Dr. Brett Bruyne, former director of international cooperation and engagement to resolve crises at the White House, said that the American concern about the possibility of a "major conflict" in the Middle East is uncharacteristic, and indicates the readiness of the United States to take additional steps to impose pressure on the parties to the conflict in the region.

Speaking to the program "Beyond the News" (2023/3/17), he pointed out that there are a number of factors that led to this concern, which would contribute to creating a situation that begins as a state of conflict that starts from a spark that quickly gets out of control, in a way that may lead to an unprecedented explosion of the situation.

This comes against the backdrop of warnings issued by the commander of the US Central Command, General Michael Corella, of the conditions for the exacerbation of the conflict in the West Bank, and his hint at the possibility of what he called a "major conflict" in the region at any moment.

These warnings came on the heels of daily Israeli incursions into the West Bank, which since the beginning of the year have killed 88 Palestinian martyrs, including 17 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the latest of whom was 4 Shiite martyrs in Jenin on Thursday, including two military commanders in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad assassinated by a special Israeli unit for allegedly producing explosive devices.

Against the backdrop of recent developments, the Palestinian Authority considered that what happened comes with the aim of exploding the situation, while Hamas said that "the crime of assassinating the heroes of the resistance in Jenin will not go unanswered," and the Islamic Jihad movement held the occupation responsible for "the crime of assassinating the resistance fighters in Jenin," stressing that "it will pay the price."

Speaking to Beyond the News, Bruin said that the US general's statements carry a warning to Israeli and Palestinian officials of the worsening and out-of-control situation, and that the region does not bear any provocative steps, and the need for them to exert more efforts to reduce tension.

Uncharacteristic

He said that these statements "are unusual, as we do not usually see such direct warnings from US officials, especially military ones," and pointed out that these statements are not made unless they are based on clear data, stressing that the current time is not suitable for the outbreak of a comprehensive crisis in the Middle East.

Adel Shadid, a researcher specialized in Israeli affairs, believes that the American concern reflects a reading of field data and information, and the region's entry into a state of tension, saying at the same time that these data indicate a Palestinian consensus on the failure of the Oslo process and its deadlock.

He pointed out in his speech to the program Beyond the News, that among these data, the recent developments in Israel, including the rise of the extreme right, and the internal disputes in the occupation state, which led to the support of the majority of the Palestinian component to return to armed action and resistance in all its forms.

"We are entering a phase in which we will witness an escalation of security clashes, especially since US and regional efforts want to oblige the Palestinians to remain security guards who offer free calm, which the Palestinians will not accept," he said.

In turn, Israeli researcher and political analyst Meir Javidenfer claimed that the Israeli escalation seeks to neutralize the infrastructure of the resistance fighters in the West Bank, considering at the same time the American concern, based on previous real facts.

The approaching month of Ramadan, which usually witnesses increased tension between the two sides, the internal situation in Israel, the declining popularity of the Palestinian Authority, and the presence of the most racist government in Israel, may indeed exacerbate the situation in the region.