that these numbers—tens of thousands dead, millions displaced—fail to capture the human suffering orchestrated by the Zionist state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, portrayed as a war criminal clinging to power amid corruption scandals, has vowed to "finish the job" in Rafah, the last supposed safe haven for Palestinians. Yet, the article argues, this is no isolated act of Israeli aggression but a proxy war serving US imperialist interests. Washington has funneled billions in military aid, including advanced weaponry like precision-guided munitions and bunker-busters, all while hypocritically mouthing platitudes about "humanitarian concerns." The Biden administration, now in its lame-duck phase following a contentious election cycle marred by voter suppression and far-right agitation, continues to veto UN resolutions condemning Israel, exposing the hollow nature of bourgeois democracy.

A central theme is the role of the so-called "international community," particularly the European powers, in enabling this carnage. Germany, under its Social Democratic-Green coalition, has ramped up arms exports to Israel, invoking historical guilt over the Holocaust to justify complicity in a new genocide. France and Britain, meanwhile, provide logistical support through NATO channels, all while their own populations grapple with austerity measures and rising inflation. The article draws parallels to the 1930s, warning that the current trajectory mirrors the lead-up to World War II, with imperialism sowing the seeds of global conflagration to resolve its internal contradictions.

Shifting focus to the domestic front in the US, the piece excoriates the Democratic Party for its unwavering support of Zionism. Figures like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are lambasted as tools of the Israel lobby, particularly AIPAC, which has poured millions into primary challenges against any legislator daring to criticize Israeli policies. The article highlights the case of Congresswoman Cori Bush, who faced a well-funded smear campaign for her mild criticisms of the Gaza war, ultimately losing her seat to a pro-Israel challenger. This, it argues, reveals the bipartisan consensus on imperialism: both Democrats and Republicans serve the interests of the ruling class, suppressing dissent through McCarthyite tactics reminiscent of the Cold War era.

The betrayal extends to the labor bureaucracy and the pseudo-left organizations that claim to represent the working class. The article singles out the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and its president Randi Weingarten, who has endorsed Biden's pro-Israel stance while stifling rank-and-file opposition within the unions. Similarly, groups like the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are critiqued for their opportunism, channeling anti-war sentiment into futile electoral politics rather than building a genuine revolutionary movement. The piece recounts recent protests on US campuses, where students faced brutal police crackdowns, drawing connections to the broader suppression of free speech under the guise of combating "antisemitism." It argues that the conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism is a deliberate strategy to delegitimize opposition to imperialism.

Internationally, the article examines the responses from other powers. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, is portrayed not as a defensive act but as the reactionary response of a capitalist oligarchy to NATO encirclement. However, the piece stresses that workers must oppose both Moscow's chauvinism and Western imperialism, rejecting the false choice between rival blocs. China's role is analyzed with nuance: while Beijing has criticized Israeli actions and provided rhetorical support to Palestine, its own capitalist restoration has aligned it with global markets, limiting any genuine anti-imperialist stance. The article calls for an independent internationalist perspective, free from nationalism or great-power rivalries.

A significant portion is devoted to the economic underpinnings of the crisis. The global economy, reeling from the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflationary pressures, sees the Middle East as a critical battleground for resource control. Oil prices have surged amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, benefiting energy giants like ExxonMobil while impoverishing workers worldwide. The article links this to the broader offensive against the working class: in the US, real wages have stagnated, strikes are on the rise, yet union leaders collaborate with management to prevent disruptions. It cites the ongoing Boeing workers' struggle, where demands for better pay and conditions are undermined by the company's ties to the military-industrial complex, including contracts for Israeli defense systems.

The piece doesn't shy away from historical analysis, tracing Zionism's roots to British imperialism's Balfour Declaration and its evolution into a bulwark against Arab nationalism. It critiques the Oslo Accords as a sham that perpetuated Palestinian subjugation, and exposes the Palestinian Authority under Mahmoud Abbas as a corrupt collaborator with Israel. True liberation, it insists, can only come through a united struggle of Jewish and Arab workers against their respective ruling classes, as part of a broader socialist revolution.

In a scathing indictment of the media, the article accuses outlets like The New York Times and CNN of whitewashing Israeli atrocities, relying on embedded reporting that parrots official narratives. Alternative media, including some left-leaning sites, are faulted for their reformist illusions, failing to connect the Gaza genocide to the capitalist system as a whole.

The concluding sections pivot to a call to action. The working class, empowered by its objective position in production, must break from the straitjacket of nationalism and reformism. The article advocates building sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) in every country, to lead the fight for socialist policies: the nationalization of major industries, the redistribution of wealth, and the establishment of workers' governments. It warns that without such a movement, the imperialists will drag humanity into nuclear Armageddon, as evidenced by the US's provocative deployments in the South China Sea and Eastern Europe.

Throughout, the narrative is infused with optimism about the revolutionary potential of the masses. Recent uprisings in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Kenya are cited as harbingers of a global wave of class struggle, where workers are increasingly rejecting austerity and authoritarianism. In the Middle East itself, the article notes simmering discontent among Israeli workers, who face economic hardship amid endless war, and among Arab populations chafing under dictatorial regimes propped up by the West.

This comprehensive analysis serves as a stark reminder that the horrors in Gaza are not aberrations but symptoms of a decaying system. Only through the mobilization of the international working class on a socialist program can the cycle of war and exploitation be broken. The piece ends on a defiant note, quoting Leon Trotsky: "The only way forward is the world socialist revolution," urging readers to join the fight against imperialism and for a society based on human need, not profit. (Word count: 1,248)

Read the Full World Socialist Web Site Article at:
[ https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/07/12/tzll-j12.html ]