Religious and Nationalist Extremism Fueling Wars and Conflicts

Lawyer Zaki Kamal argues that religious and nationalist extremism are the primary drivers of wars and conflicts, particularly evident in recent events surrounding the third anniversary of the October 7th attacks. He points to the escalating religious and political radicalization within Israel, impacting its elections and government policies. Kamal highlights instances such as settler violence in the West Bank, attempts at settlement in southern Syria, a foiled hijacking of a Flydubai plane by a co-pilot influenced by extremist ideology, and a mathematics lecturer at Bar-Ilan University who allegedly planned attacks against Arab citizens. The article also touches upon the resumption of war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia and the ongoing issue of settler terrorism in the West Bank, allegedly supported by ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, with government and security forces showing leniency. Kamal traces the roots of settler extremism back to the early 1980s and its attacks on Palestinian mayors, as well as plans against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He also notes the Supreme Court's decision to disqualify Sami Abu Shehadeh, attributing it to nationalist and political extremism exacerbated by the post-October 7th climate.

Kamal asserts that the dangerous intertwining of religious fundamentalism, daily politics, and election campaigns is shifting discourse from rational debate to a binary of right versus wrong, good versus evil. This, he warns, limits dialogue, pluralism, and the potential for political compromise. He cites the difficulty in forming a broad unity government, as indicated by reactions to President Yitzhak Herzog's proposal, as evidence of this polarization. The influence of religious figures and symbols in campaigns, bestowing moral legitimacy and framing support as a national or religious duty, is also discussed, particularly concerning ultra-Orthodox parties' ability to mobilize voters based on religious directives.

The article further explores how crises, both economic and political, make populations more receptive to ideologies promising stability, a tactic exploited by extremist religious and nationalist campaigns. The conflict with Palestinians, Kamal argues, has transformed from a national and political dispute over territory into a religiously driven confrontation, with Hamas and Islamic Jihad shifting the focus to religious jihad and the centrality of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. This religious dimension, he contends, has made a diplomatic solution increasingly difficult, with actions like the October 7th attacks and the war with Hezbollah seen as manifestations of this trend.

In Israel, the rise of religious nationalist parties and far-right factions into decision-making positions is driven by religious principles that view control of the land and settlement expansion as a divine commandment. This ideology considers Palestinians to have no right to the land, viewing it as exclusively Jewish historical territory. This perspective, reinforced by religious rulings, makes territorial compromise seem like a religious sin, punishable by death, as exemplified by the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of biblical quotes to describe Hamas and frame the war as a religious battle between light and darkness is also noted.

The article extends this analysis to the Israeli military, observing a rise in religious extremism among soldiers and an increased presence of religious figures. This includes rituals before battles, the display of messianic symbols, and the reframing of military service as a divine mission. A Knesset member's statement that fallen soldiers ascended to heaven is cited as an example of this religious framing. Extremist parties are leveraging post-October 7th shock to promote their agendas, including the resettlement of Gaza and territorial claims in Syria and Lebanon, justifying these through religious interpretations of divine promises. This ideology has permeated academic circles, as seen in the indictment of a Bar-Ilan University mathematics professor for allegedly planning attacks on Arab citizens, echoing past incidents like the Hebron massacre and the murder of a Palestinian driver by university students.

Settler terrorism, particularly during olive harvest season, is presented as directly stemming from religious duty, supported by rabbinical rulings that legitimize violence against Palestinians and even Israeli state actions that contradict this ideology. The book "The King's Torah" is mentioned as a source for these justifications, which include preemptive attacks and the destruction of Palestinian property to prevent future harm to Jews, all aimed at accelerating the arrival of the Messiah. This ideology promotes Jewish supremacy and the subjugation of non-Jews.

Finally, the article touches on the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, where the co-pilot allegedly acted on extremist religious motivations. The incident, involving a flight from the UAE to Israel, was framed by Israeli media and politicians with religious and political undertones. The author concludes that the pervasive influence of religion, particularly post-October 7th, transforms conflicts into sacred religious struggles, hindering diplomatic solutions based on compromise or territorial division. Both sides, he argues, view concessions as religious sins rather than political decisions, marking a shift from nationalistic conflicts to religiously dominated ones, with elections in Israel becoming a battle between a religious Jewish identity and a liberal, rational state.