Post by Fr David Neuhaus SJ | 6 July 2026
Israel waging never-ending war
Observing Israel’s policies over the past years, it is striking that war has become a way of life. According to Israel’s political and military leadership: it has always been like this, and will always be like this. In an excellent article on the present situation, Ori Goldberg makes exactly this point. He is an independent Israeli analyst and commentator, holding a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and has taught and lectured at universities worldwide.
In his recent piece on +972, Goldberg writes, “When asked when “the war” would be over, Netanyahu replied: “The pursuit of total victory will never be over. If you want to live in the world and in the Middle East you have to be very, very strong.” Netanyahu’s choice of words is worth pausing over. He did not provide contextual statements, such as “We will stay in Lebanon until Hezbollah has been totally disarmed.” (…) Rather, Netanyahu provided a paradigmatic articulation of Israel’s post-October 7 national security doctrine. The war will never be over. War is the condition of life — not of a good life, but of life as such. This doctrine requires tremendous strength, measured above all by the ability to attack one’s enemies with “complete freedom of action”.
Goldberg continues, “After nearly three years of war, there is a broad and deep consensus among the Jewish public in Israel regarding the nature of the State of Israel. According to this consensus, Israel requires that same “complete freedom of action” in order to continue to exist. There is, in this view, no other way forward, because at the beginning and end of every discussion lies the ahistorical hostility of “the world” toward “Jews.” Israel has no real way to dispel this hostility other than by remaining constantly vigilant and launching attacks without restriction whenever it deems necessary.”
Golberg points out that the United States is getting weary of this attitude and is beginning to distance itself from its ally, even though this might still take time to bear fruit. Israel was indeed left out of the negotiations with Iran but the US still sanctions the ongoing bombing and destruction of the Gaza Strip and south Lebanon as well as the reign of terror imposed on the West Bank.
Golberg predicts: “Israel’s resources will dwindle, and sooner rather than later it will discover itself friendless. The most important message sent by Israel — by its prime minister as well as the great majority of its Jewish citizenry — is that the country is bowing out of any international horizon. It no longer sees itself bound by any laws or rules other than those of the eternal war it claims to be fighting.”
Read Golberg’s full article “As Iran and the U.S. talk, Israel chooses eternal war” on +972, here: