The West in Crisis

Detailed summary

Just one week ago, the entire world seemed to have resigned itself to the rule of the two most powerful men among world leaders: Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The two men shared everything: visits, wars, treaties and discussions about the future of the world. The people of this planet accepted this political shift as they had accepted others before it.

This time, however, the change amounted to a complete upheaval. The Trump hurricane is fading, while the "King of Israel" is losing his majority to a former soldier of Moroccan origin.

For some time, two names have dominated the political stage, whether together or separately: Trump and Netanyahu. Now both are falling from the highest political positions either has ever attained. This may mark the end of their political careers, or at least the first major setback for Trump.

The sounds of celebration have faded in Tel Aviv. The crowds of supporters have dwindled. No one expected such a meager showing for the man who has been waging Israel's wars on every front.

The situation in Israel today resembles the aftermath of Rabin's assassination: deep political divisions and profound anxiety over the country's fate, rather than merely the formation of a government in a multiparty state.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Asharq Al-Awsat. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.