Gaza, Israel and the Infinite Game

I’m writing this to unpack the layered narrative in Aneela Shahzad’s article Gaza, Israel and the Infinite Game, which unravels the enduring conflict between Gaza and Israel not as a political episode with a clear ending but as an “infinite game” where players change, but the struggle persists. The article makes a compelling case that this confrontation isn’t just about borders or ceasefires—it’s a civilisational saga fueled by deep-rooted historical grievances, religious symbolism, and shifting global alliances. From the destruction of the Temple centuries ago to the modern geopolitical theatre, Shahzad threads through time to show how today’s bombs and blockades are echoes of millennia-old tensions. Both Gaza and Israel are playing for something far more profound than territory: Gaza for the liberation of Bait al-Quds (Jerusalem) and Israel for the grand Zionist dream stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates.

The article doesn’t shy away from connecting the dots. It examines how the Shia-Sunni divide, triggered after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, fragmented Arab unity and enabled Israel to strike peace with some Arab states while continuing its occupation. Now, with a new wave of Arab-Iran rapprochement, the ground beneath Israel’s feet is shifting. October 7 was not just another flare-up; it marked a historical shift that put Israel in a reactive, almost desperate, mode stretching the battlefield to Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Syria. Shahzad brilliantly paints the picture of a wounded Netanyahu fighting for personal and national survival. Even in the face of internal dissent and international pressure, Israel barrels ahead not because it can win in a conventional sense, but because losing is not an option. In this infinite game, the rules morph, the players rotate, but the fire never really Dies.

Overview:

The article presents the Gaza-Israel conflict as an eternal geopolitical and ideological struggle shaped by ancient history, modern power games, and evolving alliances. It moves beyond surface-level analysis and delivers a philosophical yet grounded assessment of how civilisations engage in wars that outlive individual leaders or generations. Ceasefires may come and go, but the deeper game of existential identity continues.

NOTES:

The article casts the Gaza-Israel conflict as an unending “infinite game” rooted in centuries-old religious, historical, and ideological struggles rather than a short-term geopolitical clash. She traces the roots of the conflict from the destruction of the Jewish Temple by Babylonians and Romans, to the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem, and finally to the modern occupation of Palestine. The Jews, long persecuted across Europe through pogroms and ghettoisation, kept alive the dream of returning to the Promised Land eventually hijacked by secular Zionists with imperial ambitions beyond biblical promises. On the other hand, the Muslims, historically protectors of the Jews, turned hostile when the Zionist project displaced Palestinians. The article critiques how the 1979 Iranian Revolution fractured Arab unity, creating a Sunni-Shia rift that enabled Israel to make peace with some Arab states while isolating the Palestinian cause. Now, with a Saudi-Iran thaw, the regional chessboard is shifting again, giving Gaza renewed symbolic power. The October 7 escalation is presented not as a tactical decision but a calculated historic moment, pushing Israel into a desperate expansion of war zones to Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Syria. Netanyahu, mired in legal battles and political disarray, symbolizes Israel’s existential anxiety. This article describes, has no finish line—players change, tactics shift and rules evolve but the fire of civilisational conflict smolders eternally beneath the surface, flaring up at moments when history and politics collide.

Relevant CSS syllabus or subjects:

• International Relations: Middle East conflicts, Game Theory, ideological wars
• Current Affairs: Gaza-Israel war, Iran-Saudi rapprochement, Netanyahu’s leadership crisis
• Political Science: Political identity, civilisational conflict, personal politics in statecraft
• Pakistan Affairs: Muslim world’s stance on Palestine, shifting alliances in the Muslim bloc
• Essay Paper: Use of history in contemporary politics, enduring conflicts, infinite game theory in geopolitics

Notes for Beginners:

Gaza and Israel aren’t just fighting for land today but they’ve been tangled in a struggle for centuries. For example, Jews were kicked out of their land nearly 2,000 years ago and were mistreated all across Europe. That built a deep desire to return, which later turned into Zionism. On the flip side, Muslims once protected Jews, but turned against them when Palestine was taken over. Fast forward to now the fighting isn’t just about Gaza, it’s about historical dreams, lost identity, and big political agendas. When Saudi Arabia and Iran made peace recently, it gave new strength to Gaza’s cause, and Israel, feeling cornered, lashed out even more. It’s not just war, it’s a game that never ends.

Facts and Figures:

• The Gaza War has been ongoing for nearly 2 years
• The occupation of Palestinian lands began 77 years ago in 1948
• The Second Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 CE
• The conquest of Jerusalem by Muslims happened around 638 CE
• The 1979 Iranian Revolution shifted Arab-Israel dynamics
• Israel has signed peace deals with Jordan and Egypt, but not with Palestinians
• October 7 marked a major escalation in the Gaza-Israel conflict

To wrap up, The article invites the reader to see the Gaza-Israel conflict as part of a never-ending, ever-changing historical game. It urges us to grasp that what’s unfolding isn’t merely a clash of arms but a collision of centuries-old narratives. It is a reminder that realpolitik often runs deeper than treaties and troops. It’s about ideas, myths and memories about games played not just on maps, but in hearts and histories.