Dead End

I

SRAEL’S enemies have always wished to destroy it, of course, but what’s new this time is that they are avoiding the set-piece battles that lost them all previous wars, and are in- stead elaborating the tactics of terror. Islamist Iran has made itself the driving force. The terrorist movements Hezbollah and Hamas are both Iranian satellites, and their presence on Israel’s borders ensures that Iran can already engage in terrorism on its own terms and at times of its own choosing. There’s a civilizational dimension to it as well: Science and tech- nology have hitherto given Western states their supremacy over the Muslim world. As Iran moves toward possession of the nuclear weapon, this historic advantage is neutralized. A nuclear-armed Iran will be able to promote terror at state level, changing the balance of forces as never before against the West in general and Israel in particular.

About the Author

David Pryce-Jones

David Pryce-Jones (1936–2025) was a British author and commentator and served as a senior editor of National Review.

I

SRAEL’S enemies have always wished to destroy it, of course, but what’s new this time is that they are avoiding the set-piece battles that lost them all previous wars, and are in- stead elaborating the tactics of terror. Islamist Iran has made itself the driving force. The terrorist movements Hezbollah and Hamas are both Iranian satellites, and their presence on Israel’s borders ensures that Iran can already engage in terrorism on its own terms and at times of its own choosing. There’s a civilizational dimension to it as well: Science and tech- nology have hitherto given Western states their supremacy over the Muslim world. As Iran moves toward possession of the nuclear weapon, this historic advantage is neutralized. A nuclear-armed Iran will be able to promote terror at state level, changing the balance of forces as never before against the West in general and Israel in particular.