The turmoil in the Gaza Strip in recent days has caused the entire Palestinian-Israeli conflict situation to spill over. Scandals and atrocities committed by the Israeli army have further escalated the tension of the international community towards Israel. In particular, the shooting of prisoners by Israeli soldiers holding white flags and the storming of people who had taken refuge in a Catholic church in Gaza have aroused strong international dissatisfaction. Even Pope Francis has come out to denounce Israel's actions as "terrorism". This is the second time that Francis has criticized Israel since the conflict broke out in October. At the same time, the United States and European countries have warned Israel to cease fire and reduce the number of civilians**. In response to the changing situation in Gaza, speculation has begun that Gaza may be on the way to a turning point.
The volatile situation in the Gaza Strip has been affected not only by the actions of the Israeli army, but also by the expanded operations of the Yemeni Houthis off the coast of the Arabian Peninsula. These events have led to a dramatic change in the situation in the Red Sea, which in turn has had a dramatic impact on the prospects of Gaza. According to the Financial Times, many events have attracted widespread attention from the international community. Some Western countries, notably the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have begun to put pressure on Israel to change its current strategy and reduce the number of conflicts it causes. And this change in attitudes in these countries has also led to a decline in Israel's international support.
Western countries' attention to and involvement in the situation in Gaza is mainly based on the damage to their own core interests. The most important interest in this is sea power. The recent incidents of maritime conflicts will have a significant impact on the maritime ** of Western countries. The Red Sea blockade will not be limited to Israeli ships, but will also begin to affect Western ships heading to Israeli ports. German and Swiss ships have been attacked just in recent days. This fact has raised concerns in Western countries about the transformation of the world's largest mode of transport. In order to avoid being blocked at sea, the only option faced by Western countries is to shift the mode of transport from sea to land. However, this shift in approach will have far-reaching implications, i.e., the era of sea power is shifting to the era of land power.
As a whole, the dependence of Western countries on the sea has a profound impact on the economic prosperity of all countries, and the United States, as an "orphan of the two oceans", will be the country most affected. In the context of China's promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of the China-Europe railway, land transportation throughout Eurasia is developing rapidly, which will further accelerate the transformation of sea power to land power. For the United States, this will directly threaten its most core interests at present. In order to safeguard its core interests, the United States has no choice but to make strategic adjustments.
There are certain differences in the stance and attitude of European and American countries toward Israel. The French foreign minister went to Israel and urged it to reach a ceasefire, while calling for a "humanitarian truce". However, this approach did not serve as much deterrent and persuasive, because Israel did not take humanitarian considerations into account at all. France's approach may have a political intention to intervene in the Middle East war and weaken its penetration and control over Europe.
In contrast, the German and British foreign ministers jointly published an article calling for a sustainable ceasefire. The German foreign minister has always been regarded as the best person in the United States, and British Foreign Minister David Cameron is basically in line with the position of the United States. However, the positions of the two countries may be motivated by different considerations. Germany may be constrained by its own relations with the United States, while Britain may have wanted to some extent to avoid American involvement in a Middle East war.
In conclusion, behind the conflict in Gaza, the interests and positions of Western countries are undergoing significant changes. The transition from the era of sea power to the era of land power will have a serious impact on Western countries. In order to safeguard their core interests, European and American countries have begun to issue warnings to Israel. Although the impact is not obvious at the moment, the United States is bound to make a strategic adjustment over time. This will also be the biggest turning point in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict involves the core interests of Western countries, especially the impact of the transition from the era of sea power to the era of land power. The blockade of the Red Sea has sparked concerns in Western countries about the mode of transport by sea, and they have begun to warn about the situation in Gaza. However, there are certain differences in the attitudes of different countries towards Israel, which reflects the differences in their respective interests. Against this backdrop, Gaza may usher in a turning point, and Western countries will have to make strategic adjustments to protect their own interests. This change in the situation is of great significance for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.