Israel will not wait for another jihadist regime to rise—and neither should the west

Once again, Israel is being condemned for acting in its own defense. Once again, the world refuses to understand the truth. They call it aggression, expansionism, another example of Israel meddling where it doesn’t belong. But Israel is not in Syria out of conquest or ambition. Israel is in Syria because history and reality demand it.

With the fall of the Assad regime and the rise of Ahmed al-Sharaa—better known as Abu Mohammad al-Joulani—as Syria’s new leader, the rules of the game have changed. The West, as always, is eager to believe in illusions. They want to think that al-Sharaa is different, that he is a “moderate” who simply wants to rebuild his country after years of war. They did the same thing with the Taliban. They did the same thing in Iraq. They did the same thing with Hamas. And every time, they refused to see reality for what it is. These groups never "change"—they remain exactly what they always were: radical jihadists. Nothing about their ideology shifts, nothing about their worldview moderates. The West keeps expecting that if they offer diplomacy and recognition, these figures will become something different. But nothing is new under the sun. Just look at Afghanistan—the Taliban never softened, and the moment they took power, they imposed the same brutal repression of women they always had. Or look at Syria itself—whenever jihadists have gained control, they have done exactly what was expected: the massacre of Alawites, Christians, and other minorities. This is the reality Israel understands.

And with al-Joulani, the stakes are even higher because, unlike the Taliban, ISIS, or even Hamas, his battle against Israel is personal. This is a man whose very name, "al-Joulani," was chosen as a direct reference to the Golan Heights, the land his family fled from after Israel's victories in 1967 and again in 1973. His identity is shaped by a personal grievance against Israel, and his radicalization came, in part, because of the Palestinian cause. He has openly admitted that his jihadist journey was inspired by the fight against Israel. This is not just another Middle Eastern leader who has inherited the standard anti-Israel rhetoric for political convenience. This is someone for whom the war against Israel is deeply personal in a way it is not for moderate Arab and Muslim leaders. And that means that no matter what alliances he forms with the West, no matter how much he positions himself as a pragmatist, he will always have a problem with Israel.

To understand why Israel is taking action now, you first have to understand something the West has long forgotten: in radical Islamist ideology, war is the default state. This isn’t a matter of speculation; it’s a reality that has shaped the Middle East for centuries. Thomas Jefferson learned this lesson the hard way in 1786, when he and John Adams met with the ambassador of Tripoli to negotiate peace. The United States had never provoked the Barbary pirates, had never threatened them, had never even had dealings with them before—but American ships were being seized, their crews enslaved, and ransoms demanded. When Jefferson asked why, the ambassador’s answer was chilling. He explained that, according to their belief, all nations that had not accepted the Prophet were sinners, and that it was the duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave them. Peace was never the starting point—war was.

That same principle is still alive today, though Western leaders refuse to acknowledge it. The moment Ahmed al-Sharaa took power, Israel knew what would happen next. He will not rush into war immediately. He will consolidate his position, make empty gestures toward peace, charm the diplomats and the journalists who are so desperate to believe in a fairytale. And then, when he is strong enough, when he has the military and political power he needs, he will turn on Israel and eventually the West. It is only a question of when.

The West is happy to wait for that moment, as they always do. They will put their faith in the UN, in peacekeeping forces, in resolutions and negotiations and paper-thin ceasefires. But Israel has learned, through blood and war, that trusting the UN is like trusting a rotten shield to block an incoming sword. Time and time again, the blue helmets have either been completely ineffective or, worse, in active collaboration with Israel’s enemies. This is not an exaggeration. Look at UNRWA in Gaza, an organization that employs Hamas operatives and whose facilities are used for weapons storage and holding Israeli hostages. Look at UNIFIL in Lebanon, which turns a blind eye to Hezbollah’s military buildup right under its nose. Look at the 1967 war, where UN peacekeepers evacuated at Egypt’s demand without making even the slightest attempt to slow down Nasser’s forces as they prepared to strike Israel. The UN does not protect Israel. The UN does not even try. And so, Israel cannot afford to let the UN and its supporters dictate what it can and cannot do.

That is why Israel had no choice but to take control of the demilitarized zone. It was not an invasion. It was not an act of conquest. It was an act of survival. The same goes for Israel’s decision to take the highest ground available. Holding the Golan Heights is not enough anymore. If Israel wants to maintain a strategic advantage in the post-Assad Syria, it must control the Hermon Peak and ensure that it never falls into the hands of those who would use it against Israel. Whoever controls the high ground controls the battlefield. If Israel holds it, it can see enemy movements, it can stop attacks before they begin, it can ensure that no force can build itself up in secret. If al-Sharaa holds it, he can turn it into a fortress, a launch point for missiles and artillery, a dagger pointed at the heart of northern Israel. There is no middle ground here. The West may believe in the illusion of neutrality, but Israel understands that in war, you either seize the advantage, or you surrender it to your enemies.

The world can call it aggression if they like. They can condemn, criticize, wring their hands over what they do not understand. But history will prove, as it always has, that Israel was right. Because when the dust settles, when the illusion of peace crumbles and the next wave of war begins, they will all look to Israel for answers. Just as they always do.